What Matters is UN Security Council Where SL Enjoys StrongSupport; UNHRC Resolutions are Useless
Posted on March 14th, 2021
Dilrook Kannangara
Sri Lanka’s stand against UNHRC’s intrusive resolution against the island nation on war crimes matters is commendable. The government of President HE Gotabaya Rajapaksa has so far taken a bold stand on the matter forcing the Core Group to revise their resolution again and again trying to appease Sri Lanka. Yet, Sri Lanka must totally reject it not just for own sake but for the sake of other vulnerable UN members. Band together against colonial impositions.
This is excellent strategic thinking. At the heart of this move is the knowledge that it is only the UN Security Council that can make intrusive decisions against a sovereign nation. UN Human Rights Council has no such authority.
Sri Lanka must totally reject the UNHRC resolution and call upon its friends at the UNHRC to do same. This time it is Sri Lanka, the next time it will be them.
The only hope the resolutions against Sri Lanka have is the UN Security Council. But the UN Security Council works differently. Majority vote does not pass resolutions. If any UNSC permanent five members veto it, the resolution fails. They include USA, Russia, China, UK and France. China and Russia have proven many a time that they will not support any intrusive resolution against a target country. Therefore any move to force UNHRC resolutions through the UN Security Council (which is the only way unless Sri Lanka willingly commits hara-kiri by agreeing to UNHRC resolutions), fails.
That comes with it two more victories for Sri Lanka (which are two strategic defeats for the anti-Sri Lanka group). One is that the matter of war crimes dies a permanent death when it fails at the UN Security Council. Thereafter the UNHRC will not be making accusations of war crimes against Sri Lanka. This is the very reason why no one has taken the war crimes matter to the UN Security Council even 12 years after Sri Lanka won the war!
The second victory for Sri Lanka and the second defeat for the anti-Sri Lanka group is that it pushes the island nation further towards China. The world will come to know who the real friends and enemies of Sri Lanka are.
This is a game Sri Lanka is bound to win if the eagle approach is taken and not the ostrich approach. Defy the UNHRC and not give in. It is commendable that the government has truly understood the forces at play and has separated fake authority from real authority.
Knowing this well, the anti-Sri Lanka group tried to convince Sri Lanka in the past that serious compromises at the UNHRC would avoid defeat at the UNHRC vote. This is suicide fearing murder. This was the approach followed by Sri Lanka at the UNHRC in 2009 and 2015 by the agents of the anti-Sri Lanka group. Now their political alignment has become apparent. Why bother winning at the UNHRC! The ultimate battle can only take place at the UN Security Council and the big guns are all on Sri Lanka’s turf.
The ending of this article that was published in the Eurasia Review says it all.
[Quote] The stage is set for voting. And as far as Sri Lanka is unconcerned, it cares little for the consequences backed as it is by China and Russia, both with a veto in the UN Security Council. [Unquote]
All the best Sri Lanka! Never mind losing the petty UNHRC battle, win the war in style. Again.
March 15th, 2021 at 10:23 am
I absolutely agree with the writer.
There are no benefits for SL by agree to biased and politically motivated UNHCR resolutions against SL. This annual witch hunt MUST be stopped. And I appeal to the present regime not to give in despite the fear mongering by HRs salesmen in SL or abroad.
It’s time SL stand up to these bullies (India & the core group), as an independent nation and let the world know that it won’t tolerate any country interfering in its internal affairs.