A piece in The Economist examines the military’s role in Sri Lanka.

See extracts below, for full article click here.

JOSEPH STALIN is unhappy. The boss of a Sri Lankan teachers’ union claims that the country’s schools are losing their independence. Last month, unions say, nearly 4,000 headteachers were invited to interviews at the National Cadet Corps. Successful applicants will get 45 days of training, and then full military titles. The idea, supposedly, is to improve discipline in schools.

The army’s grip is spreading across Sri Lankan society. Activists talk of a general effort to promote military culture among the young, especially among the ethnic Sinhalese majority.

A Sri Lankan organisation has said they will attack Indian Tamils who visit Sri Lanka as revenge for attacks on Singhalese in Tamil Nadu.

Tamil groups across the world held protests, hunger strikes and awareness events in solidarity with the demonstrating students in Tamil Nadu earlier this week.

Hundreds of primary school students in Idinthakarai and Kanchipurum marched through the streets of Tamil Nadu wearing masks of 12-year-old Balachandran Prabhakaran, who was executed by Sri Lankan Army soldiers.

The UNHRC resolution passed Thursday highlights past and ongoing human rights violations in Sri Lanka, but regrettably fails to establish an independent and international investigation into alleged crimes under international law, Amnesty International said.

The International Commission of Jurists have welcomed a recently passed UN HRC resolution on Sri Lanka, and called upon the Commonwealth to change venue for the upcoming CHOGM away from Sri Lanka.

Responding to the passing of the resolution, Alex Conte, of the International Commission of Jurists, said,

Commenting on resolution 22/L1 British Tamils Forum (BTF) said the "United Nations have failed a people on its own mandate of human rights," adding, "a clear political divide is apparent on the resolution passed today after being watered down to gain support of some voting member States."

See here for full statement.

The Canadian Foreign Affairs minister, John Baird, welcomed the UNHRC's adoption of resolution 22/L1 on Thursday. 

In a statement, Baird said:

In light of India voting in favour of a resolution on Sri Lanka at the UNHRC and increasing anti-Sri Lanka sentiment in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lankan government ministers, political parties and even media have reacted furiously.

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa reportedly expressed “deep disappointment with India”, saying the resolution employed “double standards” over “unsubstantiated allegations”.

He went on to add, "would India address its accountability issues to the satisfaction of Western powers or the UN"?

Rajapaksa has also called for all Sri Lankans to refrain from travelling to Tamil Nadu, “until the situation improves”.

Meanwhile the Official Government News Portal of Sri Lanka posted an article entitled “India bowed down to American dictates”, adding that,

“India became a lame duck under the domineering fist of Americans”.

The Daily Mirror carried a lead banner that read “India joins USA to beat SL”.

In an editorial headed “Geneva: A triumph for hypocrisy”, the Island slammed India writing,

“Ironically, it fully backed Sri Lanka’s war on terror during which crimes against civilians are alleged to have occurred. It was fully au fait with the situation in the Vanni—it had its personnel on non-military duty in the operational areas—and if there had been excesses on the part of the Sri Lankan military it should have made a direct intervention to stop the war at that juncture.”

Follow @TamilGuardian Twitter for live commentary and images of final draft texted tables by the United States.

Published 10:59 Geneva

In a vote that took place today in Geneva, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a draft resolution (22/L1) on Sri Lanka entitled - 'Promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka'.

The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC), called the UN Human Rights Council latest resolution on Sri Lanka 22/1 a 'missed opportunity' but that the 'adoption of another resolution this year signifies the Council’s engagement and commitment to follow through Resolution 19/2.'

In a statement released immediately after the Council voted, CTC said:

Confirmation of final vote details on the adoption of resolution 22/1 by the UN Human Rights Council on Sri Lanka:

25 member states voted YES: Argentina, Austria, Benin, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Italy, Libya, Montenegro, Peru, Poland, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Sierra Leone, Spain, Switzerland, USA.

The US Secretary of State John Kerry has called on Sri Lanka to take “meaningful action” on longstanding issues such as reconciliation and accountability.

See full statement below.