When Prime Minister
Dr.Manmohan Singh in his reply on Mar.19 in Lok Sabha, to the debate on the
Motion of Thanks for the President’s Address announced that India is inclined to
support and vote in favour of US sponsored draft resolution on human rights
violations in the United Nations Human Council (UNHRC) 19th session in Geneva
on March 23, “it was greeted by the members of the AIADMK, the DMK and other
parties, with the thumping of desks.” (Report on page 1 of The Hindu, March
20). The live relay of the Lok Sabha proceedings also showed ADMK and CPI
members welcoming it with the thumping of desks immediately after the PM’s
announcement.
By then the DMK had already
announced the convening of the party’s high-level executive committee meeting
on Mar.20 and Kalaignar in the morning on the day had announced the fast to be
undertaken by Party throughout the state on March 23 and himself undertaking
the fast to urge the Centre on supporting the resolution against Sri Lanka in
UNHRC. Following the Prime Minister’s announcement, Kalaignar told mediapersons
of the cancellation of the proposed fast and executive committee meeting.
‘The Hindu’ on March 20,
published the following report on P.17 about Kalaignar’s press briefing under
the headline, “DMK was on verge of quitting UPA Ministry” :
“The Dravida Munnetra
Kazhagam revealed on Monday that it was on the verge of pulling its Ministers
out of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government, but dropped the
idea after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured Parliament that India would vote in favour of a resolution on Sri Lanka at
the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
DMK president M.
Karunanidhi read out to reporters extracts from a resolution prepared for
consideration at a meeting of its high-level executive committee scheduled for
Tuesday to discuss the U.S.-sponsored resolution. However, there was no need
now to release it, he said.
Besides withdrawing its
proposal to come out of the Union Cabinet and instead offer the government
issue-based support, the DMK called off Tuesday's meeting and a State-wide fast
it planned for Thursday to demand that the Centre to back the resolution at the
UNHRC.
Earlier in the day, Dr. Singh
told Parliament that India
was inclined to vote for a resolution, if it covered India's
objectives: “The achievement of a future for the Tamil community in Sri Lanka that
is based on equality, dignity, justice and self-respect.”
“The high-level committee
reiterates that the Indian government support the resolution, taking into
consideration not just the DMK's request but also the aspirations of the entire
Tamil community. If the Indian government says it cannot support the
resolution, the DMK has to consider whether it should be part of the government
when it is not even possible to support a resolution against the Sri Lankan
Army that was responsible for the killing of over 40,000 Tamils. The meeting
decides that the DMK Ministers in the Union Cabinet will quit their posts, and
the DMK will be forced to offer only issue-based support to the government,”
Mr. Karunanidhi said, quoting from the resolution.”
Expressing happiness at Dr.
Singh's announcement, he said the Centre's latest stand was a victory for the
struggle in support of Sri Lankan Tamils and those fighting for their cause.”
Kalaignar was magnanimous
and humble enough not claim credit solely for him and the DMK and ascribed the
victory ‘to the struggle in support of Sri Lankan Tamils and those fighting for
their cause.’
However neutral political
observers and common public could easily understand that the credit goes only
to the DMK and Kalaignar.
Late in the evening of
Mar.19, Jayalalitha, unable to digest the credit for Centre’s stand on UNHRC
resolution going to Kalaignar, issued an avaricious statement calling Prime
Minister’s announcement ‘evasive and useless’ and ‘helping Karunanidhi in
ending his deceitful drama of fast.’ (Kalaignar’s rejoinder to Jayalalitha on
P. ........................)
Panicked by their Amma’s
vicarious mood, the ADMK group leader in Rajya Sabha gave notice for amendment to
the Address on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue. Surprisingly, from the CPI, whose
members in the Lok Sabha including senior CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta welcomed
Prime Minister’s announcement without any reservation, D.Raja also gave a
notice for amendment. Reporting the proceedings in the Rajya Sabha after Prime
Minister’s reply on March 20, ‘The Hindu’ on Mar.21 under the headline, ‘CPI,
AIADMK corner DMK in Rajya Sabha, said:
“The Communist Party of
India, along with the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, on Tuesday
sought to corner the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in the Rajya Sabha, asking it to
take a stand on an amendment on the Sri Lankan Tamils' issue.
