India must support US-backed resolution on Sri Lanka: Jaya

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Wednesday said India should strongly support the US-backed resolution and condemn Colombo on alleged violation of human rights in the final stages of the civil war in Sri Lanka when the issue comes up before the UN Human Rights Council.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, she recalled her earlier memorandum to him last year that the state assembly had urged the Centre to take up this issue with the UN and declare those found guilty against Sri Lankan Tamils as war criminals.

The Assembly had also urged the Centre to initiate action by working with other nations by imposing an economic embargo on Colombo until Tamils living in camps there are rehabilitated, she said.

DMK chief M Karunanidhi, MDMK leader Vaiko and PMK leader Dr S Ramadoss also demanded that India should not back Colombo.

"When I was under the impression that the government of India was pursuing action positively," certain reports suggested that the Sri Lankan spokesman expressed confidence over India's support of the Sri Lankan stand when the US backed resolution on accountability issue comes up for voting in the UNHRC in Geneva in March.

Reiterating Tamil Nadu's stand, Jayalalithaa said India should support the US-backed resolution and condemn Sri Lanka when it is brought forward in the council.

DMK chief M Karunanidhi, MDMK leader Vaiko and PMK leader Dr S Ramadoss also demanded that India should not back Colombo.

"India should not back Sri Lanka at any cost when the UNHRC resolution comes up for voting," Karunanidhi said in a statement recalling the party's resolution adopted at its high-level committee meeting in April, stressing that Sri Lanka should be tried for alleged war crimes.

Citing the resolution passed in the meeting last year, Karunanidhi said perpetrators of the alleged crimes must face action and the Indian government should also make efforts in this regard.

Vaiko had on Tuesday written to Singh voicing concern over India's reported move at UNHRC. PMK leader S Ramadoss also expressed concern over the issue.

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