Former Chief Minister of the Northern Province and current General Secretary of the Tamil People’s Front (TPF), C.V. Wigneswaran will visit Geneva this month to block the extension expected by the Government at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to fully implement Resolutions 30 (1) and 34 (1) passed at the UNHRC.
Leader of the EPRLF and former Member of Parliament Suresh Premachandran told the Sunday Observer that a majority of the political fronts in the Northern Province are of unanimous opinion on blocking further extensions to implement the Resolutions.
In October 2015, the Government co-sponsored Resolution 30 (1) presented to the Council by the United States. Later in 2017, the Government received an extension of two years to implement the recommendations to create peace and reconciliation in the country parallel to taking action against those involved in crimes during the war. In 2015, Wigneswaran hailed the Resolution saying that it was a comprehensive report and a dramatic step towards achieving reconciliation. Later, he complained on several occasions on the failure of the Government to execute those recommendations.
“Giving more time wouldn’t help the Tamils and it would only benefit the Government” Wigneswaran, told the TPF Youth Wing in Mullaitivu, last month. Premachadran also objected to the Government seeking extra time. “The Government has already spent four years and failed to achieve any progress. Therefore, there is no point in giving more time. In contrast, the President and some politicians spoke about getting away with the Resolution too,” said Premachandran.
As Premachandran said, the report submitted by Wigneswaran to the Geneva UNHRC calls for the release of all political prisoners, release of all military occupied lands in the North, investigations on missing persons, investigations on war crimes which the Government had failed to address during past four years.
“Now, the Tamils are left with only two options - to have an international tribunal or intervention from the UN Security Council” he said. Despite several attempts, the former Chief Minister Wigneswaran was not available for comment as he is now on a private tour of India. He will return to the island after the Maha Sivarathri celebrations in India and will then leave for Geneva.
The Geneva sessions which began on February 25 will continue till March 22.