The parliamentary manoeuvre
— insisting on recording a vote — came after these two parties expressed
dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement that the
government was inclined to vote in favour of the resolution, promoting reconciliation
and accountability in Sri Lanka,
at the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.
When the amendment moved by
D. Raja (CPI) came up for vote, the DMK under its leader Tiruchi Siva made
attempts in vain to avoid a division of votes even as B.S. Gnanadesikan
(Congress) said Dr. Singh's assurance in the Lok Sabha was welcomed by all
political parties in Tamil Nadu.
The CPI amendment regretted
that the President's address to Parliament did not mention the need for a
political solution to the Tamils' problems in Sri Lanka, and the issue of
violation of human rights and war crimes against the Tamils, particularly in
the last phase of the war in 2009. Nor did it take serious note of the
continued attack on Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy and the need to
review the Kachatheevu agreement.
However, just before
recording of votes, Mr. Siva along with party MP Kanimozhi stepped out of the
House, which rejected the amendment 81 to 9.
Earlier, Deputy Chairman K.
Rahman Khan asked Dr. Maitreyan not to wave a copy of a compact disc which, the
member said, contained video of “war crimes” and the draft text at the UNHRC.
The Prime Minister, in his
reply to the motion of thanks to the President's address, reiterated his
government's stand as articulated in the Lok Sabha on Monday. He said India hoped to advance its objective of
achieving a future for Tamils in Sri Lanka “that is marked by
equality, dignity, justice and self-respect.”
Although Raja (CPI)
insisted on the amendments the ADMK members did not at all propose their
amendments is the fact. Even if the ADMK members had proposed their amendment
it would have ended in ridicule because their amendment was worded as follows:
“That at the end of the
Motion, the following be added, namely:
“but regret that the
Address does not mention about the failure of the Government to protect the Sri Lankan fisherman
from the atrocities of Sri Lankan
Navy”
(Instead of Indian
fishermen they had mentioned as Sri Lankan fishermen)
After members of all
parties welcomed the PM’s announcement in the Rajya Sabha, Raja’s insistence on
discussion did not seem to be concerned with Lankan Tamils interest and
considered by many as intended for the political gain of an individual. DMK
member Tiruchi Siva said, “Apart from the 'ifs' and 'buts' that my colleague
has mentioned, it is the Prime Minister of the nation who has given an
assurance on the floor of the House. His assurance is of paramount importance.
We repose our confidence in the Prime Minister's assurance. We hope that India would take a positive decision of
supporting the Resolution in Geneva”,
and Minister for Shipping Thiru G.K.Vasan pleaded saying, “I would request the
AIADMK Members not to deviate from the issue and give a wrong message to the
world.”
The DMK did not participate
in the voting because this attempt amounted to show divided opinion when the
whole people of Tamil Nadu stood united on the issue.
If ‘The Hindu’, which
generally does not politically interpret news, more particularly Parliamentary
proceedings, has gone to this level of reporting ‘the DMK was cornered in the
Rajya Sabha’, least could be expected from such a ‘viewspaper’ like Dinamalar,
which published a report under the bold letter headline ‘DMK gave slip without
voting on Lanka resolution. Jittery over ADMK – Leftists maneouvres’ and
telling as if the DMK did not support a resolution against Sri Lanka. Neither ‘The Hindu’ nor
the viewspaper questioned why the ADMK and CPI, which did not propose any
amendment in the Lok Sabha after PM’s reply did propose amendment the next day
in Rajya Sabha to the same reply of the PM? Of course, the ADMK is known for
shifting its stands in tune with the whims and fancies of their Amma!’ But why
should CPI’s Raja (and D.Pandian) try to play second fiddle to Jayalalitha,
differing from his comrades in Lok Sabha? What did he achieve by pressing for a
division, which was voted out by all other parties except ADMK and CPI members?
It undermined the united and solid stand taken by the whole of India against
Sri Lankan regime.
