Sri Lanka rejects UN charge of possible war crimes

[Vehl]

Source: Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka on Saturday rejected U.N. allegations it may have committed war crimes and vowed there would be no cease-fire in its drive to capture a shrinking rebel enclave and end the island's 25-year-old civil war.

A report Friday from U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay said government forces and Tamil rebels also warned that civilian casualties could reach "catastrophic" proportions if the two sides do not suspend fighting.

Pillay said the situation was becoming desperate and called for a halt in the fighting.

Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe questioned charges in the report that 2,800 civilians had died in recent weeks as the military has pushed into the last remaining area held by the Tamil Tigers.

"It is very, very unprofessional to rely on such unsubstantiated figures. What is dismaying to us is the figures correspond to the figures put forward by (the pro-rebel Web site) TamilNet and LTTE front groups," Samarsinghe told a news conference, referring to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

But Pillay said "a range of credible sources" showed that more than 2,800 civilians had been killed and more than 7,000 wounded since Jan. 20.

..

Pillay also said the army has repeatedly shelled inside the "no-fire" zones — an allegation that Samarsinghe denied.

"The world today is ever sensitive about such acts that could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity," Pillay said.

..
Also on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called President Mahinda Rajapaksa to express "deep U.S. concern" over deteriorating conditions and increasing loss of life in the safe zones, a State Department statement said.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090314/ap_on_re_as/as_sri_lanka_civil_war_24

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This corroborates the charges of genocide filed in the Us court against the Srilankan president and his brother(both US citizens).
Its good that these human rights violations are brought to light even at this late juncture ..better late than never

[aquart]

1. Another reason why it's so important to prosecute Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld.

Why should the small fish allow international justice when the big fish get away?

[Vehl]

2. true, but nearly 150 000 civilians have died

one also has to take into account the fact that more than 100000 people have died in that island nation. probably near 150000 given the fact that the government "estimate" of civilian casualties has been hovering unchanged at "around 70000" for more than a decade.

and its not surprising that the casualty figures are far higher than what the government claims them to be..as the UN report shows, almost 3000 civilians killed and 7000 injured just in the span of two months.


one has but to look at reports from Human rights watch, Amnesty international, UNICEF and doctors without borders to realize that the situation in that country is akin to that of Darfur.


but then again, as reporters are banned by the government from going into the affected areas, one hardly sees these news items on the media. Except for BBC which does publish on this matter quite often

[aquart]

10. Does that contradict anything I said?

[Idealism]

3. And they call the Tamils the terrorists...

Ironic and sickening at the same time :(

[Vehl]

4. yep

its extremely sickening to see nothing being done even while most international humanitarian agencies repeatedly blame the srilankan government.

:(

[Idealism]

5. Well there is hope for an ICJ warrant being issued

They already broke ground and issued the warrant for a standing head of state (Al-Bashir), so I don't see any problems with doing it again.

[Vehl]

6. yep, thats what i thought when i heard that news too

I hope that works out.

The Us should become a signatory of that court too; by doing so it would give the court more standing.

[Idealism]

7. Yes, but that won't happen until we prosecute BushCo

Or at least make an effort to. Otherwise, we look like ever worse hypocrites by signing onto the treaty then not allowing our criminals to be prosecuted.

[Vehl]

8. yeah, i hope obama tries not to be too nice to the repubs

cos he might think that he is being chivalric in letting them go..but by doing so he is unwittingly undermining the democratic fabric of this nation.


as for the lankan issue; its personal for me cos as a five year old i barely survived an srilankan army attack on a bunch of civilians.
I am able to better appreciate the freedom and liberties many here in America take for granted cos i have been where there wernt any.

[Idealism]

9. Sorry to hear of that and I am glad you made it out safe

Hopefully those who were not so lucky will find some justice when they see the Sri Lankan government paraded around the Hague.

[Vehl]

11. yep, i was lucky

yeah i hope Hague brings some solace to those who were not so lucky