Failure to do would be an embarrassment to the nation and the Tamil community in particular, say 51 Indian-based NGOs
KUALA LUMPUR: It will be an embarrassment for Malaysia and particularly the Tamil community if Malaysia does not support a resolution on war crimes committed by Sri Lankan security forces in 2009.
K Arumugam, co-ordinator of the Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC), representing 51 Indian-based NGOs, said sources in the Malaysian delegation to the at 19th Human Rights Council (UNHCR) in Geneva, had indicated that the government might vote against the resolution.
Initiated by United States and several other Western countries, copies of the resolution was handed to the delegates yesterday evening and they are scheduled to vote on it next week.
Arumugam said the GCC submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak on March 2 urging Malaysia not to make same shocking decision where it supported a resolution initiated by Sri Lanka on its “military solution” to the ethnic conflict in 2009.
He said this resulted in Sri Lanka being protected from facing an international inquiry into war crimes its security forces committed which resulted in the massacre of thousands of Tamils towards end of the 26-year conflict.
Arumugam said a copy of the memorandum was also sent to Minister in the Prime Minister’s department G Palanivel to urging him persuade Najib to support the resolution initiated.
Why the double standard?
He contended that Malaysian government has been very consistent when it came issues related to human right violation in Bosnia, Palestine, Southern Thailand and Philippines.
“But why the double standard in our foreign policy when it came to Sri Lankan Tamils?” asked Arumugam.
He added that Palanivel should raise the matter at the cabinet meeting and also spell out MIC’s position on the issue.
“If Malaysia votes against the resolution, it’ll be tantamount to supporting the brutal killings and the sexual abuse and rapes committed by Sri Lankan security forces,” said Arumugam.
He said Wisma Putra should look into the reports of a three-member panel which was set up immediately after a visit by UN secretary-general Ban Ki Moon.
The panel confirmed that the massive and widespread shelling by Sri Lankan forces caused the deaths of thousands of civilians.
Arumugam urged the Malaysian delegation to view ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’, a documentary produced by Channel 4 to get a grip on the atrocities committed by Sri Lanka’s armed forces.
The TV channel had provided corroborative visual evidence in the form of eyewitness accounts, amateur film footage, photographs and mobile phone videos.
KUALA LUMPUR: It will be an embarrassment for Malaysia and particularly the Tamil community if Malaysia does not support a resolution on war crimes committed by Sri Lankan security forces in 2009.
K Arumugam, co-ordinator of the Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC), representing 51 Indian-based NGOs, said sources in the Malaysian delegation to the at 19th Human Rights Council (UNHCR) in Geneva, had indicated that the government might vote against the resolution.Initiated by United States and several other Western countries, copies of the resolution was handed to the delegates yesterday evening and they are scheduled to vote on it next week.
Arumugam said the GCC submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak on March 2 urging Malaysia not to make same shocking decision where it supported a resolution initiated by Sri Lanka on its “military solution” to the ethnic conflict in 2009.
He said this resulted in Sri Lanka being protected from facing an international inquiry into war crimes its security forces committed which resulted in the massacre of thousands of Tamils towards end of the 26-year conflict.
Arumugam said a copy of the memorandum was also sent to Minister in the Prime Minister’s department G Palanivel to urging him persuade Najib to support the resolution initiated.
Why the double standard?
He contended that Malaysian government has been very consistent when it came issues related to human right violation in Bosnia, Palestine, Southern Thailand and Philippines.
“But why the double standard in our foreign policy when it came to Sri Lankan Tamils?” asked Arumugam.
He added that Palanivel should raise the matter at the cabinet meeting and also spell out MIC’s position on the issue.
“If Malaysia votes against the resolution, it’ll be tantamount to supporting the brutal killings and the sexual abuse and rapes committed by Sri Lankan security forces,” said Arumugam.
He said Wisma Putra should look into the reports of a three-member panel which was set up immediately after a visit by UN secretary-general Ban Ki Moon.
The panel confirmed that the massive and widespread shelling by Sri Lankan forces caused the deaths of thousands of civilians.
Arumugam urged the Malaysian delegation to view ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’, a documentary produced by Channel 4 to get a grip on the atrocities committed by Sri Lanka’s armed forces.
The TV channel had provided corroborative visual evidence in the form of eyewitness accounts, amateur film footage, photographs and mobile phone videos.
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