On Monday, India raised concern over the “lack of measurable progress” on Sri Lanka’s commitments to a political solution to the long-unconcluded Tamil national question by making an unwonted reference to the “debt-driven” economy of the crisis-hit island nation at a debate in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
The statement was made during an interactive dialogue on the report released earlier by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on promoting accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka, at the 51st session of the UNHRC.
The Indian delegation said: It “notes with concern the lack of measurable progress by the government of Sri Lanka on their commitment to a political solution to the ethnic issue.”
Nadal Al-Nashif, the UN acting high commissioner for human rights, stated that Sri Lanka should improve its human rights situation and strengthen its institutions in order to address the humanitarian challenges that have emerged from its most devastating economic crisis in seven decades.
She further urged the incumbent government of the island nation, led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, to end the use of security laws to arrest protest leaders who helped oust former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the month of July.
Ali Sabry, the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka, stated that the Lankan government is keen to work with the OHCHR on the issue of human rights. Howbeit, he suggested that any international judicial intervention would be seen as anti-constitutional.
Furthermore, the permanent representative of India to the UN in Geneva, Indra Mani Pandey, mentioned while reading out India’s position: “India has always believed in the responsibility of States for the promotion and protection of human rights and constructive international dialogue and cooperation guided by the principles of the UN Charter.”
In addition, he reiterated that New Delhi had always supported political settlement within the paradigm of the island nation, “ensuring peace, justice, equality, and dignity for the Tamils of Sri Lanka.”
This unusual criticism of Sri Lanka by India appears to come after Colombo had permitted a Chinese research vessel to dock at the Hambantota port the previous month, despite signaling security concerns by the neighboring nation.
(with inputs from PTI and The Wire)