Sri Lanka's problems cannot be solved overnight, and Malaysia is giving the war-torn country time to help itself, says deputy minister Richard Riot.
KUALA LUMPUR: Putrajaya has defended the decision to abstain from voting in a United Nations resolution urging Sri Lanka to “credibly investigate” allegations of war crimes during the final months of its civil war there.
Amongst the reasons, according to Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Richard Riot, was that Sri Lanka’s problems were too complex to solve in a short time.
He said that the country, which had fought a civil war between 1972 to 2009, tabled a report investigating the war’s atrocities in its own parliament on Dec 16, 2011.
“Taking into account 30 years of conflict and complexities of domestic issues… unfair for (the UN) resolution to impose an obligation on the government of Sri Lanka to report in just three months,” he said, during the wind-up on the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong’s Speech today.
Riot also said that Malaysia had acknowledged Sri Lanka’s national reconciliation process as a domestic issue.
He added that Sri Lanka had taken the “necessary steps” to share information with the international community over reconciliation and development efforts.
Riot was referring to the US-led resolution which was adopted by the UN Human Rights Council on March 22. The resolution was passed with 24 votes in favour, 15 against and eight abstentions.
(The countries that abstained from voting were Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia and Senegal.)
In the last few months of the war, more than 40,000 people were alleged to have been killed by security forces and Sri Lankan rebel group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE).
To this, the Malaysian government acknowledged that genocide had indeed taken place in the conflict-ridden country, citing a paper known as the “Darusman Report”.
“…the report has said there were human rights violations and crimes against humanity…(by the) Sri Lankan government and the LTTE,” said Riot.
He said that Sri Lanka’s Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) confirmed the same thing, adding that the country’s security forces had acted in self-defence.
He also claimed that Malaysia’s abstention was not a double standard and that the country did not interfere in other countries’ domestic affairs.
Regarding the Israel-Palestinian issue, Riot said that Malaysia was looking for a peaceful solution between the two states.
He also reassured MPs present that Malaysia would give Sri Lanka a chance to prove itself.
“(But) if during the period of reconciliation, that they don’t achieve peace, then the international community will meet and vote whether they will interfere or not,” he told the House.
Business deals allegation
Pakatan Rakyat MPs however were not satisfied with Riot’s response.
Criticising the LLRC as “weak”, Klang MP (DAP) Charles Santiago said that the LLRC report supported the Sri Lankan government.
Ipoh Barat MP (DAP) M Kulasegaran said that it was “shameful” for Malaysia to be one of the eight abstaining countries.
“I compare, these are irrelevant countries. They are substandard (in) human rights values and so forth. Can we compare to them?”
“No! Malaysia is entirely different. Our standard is very high, our per capita income is very high. The expectation of the world is very high and we are a member of the Human Rights Council!” he said.
He also asked on the allegation that Malaysia’s abstention was due to billion-ringgit business deals with Sri Lanka.
Kulasegaran claimed that there were “many big business people” in league with the Barisan Nasional government who were investing in Sri Lanka.
In response, Riot said that matters of foreign trade did not come under his ministry and that it came under the Ministry of International trade and Industry.
KUALA LUMPUR: Putrajaya has defended the decision to abstain from voting in a United Nations resolution urging Sri Lanka to “credibly investigate” allegations of war crimes during the final months of its civil war there.Amongst the reasons, according to Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Richard Riot, was that Sri Lanka’s problems were too complex to solve in a short time.
He said that the country, which had fought a civil war between 1972 to 2009, tabled a report investigating the war’s atrocities in its own parliament on Dec 16, 2011.
“Taking into account 30 years of conflict and complexities of domestic issues… unfair for (the UN) resolution to impose an obligation on the government of Sri Lanka to report in just three months,” he said, during the wind-up on the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong’s Speech today.
Riot also said that Malaysia had acknowledged Sri Lanka’s national reconciliation process as a domestic issue.
He added that Sri Lanka had taken the “necessary steps” to share information with the international community over reconciliation and development efforts.
Riot was referring to the US-led resolution which was adopted by the UN Human Rights Council on March 22. The resolution was passed with 24 votes in favour, 15 against and eight abstentions.