Notwithstanding the trashes
raised by Jayalalitha and seconded by D.Raja and D.Pandian, the effect of PM’s
announcement on India’s
stand on UNHRC resolution, the Sri Lankan regime and Sinhala chauvinists are
jittery and India’s
stand has catalysed support for the resolution against Lankan regime from many
more countries, as reported by ‘The Hindu’ itself on March 21 and 22.
On Mar.21, under the
caption ‘Reconsider stand, Sri Lanka
tells India:
“As parties continued to
raise the Sri Lankan Tamils issue in Parliament, Colombo
on Tuesday sought India's
support in the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva,
a day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told Parliament that India
was inclined to vote for the U.S.-sponsored resolution.
Minutes before Dr. Singh
rose in the Rajya Sabha to reiterate India's
position, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna received a call from his Sri
Lankan counterpart G.L. Peiris from Geneva.
Mr. Peiris urged that India reconsider its stand, given the close ties
between the two countries, and said Colombo was
hopeful of New Delhi's
support. Sources in the Ministry told The Hindu that during the conversation,
Mr. Krishna referred to India's
suggestion that Sri Lanka
take steps to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and
Reconciliation Committee.
Expressing the hope that Sri Lanka would
implement these measures, Mr. Krishna said political parties in the country
were voicing concern over the issue and both countries should remain engaged.”
and under the headline ‘Indian
stand, a game-changer at Geneva?’:
“As the deadline approaches
for a possible vote on the U.S.-backed resolution against Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights
Council in Geneva, diplomats following the
developments concede that Sri
Lanka was putting up a tough fight.
The Indian change of stance
on single-country resolutions had made a few countries look favourably at the
resolutions, said diplomatic sources in Colombo
and Geneva.
Earlier this week, it
appeared that Sri Lanka
had considerable support in the Council of 47 nations. Sri Lanka had
lobbied hard to get at least 18 countries on its side as of Monday. Many of
these countries did not go into the present case per se, but were more bothered
of the torch of inquiry turning in their direction at some later date. There
were at least 10 nations in the undecided category. The Indian stand seemed to
have made some of the 10 countries re-think. Plus, the U.S. has put in additional resources on Ground
Zero in Geneva,
and has been working overtime to persuade the fence sitters. “The Indian Prime
Minister's statement will make other countries think carefully about their
positions,” said a Western diplomat.
The U.S. has
maintained that the resolution expresses the international community's concern
about the delays in implementation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation
Committee report and called for action on important steps towards
reconciliation and accountability. Sri Lanka says the resolution is
against it. “Against is the operative word,” said Bandula Jayasekara,
President's spokesperson.
Protests
Sri Lanka also continued to witness protests outside the
Indian High Commission. On Wednesday, it was the turn of monks and Tamil
fishermen to put pressure on India.
Buddhist monks, who said
they belonged to the ‘National Sangha Council,' marched to the High Commission
demanding that India should not support the proposed U.S. led resolution
against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council.
The monks, supported by the
ultra nationalist JHU, carried a banner which read “Leaders of India — do not
break the long standing friendship between Sri
Lanka and India
by supporting U.S.
resolution”. The JHU is a constituent of the UPFA, Sri Lanka's ruling alliance.
A group of Tamil fishermen
from the Northern Province
also marched to the High Commission. The ‘United Tamils of Sri Lanka' members
held a demonstration in front of the High Commission and urged India “not to do
anything which will affect their livelihood and harmony”. Both groups handed
over separate memoranda to Deputy High Commissioner P. Kumaran.
Caution
The High Commission posted
a ‘Consular Notice for Indian Nationals' in its Facebook site to “inform all
Indian nationals in Sri
Lanka” of the “mechanism has been put in
place to address their grievances and contingency situations.” Indian nationals
have also been requested to register online on the HCI, Colombo website www.hcicolombo.org.”
All these developments and
ultimately the voting in UNHRC to adopt the resolution against Sri Lanka
trashed the inimical and cynical remarks of Jayalalitha and their attempt to
politicise even the Sri Lankan Tamils cause, which will not be absolved by
Tamils all over the world
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