India should vote against Sri Lanka in UNHRC: CPI

Terming the alleged cold-blooded killing of Velupillai Prabhakaran's teenaged son as "clinching evidence" of human rights violations by Sri Lanka, CPI today wanted India to vote against Colombo in the forthcoming UNHRC session as well as convince other countries to do so. Addressing a press conference here along with Justice (retd) Rajinder Sachar, CPI National Secretary D Raja said the UNHRC session next month in Geneva would be a "test case" for India as the entire world is waiting to see the stand to be taken by the country on the issue. India should demand an international investigation into the alleged human rights violations by Sri Lanka during the last phase of the civil war, Raja said while asking New Delhi to make its stand vis-a-vis Sri Lanka public. "The pictures of the 12-year-old boy being murdered in cold blood published in newspapers is a clinching evidence of the human rights violations committed by Sri Lanka. This issue has to be addressed by the international community especially India. No one can remain silent. This is an assault on humanity," he said. Justice Sachar, former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, said it would be a "tactical mistake" by India if it does not support the resolution against Sri Lanka likely to be moved by the United States at the UNHRC next month. "India knew that Sri Lanka was into a brutal war with Tamils but the government was not bothered. We have a golden opportunity now to support the Tamils there by voting against Sri Lanka," he said. India should not just vote against the Sri Lankan government but also convince other countries to follow suit, he said. A British channel has come out with a documentary featuring the pictures of the alleged cold-blooded killing of slain LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran's son. The Channel 4 documentary titled 'No Fire Zone � The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka' is to be aired in Geneva at the next UNHRC session. Raja alleged that the Sri Lankan government had not made any progress in bringing to book those responsible for the rights violations since the last UNHRC session adopted a resolution against Sri Lanka. The CPI leader also asked all political parties in the country to speak in one voice on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue as it concerns everyone. "India cannot keep quiet on this issue. India has to speak up. It has to come out on the issue and say what it thinks," he said.