India supports UN resolution of Sri Lanka war crimes probe

India on Thursday supported a resolution against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) that called for promotion of reconciliation and accountability for alleged violations of international law.

Besides India, 23 other countries voted for the US-backed resolution in UN against Sri Lanka, to address abuses of humanitarian law during the final phase of the war that crushed the LTTE in May 2009.

China, Bangladesh, Russia were among the 15 nations which voted for Sri Lanka opposing the US resolution.

The Ministry of External Affairs in a release said "India believes that the primary responsibility for the promotion and protection of human rights lies with the states. Consequently, resolutions of this nature should fully respect the sovereign rights of states and contribute to Sri Lanka's own efforts in this regard."

"India had welcomed the recommendations of Sri Lanka's Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission report. We believe that there is indeed a window of opportunity to forge a consensual way forward towards reconciliation through a political settlement respecting all the ethnic and religious groups inhabiting the nation," the statement said.

It notes that India has been involved in a substantial way in the rehabilitation and resettlement efforts, and the reconstruction process in Northern Sri Lanka.

"We are happy that our engagement in Sri Lanka in the areas of housing, de-mining, education, public health and connectivity has helped restore a degree of normalcy in the area."

India urged the Sri Lankan Government to "take forward the process of broader dialogue and show concrete movement towards a meaningful devolution of powers". The country also called to take "forward the measures for accountability and to promote human rights" that it Sri Lanka has committed to.

The United Nations estimates that around 100,000 people were killed, including around 7,000 in the final year of fighting.

Tamil Tiger rebels were engaged in a brutal fight for a separate homeland for Tamils in the northeast of the island nation.

A UN panel last year said there were credible reports that both Sri Lankan Government forces and the rebel LTTE had committed war crimes in the months leading up to May 2009.

The panel found allegations of serious violations committed by the Government, including killing of civilians through widespread shelling and the denial of humanitarian assistance.

The panel also accused Tamil Tigers of keeping civilians in dangerous conflict zones and using them as hostages and human shields.

The three-member panel of experts was set up following the Joint Statement made by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa after the end of the 26-year conflict.

The panel's report also accused Tamil Tigers of keeping civilians in dangerous conflict zones and using them as hostages and human shields.

The report recommended the Government of Sri Lanka to respond to the serious allegations by initiating an effective accountability process beginning with genuine investigations.