Sri Lankans protest against UN findings on civil war
May 2nd, 2011 - 2:03 pm ICT by ANIColombo, May 2 (ANI): Thousands of Sri Lankans hit the streets to protest against a United Nations report calling for both the government and Tamil Tiger rebels to be investigated over possible war crimes.
Recently released UN report claims serious human rights violations by both the government and Tamil Tiger rebels during the final stages of the country’s civil war.
Speaking at a rally, President Mahinda Rajapaksa told the crowd that Sri Lanka would not bow to external pressures.
“Sri Lanka is the only country that fed even those who took up guns against us. We didn’t let even those fighting us starve,” The BBC quoted Rajapaksa, as saying.
Marchers denounced UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay.
Senior US officials, who have demanded an independent inquiry into reports of human rights violations in the last months of the war in 2009, were also denounced.
The report, released last week, said shelling by government forces killed tens of thousands of civilians. It also said Tamil Tiger rebels had used civilians as human shields.
But, the Sri Lankan government has rejected the report. (ANI)
- India must move UN to bring Rajapaksa to trial: Jayalalithaa - Apr 27, 2011
- Don't attend Sri Lanka military conference: rights body - May 24, 2011
- Don't link critics to LTTE, Sri Lanka told - Mar 15, 2012
- Sri Lanka President demands mass protest against UN report on civil war - Apr 18, 2011
- Geneva vote 'strong message for justice' - Mar 22, 2012
- Sri Lanka slams UN panel to probe war crimes - Jun 23, 2010
- US believed Rajapaksa was responsible for 2009 Tamil massacre: Wikileaks - Dec 03, 2010
- Credible allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka war: UN report - Apr 26, 2011
- No progress on justice in Sri Lanka: Human Rights Watch - Jan 23, 2012
- Will get Sri Lankan Tamils their rights: Jayalalithaa - Aug 11, 2011
- Sri Lanka keen to implement war commission report - Apr 04, 2012
- PM reminds Rajapaksa India's key role in Geneva - Mar 24, 2012
- Indian MPs slam Sri Lanka for 'war crimes' (Lead) - Aug 25, 2011
- India votes for US resolution on Sri Lanka (Lead) - Mar 22, 2012
- Sri Lanka trying to deflect probe into war crimes: rights group - May 08, 2010
Tags: ban ki moon, civil war, civilians, external pressures, government forces, guns, human rights commissioner, human rights violations, human shields, independent inquiry, mahinda rajapaksa, navi, pillay, rally, sri lankan government, sri lankans, tamil tiger rebels, tiger, un secretary general, war crimes