India on October 6 abstained from voting on a resolution on Sri Lanka at the U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
Key points
- The resolution titled ‘Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka’ was adopted by the Council after 20 of its 47 members voted in its favour.
- The 20 countries that voted in favour of the resolution included, the United Kingdom, the United States, Argentina, Finland, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Poland, Republic of Korea and Ukraine.
- While 20 countries abstained, seven — including China and Pakistan — voted against it, effectively backing the Sri Lankan government.
- The resolution called upon the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure the prompt, thorough and impartial investigation and, if warranted, prosecution of all alleged crimes relating to human rights violations and serious violations of international humanitarian law, including for long-standing emblematic cases, with the full participation of victims and their representatives.
- It also urged the government to address the ongoing economic crisis, including “by investigating and, where warranted, prosecuting corruption, including where committed by public and former public officials”.
India’s position
- While India abstained on a draft resolution, but it observed that Sri Lanka’s progress in implementing commitments on the 13th Amendment, meaningful devolution, and early provincial elections remains “inadequate”.
- India’s Permanent Representative to the U.N. Ambassador Indra Mani Pande said, ‘achieving prosperity for all Sri Lankans and realising the legitimate aspirations of Tamils of Sri Lanka for prosperity, dignity and peace are two sides of the same coin.”
- India also took note of the Sri Lankan government’s commitments on the implementation of commitments “in the spirit of the 13th Constitutional Amendment”, meaningful devolution, and the early conduct of provincial elections.
About U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
- The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system made up of 47 States responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe.
- It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year.
- It meets at the UN Office at Geneva.
- The Council is made up of 47 United Nations Member States which are elected by the UN General Assembly.
- The Human Rights Council replaced the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights. The Council was created by the United Nations General Assembly on 15 March 2006 by a resolution.