(The countries that abstained from voting were Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia and Senegal.)
In the last few months of the war, more than 40,000 people were alleged to have been killed by security forces and Sri Lankan rebel group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE).
To this, the Malaysian government acknowledged that genocide had indeed taken place in the conflict-ridden country, citing a paper known as the “Darusman Report”.
“…the report has said there were human rights violations and crimes against humanity…(by the) Sri Lankan government and the LTTE,” said Riot.
He said that Sri Lanka’s Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) confirmed the same thing, adding that the country’s security forces had acted in self-defence.
He also claimed that Malaysia’s abstention was not a double standard and that the country did not interfere in other countries’ domestic affairs.
Regarding the Israel-Palestinian issue, Riot said that Malaysia was looking for a peaceful solution between the two states.
He also reassured MPs present that Malaysia would give Sri Lanka a chance to prove itself.
“(But) if during the period of reconciliation, that they don’t achieve peace, then the international community will meet and vote whether they will interfere or not,” he told the House.
Business deals allegation
Pakatan Rakyat MPs however were not satisfied with Riot’s response.
Criticising the LLRC as “weak”, Klang MP (DAP) Charles Santiago said that the LLRC report supported the Sri Lankan government.
Ipoh Barat MP (DAP) M Kulasegaran said that it was “shameful” for Malaysia to be one of the eight abstaining countries.
“I compare, these are irrelevant countries. They are substandard (in) human rights values and so forth. Can we compare to them?”
“No! Malaysia is entirely different. Our standard is very high, our per capita income is very high. The expectation of the world is very high and we are a member of the Human Rights Council!” he said.
He also asked on the allegation that Malaysia’s abstention was due to billion-ringgit business deals with Sri Lanka.
Kulasegaran claimed that there were “many big business people” in league with the Barisan Nasional government who were investing in Sri Lanka.
In response, Riot said that matters of foreign trade did not come under his ministry and that it came under the Ministry of International trade and Industry.
2 comments:
We can say that it is normal for civilians to die in a crossfire and I can accept that but not GENOCIDE. I am pleased that Malaysia has at least acknowledged that GENOCIDE did take place in Sri Lanka and we should be thankful to Channel 4 which aired the video clips of GENOCIDE committed by the Sri Lanka army. Otherwise, none of us would have known the truth. The video clips prove that the sexual abuses, torture and killings of the innocent tamil civilians were committed by the Sri Lanka army and not by the LTTE. I can never say that LTTE was right or wrong but I believe that so far no one has proven that LTTE soldiers raped or murdered any civilian. Coming back to the UN resolution, I just can't accept the reasons for some countries which abstained or voted against the resolution. It is just a vote to COMMENCE AN INDEPENDENT INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION AND NOTHING ELSE. WHY OBJECT / ABSTAIN? The world needs to know the truth and whoever went against HUMANITY MUST BE PUNISHED. Is this too much or wrong to ask? I am saddened to see that such countries approach towards humanity. If anyone of you have a conscious and fear GOD, do the right thing without fear or favour. MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON YOU AND YOUR COUNTRIES.
"Give time to help itself" is a very "good" suggestion so that when the Sri Lanka opens its door later for any international independent investigation, there may be no tamilians left and there may be nothing to investigate. Giving time to help itself should be reasonable and logical if it is given after the independent investigation is over.
Let me quote an example in Malaysia. Recently, we have caught a suspect who killed and burnt a five years old girl by the name of Nurul. When I read the news, I was very angry as to how could anyone be so cruel to an innocent child. The child would have gone through so much pain before her death. Until this very moment, I feel very sorry for the little girl and may her soul rest in peace.
If there is evidence that the suspect is guilty, will we give some time to the suspect to help himself before we can charge him or punish him? What will happen if we give him time to help himself? How will Nurul get her justice?
Likewise, if the army which was under the control of the government was responsible for GENOCIDE, what do you people think that the Sri Lanka government will do to prepare itself for the any international independent investigation that may take place in the future? There is ample time for them and you know the answer.
Do you think that our decision has contributed to the obstruction of justice by supporting those responsible for war crimes against humanity? Don't stop thinking.
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