DMK, others urge govt not to back Lanka on war crimes

Political parties in Tamil Nadu including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, a constituent of the ruling United Progressive Alliance at the centre, are alarmed at reports that the union government may support Sri Lanka in rebutting war crime charges in the hearings being conducted by the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
 
"India should not back Sri Lanka at any cost when the UNHRC resolution comes up for voting," DMK president M Karunanidhi said in a statement, stressing that Sri Lanka should be tried for alleged war crimes during the long battle against Tamil insurgents led by the LTTE.

Citing the resolution passed in the meeting last year, Karunanidhi said perpetrators of the alleged crimes must face action and the Indian government should also make efforts in this regard.

Karunanidhi said Sri Lankan minister Mahinda Samarasingha had claimed to have suggested that India would support Sri Lanka in the voting.

Meanwhile MDMK leader Vaiko on Tuesday also wrote a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh voicing concern over India's reported move to back Sri Lanka at the UNHRC.

PMK leader S Ramadoss also expressed concern over the issue.

The Communist Party of India too has asked India to oppose Sri Lanka at the ongoing current UNHCR meeting.