Sri lanka has won the backing of 22 nations, including China and Pakistan, in its effort to block a UN war crimes probe into the country’s human rights record during its brutal war with the Tamil Tigers.
A Government statement said the countries in a joint statement has termed the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution passed last March as an intrusive mandate and unwarranted in the context of Sri lanka’s own local investigation.
The like-minded group chaired by Egypt included Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, China, Cuba, Ecuador, Indonesia, Iran, North Korea, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Russia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
This support was in addition to the concerns raised by India as Sri lanka’s all important giant neighbour had questioned the methodology of the investigation.