Shame

The UPA government must be held to account for taking a disgraceful position on Myanmar

This is an archived blog post from The Acorn.

The Acorn holds no brief for the UN Human Rights Council. But it rose to the occasion on Myanmar. Here is the resolution it passed.

In a resolution (A/HRC/S-5/L.1/Rev.1) on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, adopted by consensus as orally amended, the Council strongly deplores the continued violent repression of peaceful demonstrations in Myanmar, including through beatings, killings and enforced disappearances, and urges the Government of Myanmar to exercise utmost restraint and to desist from further violence against peaceful protesters; urges the Government of Myanmar to ensure full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, to end impunity and to investigate and bring to justice perpetrators of human rights violations, including for the recent violations of the rights of peaceful protesters; also urges the Government of Myanmar to release without delay those arrested and detained as a result of the recent repression of peaceful protests, as well as to release all political detainees in Myanmar, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and to ensure that conditions of detention meet international standards and include the possibility of visiting any detainee; further urges the Government of Myanmar to lift all restraints on peaceful political activity of all persons by, inter alia, guaranteeing freedom of peaceful assembly and association and freedom of opinion and expression; …urges the Government of Myanmar to engage urgently in a reinvigorated national dialogue with all parties with a view to achieving genuine national reconciliation, democratization and the establishment of the rule of law; [read the rest at UNHRC]

The resolution was passed by consensus. But two countries—India and Russia—issued ‘explanations’ of the vote. That’s diplomatese for dissent.

SWASHPAWAN SINGH (India), in an explanation of the vote after the vote, said India had always advocated an outcome that was forward-looking, non-condemnatory, and sought to involve the authorities in Myanmar in a peaceful outcome, and regretted that the text adopted was not in line with that approach. It did not engage constructively with the authorities in Myanmar. However, India had joined the consensus, in the hope that the further activities of the Council in this matter would be more constructive. [UNHRC emphasis added]

The UPA has brought dishonour and disgrace to India. This is the lowest point in India’s foreign policy in a very long time.

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