NEW DELHI: India must oppose a resolution in the UNHRC moved by the US, UK and some other countries on giving two more years until 2019 for Sri Lanka to submit its report on killing of Tamils, AIADMK said in parliament.
AIADMK leader V Maitreyan raised the matter in Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour and urged the Centre to take initiative to see that an international independent investigation is ordered.
Requesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring justice to Eelam Tamils, Maitryean said: “I urge the Government of India to oppose this Resolution in the UNHRC in the voting to be held on 22nd March, 2017.”
He said that eight years have elapsed since the planned and systematic genocide of Eelam Tamils in Lanka in 2009, in which more than 150,000 Tamils were killed.
“So far, no reliable investigation regarding this has been undertaken and not a single guilty has been punished,” he said.
He said that a Resolution was adopted in UNHRC sponsored by the USA and Lanka in 2015 that called for independent investigation of the war crimes in Lanka with the participation of International judges and lawyers and jurists should be conducted.
“But within 48 hours, the President of Lanka openly announced that Lanka will not permit any jurists or lawyers from foreign countries. In the intervening period more Tamil areas have been colonized by the Lankan settlement. Lankan army in large numbers is still occupying Tamil areas. Lakhs of Tamils who have disappeared have not been found till date,” he said.
With the 34th session of UNHRC is in progress in Geneva, Maitreyan said: “It is really shocking to the Tamils the world over that the USA, the UK and other countries have sponsored a resolution in the UNHRC, deciding to give two more years until 2019 for Lanka to submit its report.”
“What is more worse is the newly added provision that only with the consent of the Lankan Government, any foreign jurist, lawyer or rapporteur could enter into Lanka on this issue,” he added.
He also mentioned about a letter written by former TN chief minister Jayalalitha on the matter to PM.
Some other members including CPI leader D Raja questioned the government to clear its stand on the issue and wanted the matter to be discussed in details in the parliament.