Sri Lanka is reportedly getting some extra help from China in Geneva. The country is facing a vote in the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, asking it to assume greater responsibility in ensuring the safeguarding of human rights in post conflict areas.
The Sri Lankan government has been bitterly opposed to the resolution, and have called it a US attempt to interfere with the sovereignty in the country. The government in fact, sent a monster 52-member delegation to Geneva to gather support among member nations to defeat the resolution.
The vote is scheduled to take place at 2.30pm IST on Wednesday and as of this morning Sri Lanka only had 9 member nations willing to support it. However the Sri lankan newspaper The Daily Mirror reported that a vigorous lobbying campaign by China had seen this number increase to 17. The United States is reportedly sure of 24 votes. The resolution will need 24 votes to pass in the 47-member council.
India said it was inclined to vote in favor of the resolution, in a move that was called a ‘body blow’ by Sri Lankan media.
—Agencies