India welcomes decision to withdraw emergency laws

India today welcomed the decision of the Sri Lankan government to withdraw emergency from the island nation and said it would want that country to investigate human rights violations in a transparent manner.

Replying to a short duration discussion on steps taken by the government on relief and resettlement of Sri Lankan Tamils in the Lok Sabha, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said the decision of Colombo to withdraw emergency once its term expires this month end was a welcome step.

Responding to concerns raised by members on human rights violations during the armed conflict with LTTE and after the defeat of the Tamil Tigers, Krishna said New Delhi would like Sri Lanka to make “transparent” investigations into such allegations and that the probe should not be a “make believe” one.

But at the same time, he said, India would not like to “endanger” its relations with that country and work with it for relief and resettlement of internally displaced people.

He said since India has always championed the cause of human rights, it has taken up “in strongest possible terms” to address the issue of human rights.

On the issue of harassment of Indian fishermen “allegedly” by the Sri Lankan Navy, Krishna said Colombo has denied the role of its navy in such incidents and promised to investigate “some of the incidents”.

The minister, quoting figures, said the incidents of Indian fishermen either being killed or missing have come down in the past three years. This year six Indian fishermen have died. (PTI)