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Sri Lanka
Lanka accused of Žethnic cleansingŽ
2009-05-27
[Bangla Daily Star] The Sri Lankan government has been accused of launching a campaign of "ethnic cleansing" following its victory over the Tamil Tigers in the country's 26-year long civil war.

According to The Telegraph, aid officials, human rights campaigners and politicians claim Tamils have been driven out of areas in the northeast of the country by killings and kidnappings carried out by pro-government militias. They say the government has simultaneously encouraged members of the Sinhalese majority in the south to relocate to the vacated villages.

One foreign charity worker told the Daily Telegraph the number of Tamils disappearing in and around Trincomalee, 50 miles south of the final conflict zone in Mullaitivu, had been increasing in the last three months.

He claimed to have known 15 of the disappeared, three of whom had been found dead. He said all three bodies showed signs of torture, while two were found with their hands tied behind their backs and single bullet wounds in their heads.

Another aid worker said the killings were part of a strategy to drive out the Tamils.

Many Tamils have sold their homes and land at below-market prices after members of their families had been killed or had disappeared, he said.

Since the victory earlier this month, President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government has been under pressure to 'win the peace' with a generous devolution package for Tamils in the north.

Ministers have said they want to break the identification of the Tamils with the northern and eastern provinces and integrate them into the Sinhalese majority population throughout the country.

Meanwhile, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay on Tuesday called for an international investigation into attacks on civilians during the final stages of the civil war in Sri Lanka.

"There are strong reasons to believe that both sides have grossly disregarded the fundamental principle of the inviolability of civilians," Pillay told the UN Human Rights Council as it opened a special session on Sri Lanka. "An independent and credible international investigation into recent events should be dispatched to ascertain the occurrence, nature and scale of violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law, as well as specific responsibilities," she added.

Pillay reiterated her concern about allegations that Tamil Tiger rebels prevented civilians from fleeing the combat zone in recent weeks and effectively used them as human shields. She also highlighted reports that the government fired heavy artillery on the densely populated conflict zone, and allegations that the army may have killed rebels who were trying to surrender.

"Establishing the facts is crucial to set the record straight regarding the conduct of all parties in the conflict," Pillay said in her video message.

Her remarks came as mainly Asian and Western countries tabled two draft resolutions for the special session that were largely at odds in their approach to the aftermath of the conflict.

The Asian-backed one, which was also sponsored by Sri Lanka, commended Sri Lanka's government while the mainly Western backed one called on Colombo to investigate alleged abuses and allow free access to displaced people.
Posted by:Fred

#2  "An independent and credible international investigation into recent events should be dispatched to ascertain the occurrence, nature and scale of violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law, as well as specific responsibilities," she added.

So I guess that eliminates the UN Human Rights Council...
Posted by: tu3031   2009-05-27 16:09  

#1  Right on time.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2009-05-27 06:11  

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