The achievements and success of the Indian-American community has contributed greatly to India’s diplomatic efforts at the United Nations and elsewhere, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Syed Akbaruddin, said here on December 21st. The Envoy to the UN was speaking at a TV Asia question-and-answer session aired live, praised the diaspora for bringing attention to India.
“We are more effective now because of you, the community,” Akbaruddin said at the session attended by more than a hundred representatives of Indian-American organizations in the tri-state area. Akbarudding stressed that the community’s success in America had not only drawn more attention to India, but also made the job of diplomacy easier.
The Q and A session lasted more than an hour during which India’s envoy fielded questions on the changing political scene in the U.S. with an incoming Trump administration and whether the UN was effective in protecting the human rights of people across the world.
Akbaruddin indicated that while there may be some change, India was expecting new perspectives to be presented at the international body and was prepared to deal with the issues within the framework of the United Nations.
On human rights, a question asked by a 12-year old student, Akbaruddin said it was up to the member-nations of the U.N. to adhere to human rights in order for the organization to be successful. He also said India’s demand for permanent membership on the UN Security Council may take a while. “It was a very interesting and educational sesion and people got an opportunity to ask questions and meet the Ambassador personally,” said H.R. Shah, chairman and CEO of TV Asia.
Meanwhile, India has renewed its demand for international action against Pakistan-based terrorist groups Lashkar-e-Taiba(LeT) and the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and “their shadowy supporters,” and Syed Akbaruddin, India’s envoy to the United Nations, today cited a quote from poet Rumi to send to warn Pakistan.
“Every leaf that grows will tell you: What you sow will bear fruit. So, if you have any sense my friend, don’t plant anything but peace,” Akbaruddin said, quoting the great Persian poet in a Security Council session on the situation in Afghanistan.
The UN envoy’s remark was an apparent reference to terrorist groups operating with support from Pakistan in neighbouring Afghanistan. He said that to bring sustainable peace to Afghanistan, groups perpetrating violence in the country must be denied safe havens in its “neighbourhood.”
“We need to address, as an imperative, the support that terrorist organisations like the Taliban, Haqqani Network, Daesh, al-Qaeda and its designated affiliates such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammed which operate entirely outside the fabric of international law draw from their shadowy supporters outside Afghanistan,” Akbaruddin said.
