Move UN over Sri Lanka war crimes, TN tells centre

Chennai, Sep 16 Tamil Nadu on Wednesday urged the central government to move a resolution in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for an international enquiry against those who committed war crimes against Tamils in Sri Lanka.

In a resolution passed unanimously in the state assembly, Tamil Nadu also urged the central government to take appropriate action to change the US attitude if it chose to support Sri Lanka in this regard.

Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa moved the resolution. Referring to reports that said the US was now proposing an internal probe by Sri Lanka against the alleged human rights violations and war crimes, she said the move is "against natural justice".

She said the US had earlier demanded an international probe on the alleged war crimes and human rights violations committed in 2009.

The assembly resolution comes a day after India and Sri Lanka agreed to boost cooperation in combating terrorism and working together for security and stability in the maritime neighbourhood.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe held talks in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Jayalalithaa said India should move a strong resolution in the UNHRC alongwith the US to seek an international probe against those in Sri Lanka alleged to have committed war crimes and violated human rights.

She also recalled the earlier resolutions passed in the assembly urging India to stop treating Sri Lanka as a friendly nation and to boycott the meeting of heads of Commonwealth nations held in the island nation.

Jayalalithaa also said the state government had insisted that it would not allow Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket matches to be staged in Chennai if the teams had Lankan players.

Members of the opposition parties welcomed the resolution.