The Save Tamils Movement has welcomed the move to set up an international investigation on Sri Lanka, and strongly rebuked India for its “repeated betrayal” following a vote on the resolution at UN Human Rights Council earlier today.

Speaking to the Tamil Guardian from Tamil Nadu, Senthil from the Save Tamils Movement welcomed the international investigative mechanism, however also expressed criticism over certain portions of the resolution, including on the implementation of the 13th amendment.

Speaking on India’s role, he went on to state,

The campaign group Tamils Against Genocide (TAG) welcomed the passing earlier Thursday of the resolution on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council as "a turning point for the battle for the human rights of the Tamil people."

Jan Jananayagam, TAG’s director, told Channel 4 news that the HRC resolution was a step towards justicefor those who lost loved ones during "the mass atrocities committed in the final phase of the civil war."

Welcoming the UN Human Rights Council resolution mandating an international inquiry into Sri Lanka’s mass atrocities as the first international recognition of Sri Lanka's unwillingness to investigate itself, Northern Province Councillor Ananthy Sasitharan said the international community had to go further and take urgent action to address the worsening situation in the island’s North-East.

“The decision by the UN Human Rights Council to pass this resolution is welcome, but it's not enough,” she told Tamil Guardian by telephone shortly after the Council voted.

"The people here are pleased that the world has finally acknowledged that Tamils will never get justice from Sri Lanka, the international community needs to step in. However, we cannot forget that the resolution doesn't do anything to help us immediately," she said. 

The Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF) has expressed concern that the resolution passed at the UN Human Rights Council today has a limited mandate and does not address immediate issues, while appreciating those countries that co-sponsored and voted for the resolution.

In a statement signed by the Bishop of Mannar Rev Rayappu Joseph and Kumaravadivel Guruparan, a lecturer at the University of Jaffna, said,

Today’s resolution is a turning point in the battle for the human rights of the Tamil people. It opens up the possibility to obtain justice via international mechanisms for all those who lost their loved ones in the course of the mass atrocities of 2009 and in the seven years prior.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said today that it was the job of the United Nations and its bodies to seek accountability and victims are served justice.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said in a statement that the resolution passed on Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council today, mandating an international investigation, is not the best way forward.

In a statement released today, Bishop said that the resolution failed to recognise the significant progress Sri Lanka has made in the North-East of the island.

The Sri Lankan Army and police have carried out house to house searches in Piramanthanaaru and Punnai'neerav, in Kilinochi district on Wednesday, reported the Uthayan.

Security personnel went door by door, questioning residents and checking their identity documents.

Cordon and search operations are continuously carried on in various parts of Kilinochchi the Uthayan further said.

Four Tamil men were held in the North-East of Sri Lanka by security forces, after being accused of removing posters of Tamils wanted by the police, according to Uthayan.

The men, arrested in Oddusuddan, were also attacked by the army and the police, Uthayan further said.

Augustin Salujan 24, Irasenthiram Kamalathas 19, Sureshan 25 and Najeetharan 25 were taken to Oddusuddan police station.