The Sinhala Buddhist monk party, Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), which is a constituent party of Sri Lanka's governing United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), vehemently condemned India for voting Thursday in favor of the United States sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
Addressing the media in Colombo Thursday, JHU General Secretary and Minister of Technology, Research and Atomic Energy, Patali Champika Ranawaka said, India does not accept Sri Lanka's sovereignty. The Minister pointed out that India and the U.S. are prosecuting Sri Lanka for alleged war crimes although they themselves are involved in such acts. "India gave training to a number of LTTE soldiers which slowed down the development in the North in Sri Lanka, and led to nearly 100,000 civilians dying. If Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi or the Gandhi family go in front of a mirror, they can see who the real war criminals are," the Minister was quoted in local media said. India, which funded and armed Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger terrorist movement during India Gandhi regime, is accused of violating human rights in the Indian administered Jammu- Kashmir. Ironically, during the Indira Gandhi era India has been aligned with the then Soviet Union and against the U.S. A report released by the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) and the International People's Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Indian-administered Kashmir (IPTK) allege that over 500 members of India's armed forces are accused of human rights abuses including custody deaths, abduction, torture and rape. Minister Ranawaka urged the government not to engage in any agreement with India and not to provide any assistance to Indian businessmen till India accepts Sri Lanka's sovereignty. The Minister expressing appreciation to countries that supported Sri Lanka at the UN vote said Sri Lankan needs to act independently and strongly, despite the resolution. -->
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