Sirisena view slights UN resolution on probe: DMK chief

After Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena asserted that the mechanism to investigate the alleged rights violations would be completely domestic, DMK chief Karunanidhi today said it was contradictory, 'slighting' the UNHRC resolution and reiterated his demand that the Centre should take steps to press for an international probe.
"USA, UK and India which brought in the UNHRC resolution (for a domestic probe with the involvement of foreign judges) and India which supported it should understand at least now that Lanka's stance went against international cooperation," he said.
On October 3, Sirisena had asserted that the judicial mechanism to probe the alleged rights abuses during the civil war with LTTE would be "completely domestic" and ruled out the possibility of involving foreign judges.

The DMK chief castigated Lanka for its "contradictory stance, which slighted the resolution itself after having supported it in UNHRC."
"India should explain UNHRC, USA and UK that Lanka's stance is against the UN body, and seriously affected the norms of international ties," he said.
India should hence make efforts to win the support of USA and UK and make arrangements for an international probe.

"It will be appropriate only if the international probe body is constituted and monitored by UNHRC for time-bound completion of inquiry," he said.
Seeking a resolution for an international probe, he said that through it the long time expectations of Tamils across the globe could be fulfilled to some extent and Eelam Tamils would get at least preliminary justice for 'atrocities' committed against them.

"The Centre should realise that this will be an opportunity for India to correct the stance it has been pursuing till now and should immediately undertake urgent steps in this regard," he said.