New Delhi: In the wake of reports that a
UN panel has found "credible allegations" that war crimes were
committed during the conflict in Sri Lanka, the CPI Wednesday
questioned India`s "studied silence" on the issue accusing it
of "partnering" with Colombo during the last phase of the war.
Party National Secretary D Raja said India "stands
accused" in the eyes of the international community for
providing "military and monetary" assistance to Sri Lanka in
the war during which thousands of "innocent Tamil civilians"
lost their lives.
"Why is the Government of India not commenting on the
report, excerpts of which have been carried in the media? What
is India`s stand on the alleged war crimes committed in the
war during which it supported the Sri Lankan Government?" he
asked.
The high-level panel, appointed by UN chief Ban Ki-
moon last year, has concluded that there are "credible
allegations" that thousands of civilians were killed and war
crimes were committed in the last phase of the 30-year-old
bloody civil war, media reports have said.
Raja said since Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa
himself had admitted that war against LTTE would not have been
won without the support of India, the UPA Government has an
obligation to spell out its stand on the alleged war crimes.
"India never denied reports that it supported Sri
Lanka in the war. It is a fact that India provided military
support to the Sri Lankan Government. India was an active
partner in the war against ethnic Tamils there," he said,
adding that DMK, which is part of the UPA, should also
respond.
Raja said questions could be raised now on India`s
stand towards human rights violations in the wake of the
report which has blamed the Sri Lankan Government along with
LTTE for civilian deaths.
He said India has to "come clear" on this as it will
serve as a non-permanent member in the UN Security Council for
the next two years and also it aspires to become a permanent
member of the panel.
"The killing of Tamil civilians was a genocide. It
drew all-round condemnation from European countries like the
UK and France, the US, Canada and Australia. India never
condemned the violations because it was a party to the war,"
he said.
Raja also alleged that India played a proactive role
in "suppressing" the voice of the international community
over the "war crimes" committed during the last phase of the
civil war.
"This was rightly exposed in the WikiLeaks cable.
India never accepted the views of the international community
on the issue. India never took up the issue at global fora
and at regional fora and it betrayed Sri Lankan Tamils," he
said.
Raja also accused the Congress-led UPA of not making
any "sincere effort" to resolve the ethnic question through
political means that will guarantee the co-existence of Tamils
in Sri Lanka.
India has not influenced the Sri Lankan Government to
resolve the issue immediately by amending the Constitution, he
said and asked New Delhi to make sure that the assistance
provided by it to Colombo for rehabilitation of Tamil
civilians is used in a proper manner.
PTI
