The United States has expressed disappointment over India’s decision to abstain from voting on the resolution against Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva.

“It is disappointing to us that India abstained from voting on this resolution when they voted yes for the last two years,” Deputy Spokesperson for the US State Department Marie Harf said.

She further said that Washington has conveyed this disappointment to New Delhi. “We have made our disappointment known to Indian officials. Beyond that, I’d refer you to them in terms of how they voted,” she said, during the daily press briefing on Friday.

The US-initiated resolution was carried at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Thursday with 23 votes in favour and 12 against.

For the first time, the resolution requests a comprehensive investigation to be undertaken by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights into alleged violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes committed in Sri Lanka during the period covered by the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission report, which was 2002 to 2009.

“In addition, it requests that OHCR monitor, assess, report on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, including any relevant domestic processes dealing with reconciliation and accountability,” Harf said.