UN Panel report saga continues amidst growing support for Sri Lankan govt

A file picture taken on May 23, 2009 shows a general view of the abandoned conflict zone where Tamil Tigers separatists made their last stand before their defeat by the Sri Lankan army is seen in northeastern Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan army killed most of the tens of thousands of civilian victims of a final offensive against Tamil separatists in 2009 but both sides may be guilty of war crimes, a UN panel said on April 26, 2011. PHOTO/ AFP

COLOMBO, April 27 (HNS)- The Sri Lankan government has begun to muster international and local support as part of an effort to counter the much awaited UN panel report which was released this week, as Sri Lanka continues its international campaign to prevent the UN recommendations being implemented.

Russian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Vladimir P. Mikhaylov met with Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister G.L Pieris last week and conveyed his government’s position. China, which has been a longstanding ally of Sri Lanka, had also extended its support.

The Sultanate of Oman has also extended support to Sri Lanka in a bid to counter the UN actions to force Sri Lanka into having an inquiry into the events surrounding the final phase of Sri Lanka’s three-decade long conflict against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which ended in 2009. 

Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said on Tuesday that the Sri Lankan government will continue its campaign against UN recommendations being implemented.

“Sri Lanka had not deliberately targeted civilians during the final phase of the military operations. The report only gives strength to the campaign carried out by the pro LTTE Diaspora. Several countries have expressed their support to back us,” he said.

Several protest rallies have been organized across Sri Lanka, against the UN panel report and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s actions.

Sinhala nationalist party Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) organized a demonstration on Monday in Kandy. Several trade unions and constituents of Sri Lanka’s ruling party had organized a mass petition campaign during the past few days.

The main demonstration is expected to take place on May 1 as part of a show of strength against the call for an international investigation.  

However UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a statement said that he will only launch an international investigation into allegations of war crimes leveled against Sri Lanka only if member states agree.

“The Secretary-General has decided that he will respond positively to the Panel’s recommendation for a review of the United Nations actions regarding the implementation of its humanitarian and protection mandates during the war in Sri Lanka — particularly in the last stages. The exact modality of such a review will be determined after consultations with relevant agencies, funds and programmes,” the statement said.