Geneva debacle: Turn the searchlight inward - Editorial

22 March 2013 06:30 pm - 7 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The crisis that hit the Sri Lankan Government with the adoption of the US-led resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions in Geneva on Thursday had reverberated in New Delhi with tidal wave after tidal wave hitting the ruling UPA Government. Its main ally the DMK led by M. Karunanidhi carried out its threat to pull out of the Central Government. The DMK on Tuesday withdrew its support to the UPA and pulled out its five Central Ministers over the issue of alleged human rights violations of Tamils in Sri Lanka but the Congress-led government said there was no threat to the Government’s stability and that it was ‘neither lame nor a duck’.

Political analysts here believe that the Sri Lankan Government found itself in this mess and muddle because of its flippant, complacent and amateurish attitude on the second US-led resolution which was passed with 25 countries voting in favour, 13 against and eight abstentions. The international community, it appears, was not convinced by the unprofessional diplomacy of Sri Lanka’s missions and stressed that the Rajapaksa regime had failed to fulfil the promises it had made. This complaint of the regime being more of a promise breaking rather than a promise keeping Government has been regularly made here and abroad.

The country’s main opposition UNP said that the resolution was not a condemnation of Sri Lanka but a censure of the Rajapaksa regime’s attitude and approach to vital issues. “For anyone who followed the situation since the war ended, the resolution contains nothing new. It calls for exactly what the government had repeatedly promised the international community. The government has failed miserably when it comes to keeping its promises and this resulted in this mess. Rule of law, good governance, media freedom and democracy have been openly flouted resulting in this sort of international embarrassment for the Government,” the UNP said.
The TNA said it welcomed the resolution and urged the government to desist from taking a combative approach to the international community but instead work together in giving effect to the resolution.

“The resolution was passed because the Government had repeatedly failed what it undertook to do. The promises given to the UN Secretary General and to the UNHRC were not carried out resulting in this resolution,” the TNA said.

The JVP held the Sri Lankan government responsible for creating an internal situation that had warranted international intervention.
“The government did not keep its promises. The dismal track record on Human Rights, the breakdown of democracy and the rule of law, the blatant threat to the independence of the judiciary have all contributed to the current mess this country is facing,” it said.

It’s not too late even now for the Government to restore democracy, judicial independence, accountability, good governance, freedom of expression and transparency instead of playing the numbers game and attempting to show that it won when it lost.

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Comments - 7

R.Sunthar Saturday, 23 March 2013 01:10 AM

Not only our neighbour but those beyond will laugh at us as long as our house is in disarray.

sss Saturday, 23 March 2013 01:49 AM

Exactly! You are spot on. good article.

sbd Saturday, 23 March 2013 03:42 AM

What can one expect from present set up when Aluth kade has become an Anduwe kade & is there any country in the world having a legal CJ & an illegal CJ? What human rights. Geneva resolutions and debates are unnecessary.It is all there to see!

Naman Saturday, 23 March 2013 11:08 AM

Has the current GoSL got the ears to listen to good advice???

JAMES CHELVA Saturday, 23 March 2013 05:46 PM

Sri Lanka is going on a path of no return under the present regime. Instead of solving the problems as promised to other(13) nations that helped to root out the LTTE. calling them now as LTTE rump.and turning deaf years to them especially to India U.S and the west will only aggravate the situation and always there is a possiblity of either foreign intevention or sanction imposed .Worst scenario would be the rise of terrorism though not conventionaly may be hit and run. Now the international community has endorsed the greivances , S.L is going to be in the radar for long time to come before things erupt.

amara Saturday, 23 March 2013 06:05 PM

We heard this idiotic comments during war time.

Pol Pot Sunday, 24 March 2013 01:19 PM

No. The GOSL thinks that any Good Advice is Criticism, and reacts accordingly, with excuses, like a spoilt child when he is pulled up for Misbehaving.

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Geneva debacle: Turn the searchlight inward - Editorial

Comments - 7

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