US Resolution could revive separatism in Sri Lanka- Swamy warns Blake

Source http://www.asiantribune.com/node/61912

Washington, D.C. 10 March (Asiantribune.com):
India's Janatha Party leader Subramanian Swamy had a warning to the United States: "Your resolution against Sri Lanka in Geneva could be seen as a victory of the divisive forces close to the Tamil Tigers that could revive the separatist agenda of the LTTE".Janatha Party leader Subramanian Swamy meets with President Rajapaksa

Mr. Swamy, who met Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake, conveyed his point of view on the American move to introduce a resolution at the ongoing UN Human Rights Council session.

Noting that this is his personal initiative, Swamy, during his nearly hour long meeting with the State Department officials in Washington, cautioned the US that the resolution should not be seen as a victory of the “divisive” forces close to ‘Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’ as that could result in revival of the LTTE, which is not in the interest of anyone.

He has asked the Obama Administration to undertake bilateral consultations with Colombo to work out a consensus on the draft of the alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka proposed to be tabled in UNHRC in Geneva.

India's Janatha Party leader was apprising the media of his talks with Washington officials.

“Under no circumstances the resolution has any indication that President Rajapaksa and others are guilty of war crimes. Whatever has to be done has to be done by the Government of Sri Lanka and not by international agencies. The demand for international agencies essentially comes from supporters of LTTE'.

Swamy told US officials that there is no probability of setting up an internationally-appointed “intrusive” probe which Sri Lanka will be compelled to comply because Russia and China will veto such a move.

“Thus no resolution not acceptable to Sri Lanka can be ever enforced in the UN framework,” he said.

Mr. Swamy disclosed that the US resolution, according to the information he was given by State Department officials, will not urge for an international mechanism to scrutinize Sri Lanka. He said it is a big setback for the pro-LTTE forces.

Expressing satisfaction over his meeting with the US officials, Swamy argued that any investigation into the alleged human rights violations should be taken by the democratically elected government of Sri Lanka and not by any internationally appointed bodies.

"Because Sri Lanka, being a democratic country, stands on a totally different footing from Bosnia and Zaire," he said.

Meanwhile Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the Rajya Sabha on Friday that India is “worried” about the fate of Tamils in Sri Lanka and wants them to live with “dignity and self respect”

“There are problems in Sri Lanka; we have been worried about the fate of the Tamil population in Sri Lanka,” Dr. Singh told the Upper House of the Indian Parliament.

“It has been our effort to plead with the government of Sri Lanka that there must be political reconciliation, that without national reconciliation (the) situation cannot remain calm.”

Dr. Singh asked Colombo to take the initiative to talk to the “Tamil top leadership” in Sri Lanka.

“It has been our effort to work with the leadership in Sri Lanka and to ensure that Tamil people (there) do get a chance to live a life of dignity and self respect as equal citizens of the country.”

- Asian Tribune -

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