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Saturday, March 24, 2012

Sri Lanka's media brands India 'loser' following UN resolution vote

'India is a loser', the Sri Lankan media proclaimed in comments on Friday - a day after Colombo faced censure at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva - saying New Delhi had failed to carry other South Asian nations with it on the issue.

'India has failed to carry Asia, or at least South Asia with it. In other words, Sri Lanka has won against India in Asia,' the pro-government Island commented.

India had on Thursday voted for the U.S.-sponsored resolution censuring Sri Lanka for alleged rights violations during the war against the LTTE.

Most papers still saw a silver lining in the gloom as they claimed 'Might overrules the right', and said China and Russia had stood with Sri Lanka.

'The cornered badger bravely fought the mastiffs of neo-imperialism and went on fighting,' the Island said.

It added that the Indian intervention had resulted in the inclusion of key words in the resolution which were more acceptable to Sri Lanka.

Its editorial, captioned 'A defeat as good as victory', said: 'The U.S. and its friends should be ashamed that they could muster only 24 votes.'

Commenting on India's decision to back the resolution, it said by doing so the Indian government had plunged the country into an unholy diplomatic and political mire.

'India has been a loser in Geneva, though it helped the US win," it said. It opined that the US will further embolden Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa and others to adopt a more confrontational approach in dealing with the Centre.

By Mail Today Reporter
DM