The Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF) has expressed concern that the resolution passed at the UN Human Rights Council today has a limited mandate and does not address immediate issues, while appreciating those countries that co-sponsored and voted for the resolution.

In a statement signed by the Bishop of Mannar Rev Rayappu Joseph and Kumaravadivel Guruparan, a lecturer at the University of Jaffna, said,

Today’s resolution is a turning point in the battle for the human rights of the Tamil people. It opens up the possibility to obtain justice via international mechanisms for all those who lost their loved ones in the course of the mass atrocities of 2009 and in the seven years prior.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said today that it was the job of the United Nations and its bodies to seek accountability and victims are served justice.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said in a statement that the resolution passed on Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council today, mandating an international investigation, is not the best way forward.

In a statement released today, Bishop said that the resolution failed to recognise the significant progress Sri Lanka has made in the North-East of the island.

The Sri Lankan Army and police have carried out house to house searches in Piramanthanaaru and Punnai'neerav, in Kilinochi district on Wednesday, reported the Uthayan.

Security personnel went door by door, questioning residents and checking their identity documents.

Cordon and search operations are continuously carried on in various parts of Kilinochchi the Uthayan further said.

Four Tamil men were held in the North-East of Sri Lanka by security forces, after being accused of removing posters of Tamils wanted by the police, according to Uthayan.

The men, arrested in Oddusuddan, were also attacked by the army and the police, Uthayan further said.

Augustin Salujan 24, Irasenthiram Kamalathas 19, Sureshan 25 and Najeetharan 25 were taken to Oddusuddan police station.

Peace in Sri Lanka is an illusion created by the government said the TNA's Eastern Province member, Mr. T. Kalaiyarasan, reports Uthayan.

Accusing the government of seeking to suppress the Tamil race through such illusions of peace, Mr. Kalaiyarasan said there was a need to fight for Tamil rights on the island.

Referring to the resolution being discussed on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council, Mr. Kalaiyarasan said that peaceful protests were taking place, in the hope that the resolution would be in favour of the Tamil people.

Photograph Tamil Guardian

The international community's call for accountability and justice in Sri Lanka is "not going to go away" warned Canada's Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deepak Obhrai, at a press conference inside the UN Human Rights Council, hours before the Council is set to vote on a third resolution on Sri Lanka.

Asked by the Tamil Guardian on how Canada would respond if the Sri Lankan government failed to cooperate with an investigation by the Office of the UN High Commissioner, Mr. Obhrai said,

"It is very important that they address these issues, it is not going to go away, as much as they try, it is not going to go away."