Reiterating the TNA’s (Tamil National Alliance) welcoming of today’s UN Human Rights Council resolution mandating an investigation into Sri Lanka’s wartime atrocities, the party spokesperson, Suresh Premachandran expressed his deep disappointment at India’s support for abortive last minute efforts to first defang the resolution, and then to postpone the council’s voting on it.

Mr. Premachandran spoke to Tamil Guardian shortly after the Sri Lanka resolution had been adopted, after intense and heated deliberations in the HRC plenary, which he had sat through.

“We are hopeful this [UN investigative process] will eventually lead to the possibility of a dignified political settlement for the Tamil people,” he said.

“But one pathetic aspect [of today’s Council’s debate] I could see was Indian representatives supporting Pakistan in seeking to postpone the vote on the resolution, and to weaken it,” he said.

“When a proposal to postpone [a vote on the resolution] was voted, India cast in favour. Not only that, but even in the second vote on Pakistan’s proposal to delete Article 10, which mandates an international investigation, again, India was in favour.”

“For the first time I have seen, India was supporting something brought by Pakistan. Whereas India and Pakistan in the international arena are always like cat and rat, but here, we see India supporting Pakistan in preventing something the Tamils have been earnestly calling for, an international investigation.”

“That is the most pathetic part of the whole thing today. In fact, the Tamil people very much expected that India would be with them,” Mr. Premachandran said.

“Definitely the Tamil people would be deeply disappointed, because they expected so much from India and here that is nothing.”

Asked about the difficulties of the investigation proceeding in the face of Sri Lanka’s strident resistance, Mr. Premachandran said:

“It will be very difficult. I don't think the Sri Lankan government will allow the High Commissioner to come into Sri Lanka for investigations. But definitely, the TNA will work with the United Nations Human Rights Council in the future, to make these things a reality.”

“This [investigation] is going to have to be held outside Sri Lanka. In that situation, definitely the TNA as the representatives of the victims, definitely we will give the maximum cooperation for these investigation.”

See also India's address to the Council, prior to the vote, explaining its rationale for abstention.

Find full coverage of the UNHRC vote and reactions to the resolution mandating the OHCHR to undertake an inquiry here.