By TwoCircles.net News Desk,
New Delhi: President of Tamilnadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhgam (TMMK), Prof. Dr. M. H. Jawahirullah, has written to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh urging him to rectify the stand taken by the government on the Goldstone Report on Palestine at the UN General Assembly.
While welcoming India’s support for the Goldstone Report in the recent United Nations General Assembly session, TMMK president has objected to the qualifications attached to it by the Indian delegation. “India’s conditional endorsement stands in marked contrast to the strong stand taken by the Non-Aligned Movement,” Dr Jawahirullah said.
“Member of Parliament B K Hariprasad, speaking on behalf of the delegation, expressed reservations in making unqualified endorsement of the various recommendations as well as some of the procedures adopted by the Goldstone report, including the involvement of the International Criminal Court and that of the Security Council,” the letter said.
“He gave no reasons for the reservations. He did not identify the weaknesses, if any, in the procedure adopted by the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict led by Richard Goldstone, a highly respected judge from South Africa and Zionist. Israel was offered an opportunity to present its case to the Mission but it refused to do so. Also, it prevented the members of the Mission from entering Israel and Gaza to carry out investigation. Israel’s conduct clearly shows that it had something to hide and was fearful of the truth about its war crimes in Gaza being exposed.”
Dr Jawahirullah also said that Mr Hariprasad contradicted himself by supporting the Report’s recommendation calling for accountability while expressing reservation for involving the Security Council and the International Criminal Court.
Among others, the Report recommends that both Israel and Hamas carry out investigation and follow-up action meeting international standards with respect to the violations of the law of war. If they fail to do so, then the Security Council should deal with the matter and, if necessary, refer the issue of accountability of Hamas and Israel to the International Criminal Court. Where nations refuse to investigate war crimes committed by its citizens and punish the guilty, the victims have no other forum except the U.N and the ICC to seek relief.
“Therefore I cannot understand why India should object to a recommendation to punish war criminals and provide remedy to millions of victims of these crimes?” Dr Jawahirullah asked.
He has reminded the PM that the UPA Government’s National Common Minimum Programme released in 2004 said “The UPA government reiterates India’s decades-old commitment to the cause of the Palestinian people for a homeland of their own.” Further the election Manifesto of the Congress Party released on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections 2009 also stated “The Indian National Congress has always championed the legitimate and peaceful aspirations of the long-suffering Palestinian people and urges that a viable Palestinian state be established at the earliest.
“However in the last decade, a radical change in the foreign policy of India has taken place without adequate public participation. We appear to have abandoned our policy of non-alignment and anti-colonialism pioneered by our founding fathers,” the letter to the PM said.
TMMK president appealed to the PM “to rectify the stand taken by our Indian government on the Goldstone Report and take active measures in the United Nations and other international and regional organisations to implement its recommendations. I also urge you to support the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign launched by Palestinian civil society and suspend all relations with Israel until it lifts the blockade of Gaza and agrees to comply with UN resolutions and international law in resolving the Palestinian- Israeli conflict.”