Indonesia on Monday accused Western countries pushing for a rights violations probe into Sri Lanka's final offensive against the Tamil rebels of applying double standards, comparing the situation in the Indian Ocean island state to that in Palestine and Afghanistan. Indonesia supports Colombo's draft resolution to be presented at the UN Human Rights Council meeting on Sri Lanka in Geneva on Tuesday.

The resolution, backed by other non-aligned nations such as China, India, Pakistan, Cuba, Malaysia, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, highlighted the "principle of non-interference" in internal matters and respect for Sri Lanka's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.

Your comments:

First, I would like to thank all the countries that support us. We are a small nation and we always respect our Tamil brothers. The Western nations are not concerned about normal civilians; they only worry about the LTTE. But the Sinhala people know the difference between LTTE and normal Tamil people; that is why 80 percent of Tamil people live with the Sinhala people in the south without any trouble.

The international community says the army killed 7,000 Tamils. In the final showdown the LTTE fought with the army, so those 7,000 should include more than 4000 LTTE. In the final 48 hours, the LTTE launched more than 50 suicide bomb attacks at the front and they killed a lot of poor Tamil people when they tried to escape.

Priyakumar

I am all for not harming civilians, but the West seems to be shedding crocodile tears because the Sri Lanka government is not very aligned to the West.

The West has itself engaged in killing civilians in war or supported civilian killings many a time. Here are some examples.

First, the current Pakistani action against the Taliban is an action in the interests of the West. There has been a vast outflow of refugees from the affected regions but little news concerning the killing of civilians in the bombardment of Taliban areas. It looks like there is no sympathy for the civilians in this case.

Second, the Israeli bombardment of Palestinians in Gaza. I read there were around 700 killed and all in a disproportionate response to some rocket shelling of Israel by Hamas, which it seems managed to kill only a few people. The Western press is not talking about it much.

Third, the missile targeting of terrorists by drones in Afghanistan and now also in the Taleban areas of Pakistan; often innocent villagers were also killed. When this happened, the excuse was "the villagers were harboring the terrorists" or "so sorry, it's collateral damage".

Fourth, cruise missile attacks against Iraqi targets during the Gulf Wars, maybe because of incorrect targeting or stray missiles, sometimes hit, for example, hospitals filled with civilians. The excuse again was "collateral damage".

Fifth, the US indiscriminate carpet bombing of North Vietnam and use of napalm during the Vietnam War.

Sixth, the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.

Seventh, the firebombing of Dresden, Germany during World War II.

Conclusion: The West only calls for war crime trials when it suits its interests.

Robert

Thank you, Indonesia. The West, for the last seven to eight years, with all their military might has been having problems in Afghanistan against the ramshackle Taliban (no tanks, no MBRLs, no Navy, no air power, just AK-47s). The West's capabilities, or lack of them, are exposed for all to see. They are simply embarrassed, jealous of Sri Lanka's success in defeating the Tigers.

Somasiri

Thank you very much for your invaluable support for Sri Lanka during this critical situation and for condemning the West's double standards against developing countries like Sri Lanka. We must now unite as Asian and developing countries against Western bullies like the UK which supports terrorists and tries to ruin our economies.

Saman

Indonesia's comments only expose its own double standards. If it is so concerned with civilian deaths in Palestine, why isn't it concerned with the ones in Sri Lanka?

Iain

As a Westerner myself, I think that the UN should be shut down. A more unbiased international organization that represents the interests of the Middle East and Asia needs to be set up.

Only then, will the Western hegemony and hypocrisy end and the world will be a fairer and more peaceful place for all.

Connor

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