Sri Lankan President Frees Indian Fishermen After UN Vote

[Skyline]

COLOMBO, March 28 (Bernama) -- President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Friday ordered the release of all Indian fishermen currently in Sri Lankan custody hours after India voted to abstain from backing a resolution against Sri Lanka at the United Nations.

More than 100 Indian fishermen remain in custody after 170 others were freed last week after being presented before court, China's Xinhua news agency reported.

"The president has ordered all remaining Indian fishermen to be set free as a goodwill gesture," the president's office said.

In a surprise move, the Indian government on Thursday decided to abstain from voting at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and criticised the US sponsored draft resolution as inconsistent and impractical.

The resolution calls for an international investigation into alleged human rights abuses during the war in Sri Lanka.

It was eventually passed by a majority vote with 23 out of the 47-member council voting for and 12 against while 12 abstained.

Speculations were rife that India would back the resolution with political parties in Tamil Nadu demanding that India do so to win support for the upcoming local elections.

India's permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, ambassador Dilip Sinha said it had been India's firm belief that adopting an intrusive approach that undermines national sovereignty and institutions was counterproductive.

-- BERNAMA

BERNAMA - Sri Lankan President Frees Indian Fishermen After UN Vote

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If India got this for abstaining, I just wonder what will China gets for voting..may be more mega projects

 

[Dushman]

Pakistan voted 'no'

 

[Skyline]

Pakistan voted 'no'

Refueling facilities are available most of those airports i think lol

 

[xTra]

@Skyline

During our School time, whenever we buy Map of India, It always has Sri Lanka map included, I don't know why.

 

[Skyline]

@Skyline

During our School time, whenever we buy Map of India, It always has Sri Lanka map included, I don't know why.

It should be like that, how we kick the lanka off the the map?

There is a most common mistake people do, they think Sri Lanka is located below to the tip of south India. But actually we are located at southeast of Indian subcontinent.

 

[Cherokee]

It should be like that, how we kick the lanka off the the map?

There is a most common mistake people do, they think Sri Lanka is located below to the tip of south India. But actually we are located at southeast of Indian subcontinent.

LOL till today even i thought its at the tip of Tamil nadu

 

[punit]

good! at least some poor fishermen were benefited by india doing nothing !

 

[Daedalus]

Sri Lankan president orders release of Indian fishermen detained for poaching

The President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapakse, on Friday ordered the release of Indian fishermen who had been detained for poaching.

Rajapakse asked officials to immediately release all fishermen who had been arrested for allegedly violating the island's territorial waters.

This move comes after India abstained from voting for the U.S.-backed resolution seeking probe into Sri Lankan war crimes at the UN Human Rights Council on Thursday.

"We have voted differently on this resolution. It is very different from previous resolutions and imposes an international investigation mechanism. It is an intrusive approach that undermines national sovereignty," said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin.

"As a close neighbor, we cannot remain untouched by developments in Sri Lanka.We are aware that while significant steps have been taken, much more needs to be done by Sri Lankan government," he said.

"But International efforts should aim to enable Sri Lanka to investigate allegations of human rights violation through a comprehensive, independent and credible national mechanism and bring to justice those found guilty. In our view, adopting an intrusive approach that undermines national sovereignty and institutions is counterproductive," he added.

Although, India refrained from voting against its neighbour, the resolution was passed with the support of 23 nations.

Sri Lankan president orders release of Indian fishermen detained for poaching | Business Standard