Don’t support Sri Lanka at UNHRC, Jayalalithaa urges PM
March 7, 2012, 9:51 pm
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa on Tuesday termed India’s support to Sri Lanka at the United Nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC) untenable and demanded support for the US resolution next month on accountability issues of the Sri Lankan civil war, according to a report posted on The Times of India website.
In a letter to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the text of which was released to the media here, Jayalalithaa, referring to her earlier Feb 29 letter, said: "The media reports mention that India is against the ‘Country Specific’ resolutions and wants to take up discussions only under Universal Periodic Review as a routine matter," the March 6 datelined report said.
"This means direct support to the Sri Lankan government, which is most unfortunate and untenable," she said, adding she reiterated earlier requests that India should support the US-backed resolution in the UNHRC and "strongly condemn the Sri Lankan government".
Noting her Feb 29 letter had gone unanswered, Jayalalithaa said that she awaited a positive response
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=46928
Geneva: India,SL take common stand on NGOs, paymasters
March 7, 2012, 9:39 pm
By Shamindra Ferdinando
An unexpected condemnation of India over accountability issues at the current sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has prompted India to take a line similar to that of Sri Lanka on the issue of foreign-NGOs.
Sri Lanka and India have, according to Geneva based sources, taken exception to the views expressed by Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Margaret Sekaggya, who was critical of them on the basis of unsubstantiated claims made by NGOs.
Sources told The Island that former Attorney General Mohan Peiris on behalf of the Sri Lankan delegation urged the UN not to be deceived by those hurling allegations against others for their personal benefit. Sources said that the spat between India, a key member of the 47-member UNHRC and the council highlighted the readiness of those at the helm at the premier UN body to go on record, without verifying facts.
Some of the concerns raised by ex-Ugandan judicial official Sekaggya with regard to the situation in India were discussed during a debate in the British Parliament last September.
A statement issued by the Sri Lankan mission in Geneva quoted Peiris as having told the sessions:
"We believe you have the competency to identify those of them whose heart and soul are genuinely with human rights.
I would equally alert you not to fall prey to those who masquerade behind the readymade cloak of human rights defenders, creating political havoc wherever they are, at the behest of their political masters in the execution of collateral agendas."
External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris said he considered Sekaggya’s approach highly intrusive and it did not make sufficient allowance for priorities in particular countries with regard to their social policies and their own domestic assessments of the requirements in the countries.
Prof. Peiris was responding to a query by The Island soon after his return from abroad following a hectic programme in Geneva, where he spearheaded the Sri Lanka’s campaign against the US-led resolution targeting Sri Lanka, before touring Africa, canvassing support.
The minister said that it was important that UN bodies should within certain parameters respect the judgment of individual states with regard to sensitive aspects of public policy.
At the end of the day, the governments of those countries were responsible to their people for the content of the legislation and its implementation, Prof. Peiris said. "This has to be respected."
"In any case, it is quite clear that the same standards are not being applied across the board. There is a high degree of selectivity, which is entirely unacceptable," the minister said.
Prof. Peiris, during a series of bilateral meetings with UNHRC member states and other key players, strongly emphasised the need to be fair by all countries.
Prof. Peiris agreed that the Indian issue should effectively silence those who had alleged that the government was taking advantage of UNHRC sessions to divert the attention of the public from other pressing issues.
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=46921
Home
would enable you to enjoy an array of other services such as Member Rankings, User Groups, Own Posts & Profile, Exclusive Research, Live Chat Box etc.. 
even his name gives out the meaning of a hypothetical land. 
check this out
