India abstains on UNHRC resolution balancing interests of ethnic Tamils and Sri Lanka

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India has abstained from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution against Sri Lanka in Geneva on Tuesday over war crimes committed against Tamils during the civil war. India committed to neutrality by neither supporting nor rejecting it. India's stance was driven by two considerations: protection of the interests of ethnic Tamil community and support for the unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. In other words Indian supported protection of Tamil community human rights but rejected ethnic separatism.<br />
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Sri Lanka was forced to face the music once again yesterday after United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet recently noted: "Nearly 12 years on from the end of the war, domestic initiatives for accountability and reconciliation have repeatedly failed to produce results, more deeply entrenching impunity, and exacerbating victims' distrust in the system."<br />
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She added that justice evades the victims of Sri Lankan war crimes. Bachelet has recommended targeted action against officials responsible for the war crimes.<br />
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Over the past few weeks, the Indian Ocean nation had approached India numerous times to garner its support before the UN body. Sri Lanka cited the examples of Russia and China, saying they have extended their support.<br />
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Responding to Bachelet's report on Sri Lanka at the UNHRC, India had said the assessment of the High Commissioner about developments nearly 12 years from the end of the conflict raises important concerns. Spelling out the Indian stand, Indra Mani Pandey, Permanent Representative of India in Geneva, said India is for Sri Lanka’s unity and territorial integrity as much it supports Tamil aspirations for equality, justice, peace and dignity.<br />
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Pandey said: "These are not either-or choices. We believe that respecting the rights of the Tamil community, including through meaningful devolution, contributes directly to the unity and integrity of Sri Lanka. Therefore, we advocate that delivering on the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil community is in the best interests of Sri Lanka,"<br />
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The resolution, Promotion of Reconciliation Accountability, and Human Rights in Sri Lanka, was adopted as 22 nations voted in favour, 11 voted against it and 13 countries abstained. China and Pakistan voted in favour of Sri Lanka.<br />
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Analysts say that India took a principled stance despite Chinese efforts to woo Sri Lanka, a strategically located state near major commercial shipping lanes of the Indian Ocean. China has already entrenched itself in Sri Lanka after  cash-strapped Colombo gave  the strategic Hambantota Port on a long-term lease to China.<br />
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But India is also trying to win a port contract from Colombo, which the Sri Lankan government had earlier agreed to give to an Indo-Japanese consortium but cancelled. In lieu, it offered another port terminal, called the West Container Terminal to India earlier this month.<br />
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In anticipation of the  UNHRC resolution Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena had told the media this weekend that the government has been working on human rights issues and a presidential commission has been appointed to investigate the allegation. Gunawardena said: "We are trying to defeat the false accusations levelled against us, and many friendly countries have joined hands with us in this. We hope that India too, will support us this time."<br />
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Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had been trying to raise support from other nations as well. Earlier this week, a worried Rajapaksa had spoken with the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to seek his support.</p>