Both Sri Lankan govt, Tamil Tigers committed ‘human rights abuses’: Wikileaks
December 18th, 2010 - 1:04 pm ICT by ANIColombo, Dec 18 (ANI): Secret US diplomatic cables released by the whistleblower website ‘Wikileaks’ have revealed that both the Sri Lankan government and the defeated Tamil Tigers had committed human rights abuses, and that the state had secretly carried out paramilitary activities including killings, child trafficking and organised prostitution during the war that ended in 2009.
According to the BBC, the cables dating from 2007 suggest that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) used systematic forced conscription during the war to recruit Tamil civilians to its forces.
Both the Tamil Tigers and Sri Lanka’s government have long faced accusations by human rights groups of committing abuses during the 26-year conflict.
The cables also said that the government was supporting extra-judicial behaviour by pro-government Tamil paramilitaries, led by men who are now ministers. They further claimed that one paramilitary was believed to be trafficking boys as workers and girls as prostitutes.
The BBC quoted one of the ministers allegedly involved in the crime, as saying the allegations were completely false.
“We are not involved in trafficking or extortions,” he added.
The cables have also accused pro-government paramilitaries and the Tigers of extorting money or food. (ANI)
- US believed Rajapaksa was responsible for 2009 Tamil massacre: Wikileaks - Dec 03, 2010
- Bangladeshi govt "death squad" trained by UK counter-terrorism officers: Wikileaks - Dec 22, 2010
- Swiss to grill Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka - Jul 27, 2012
- Probe Sri Lanka killings, CPI-M says - Mar 13, 2012
- US kept Pak Army's extra-judicial killings in Swat secret - Dec 01, 2010
- Rajapaksa wants to discuss targeting of Sri Lankans with India - Sep 07, 2012
- I am the best, says Berlusconi - Feb 26, 2011
- India votes for US resolution on Sri Lanka (Lead) - Mar 22, 2012
- UK Defence Secretary cancels Lanka trip over Colombo's war crimes complicity - Dec 17, 2010
- US ramps up pressure on Lanka to probe Tamil killings - Mar 05, 2011
- AIADMK unhappy with PM over Sri Lanka (Lead) - Mar 14, 2012
- Oxford Union cancels Rajapaksa's lecture under LTTE activists' pressure - Dec 02, 2010
- Anti-UN protestors to go on hunger strike in Sri Lanka - Jul 08, 2010
- Lanka Government pays UK firm 3 m pounds to boost post-war image - Oct 23, 2010
- Send back Sri Lankan Air Force trainees: Jayalalithaa - Jul 13, 2012
Tags: accusations, allegations, bbc, cables, child trafficking, colombo, conflict, conscription, girls, human rights abuses, human rights groups, killings, liberation tigers of tamil eelam, prostitutes, prostitution, sri lanka, sri lankan government, sri lankan govt, tamil civilians, tamil tigers