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Anger Over UN Probing Over Alleged War Crimes
BBC NEWS, Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Demonstrations have continued for a second day outside the UN's Colombo offices with protesters angry over its probe into alleged war crimes. Protesters say there is no need for the UN panel. Housing Minister Wimal Weerawansa again led the protests on Wednesday. He argues that the probe is unnecessary. "We're fighting for the withdrawal of Ban Ki-Moon's advisory panel," Mr Weerawansa told the BBC. "Today they have a chance to respond to our request. If not, from tomorrow one of our representatives, a parliamentarian, will start a hunger strike to death."
The government denies its troops committed war crimes but some foreign governments and international organizations say there is evidence to the contrary. On Tuesday, the UN said it "strongly" objected to the protest at its compound, which was hindering its "vital work".
The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says that the UN operation in Sri Lanka has been significantly disrupted.
UN staffs in Colombo have been asked to work from home. Only a few key people are at the office in the city centre. The government has pledged to ensure UN staffs are able to enter and leave their workplace, but our correspondent says it is tacitly approving of Mr Weerawansa's demonstration. It has now ordered the police away from the demonstration and said that it "understands" that the protest will continue.
The government has refused to grant visas to the UN advisory panel's three members, saying the investigation violates its sovereignty. The opposition says that they fear the events will bring shame and disrepute on Sri Lanka.
There have been consistent allegations that both the army and Tamil Tigers rebels committed crimes at the end of the war. About 7,000 civilians died in the last five months of the war, according to the UN.
