New Delhi: British Prime Minister David Cameron today said he was all for attending a multilateral platform like CHOGM as, rather than boycotting it, one could help lead it by raising issues of human rights.
“I think the advantage of going to a multilateral organisation is that you can help lead it. I think, actually, going to Sri Lanka will help to shine the light on some issues,” he said, addressing Indian businessmen here.
He, however, said he respected Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s decision to not attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo.
“I totally respect the decision (by Singh to not go) it’s a decision that they have to make,” he said.
Cameron said he was going to CHOGM to take up issues there, for which he has also sought a separate meeting with Sri Lankan President Rajapaksha.
The visiting Prime Minister said India, Canada and Britain had the same approach on Sri Lanka of seeing more effort at reconciliation and in probes into allegations of crimes. The Prime Ministers of India and Canada have decided not to attend the CHOGM meeting in Sri Lanka over issues of rights.
“We want to see greater efforts of reconciliation, we want to see better efforts on human rights. We want to see proper inquiries into what happened at the end of that dreadful civil war. It’s not a difference in policy,” he said.
Cameron said one could not get anywhere by staying away from an international conference which represents 54 nations and covers a third of the world’s population along with a fifth of its economy.
Intimidation of journalists and human rights defenders, action to stamp out torture and demilitarisation of northern Sri Lanka would also feature amongst the issues which he takes up during CHOGM.
As to CHOGM, Cameron said it was a big summit and an important moment and the world was looking up to the Commonwealth to rise to the occasion.
The British Prime Minister later met six young Indian MPs Deepinder Hooda, Anurag Thakur, Agatha Sangma, Jaya Panda, Jayant Chaudhary and Manicka Tagore, and exchanged notes with them.
He also held a meeting with Mahindra and Mahindra chief Anand Mahindra.
The first question from an international journalist to
Rajapaksa was “what do you plan to tell him (Cameron) when he meets you as he has said he is going to ask some questions to you”.
Rajapaksa shot back “I will be meeting him. I have given him an appointment. When I meet him I will also ask him questions.”
The President was combative throughout his 30-minute press conference that was dominated by the war against terror and the human rights violations allegations against Tamils.
He said Sri Lanka suffered the most in the last 30 years because of terrorism and now he has eliminated it and brought peace to the nation.
“We are open for a dialogue with the diaspora Tamils (sympathising with the LTTE movement and campaigning against his government) and we want to discuss with them all issues.
We are also ready to take action against (those guilty of war crimes),” Rajapaksa said.
But those talking of violations of human rights by the forces did not bother about the gross violations by the LTTE when it killed civilians and a President, the President said, reminding the critics that they should respect the country’s legal system.
The theme of this year’s summit is “Growth with equity inclusive growth” which was chosen by the hosts Sri Lanka.
Indian officials say it will be a 100-para document which will touch on various issues held dear by the Commonwealth like democracy, human rights, independence of judiciary and media besides the topic of economic development.
The political crisis in Maldives is also expected to figure prominently during the summit. The Commonwealth yesterday expelled the Maldives from its disciplinary panel which has begun investigating the political chaos in the country after repeated court interventions to prevent elections.
At the joint press conference, CHOGM Secretary General Kamlesh Sharma said the outcome of the Summit will touch upon the issues relating to Commonwealth principles like human rights, democracy and judiciary.
He said the grouping was engaged with Sri Lanka on the issue of human rights violations and would invite complaints about torture by state forces so that progress can be achieved on reconciliation.
