Sri Lanka warns UN on war-crimes report

Schoolchildren in Sri Lanka have been signing petitions against the public release of the UN's report [Reuters]

The Sri Lankan government has warned the United Nations that publicly releasing a report on alleged war crimes in the country's civil war could harm post-war ethnic reconciliation efforts.

Gamimi Peiris, the country's external affairs minister, said in Colombo on Thursday that the UN panel had overstepped its mandate.

Rather than acting only as an advisory body to Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, it had taken on an investigative role, Peiris said.

"The publication of this report will cause irreparable damage to the reconciliation efforts of Sri Lanka. It will damage the UN system too. This UN report is preposterous."

The report, which was handed to Ban last week, harshly criticised both the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels on their conduct during the civil war, saying that there were "credible allegations" of war crimes and crimes against humanity against both sides.

While the UN has not released the report officially, media reports have described parts of it. Peiris was given a copy of the report nine days ago.

He stressed that the Sri Lankan government had never formally accepted Ban's appointment of the panel, and warned the UN secretary-general against initiating a full-scale inquiry into suspecting civilian deaths in the final days of fighting.

The report lists violations by both sides in the conflict, saying that "tens of thousands" of people died between January and May 2009 in a final government offensive that resulted in the defeat of the LTTE.

The government argues that no civilians were killed in that offensive.

Peiris said his country was ready to engage with the UN in a constructive discussion on taking the reconciliation process forward.

Mahinda Rajapakse, the Sri Lankan president, had earlier asked his supporters to turn this year's May Day rally on May 1 into a demonstration against any UN war crimes investigation.

Source: Agencies

Comments

Ukrainians injured as police dismantle Kiev 'tent city'

At least 10 demonstrators have been injured in clashes with Ukrainian police and another 100 detained in the capital Kiev after authorities began dismantling a makeshift "tent city" protesting against corruption. The tent city was set up in October by supporters of Mikheil Saakashvili, a former president of Georgia who has become an opposition politician in Ukraine. Saakashvili, a critic of corruption in Ukraine, was deported to Poland in February. He said he was "kidnapped" by Ukrainian authorities and removed from the country against his will. Andriy Kryshchneko, police chief of police, said at the camp on Saturday that "two court decisions" allowed authorities to search and dismantle the camp. Police said that explosives and other weapons were found at the scene

PayPal wants report from Sri Lanka: Sampath, three other banks to introduce service

Though the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) was first to introduce PayPal to Sri Lanka through the Sampath Bank, it is revealed that three other banks too have been now earmarked by the CBSL. A senior official from the CBSL told AdaderanaBiz, “We were to first introduce PayPal through the Sampath Bank. However, we now plan to introduce this service to the country through four banks. We also plan to gradually involve the rest of the banks in the country.” While the CBSL is discussing with the PayPal branch in India to introduce the service to Sri Lanka, PayPal’s Indian arm has reportedly requested a report on Sri Lanka’s exports. The senior CBSL official told AdaderanaBiz that they would be submitting such a report and hence the introduction of PayPal to Sri Lanka would face a slight delay. Though cash cannot be remitted to Sri Lanka through the world renowned PayPal money transfer service sending money from Sri Lanka is possible even now.

ASSIGNING OF PREFERENTIAL NUMBERS FOR LG POLLS COMPLETED

The Election Secretariat announced that assigning preferential numbers for candidates of the Local Government election to be held for 67 bodies has been completed. Preparations are currently underway to hold the polls under the 2010 electoral register, Additional Elections Commissioner W.P. Sumanasiri said. The electoral register of the year 2010 is scheduled to be certified on June 31.

Share Blogs

Search This Blog