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BBC reports: Sri Lanka warned on 'war crimes'

by thirukk | May 14, 2009 at 09:17 am

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More than 6,500 Tamil civilians were killed in three months and more than 20,000 wounded due to the indiscriminate multi-barrel artillery shelling, aerial bombings, chemical weapons used by the Sri Lankan armed forces in the Vanni region, the Tamil Homeland, where the Tamils are fighting for a separate state; Tamil Eelam. Around 450,000 civilians are affected by this unjust, inhuman attrocities. Many end-up in the IDP 'detention camps' run by the army that are in violation with the International Human Rights and Humanitarian Laws. Tamils are forced to hide out in a small territory and an economic embargo are put in place on them by the Sri Lankan government; that are a clear violation of Geneva conventions. International media, Internatioanl Human Rights organisations, International Humanitarian assistance are not allowed into the Tamils area by the Sri Lankan government. A war without witness is on the full foot against Tamils.

The UK has told Sri Lanka it may face a potential war crimes probe over deaths of civilians in the island's conflict, a Foreign Office minister has said.

In a Commons debate, Bill Rammell said a UN estimate of 6,500 casualties since January was "shocking and appalling".

He said Britain backed an early inquiry into shelling by government forces fighting Tamil Tiger separatist rebels.

Labour MP Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs committee, appealed for UK intervention to stop the conflict.

The debate also heard demands for diplomatic relations be broken off with Sri Lanka.

Mr Rammell told the Commons the message from the UK government was that the "killing has to stop".

"The use of heavy weapons in an area of such intense civilian occupation will inevitably lead to civilian casualties, making it very difficult to comply with the requirements under international law to minimise civilian casualties," he said.

"We would support an early investigation into all incidents that may have resulted in civilian casualties, particularly the reported shelling of hospitals, to determine whether war crimes have been committed."

In response to a question from Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Edward Davey, Mr Rammell said the government had made it "absolutely clear" to Sri Lanka that it supports an investigation on "any allegations of war crimes".

He added: "We have consistently maintained that both sides have to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law and do everything possible to avoid putting civilians at unnecessary risk."

Tory spokesman Keith Simpson said he supported the government's efforts and raised concerns about the conditions in the conflict zone.

Mr Vaz said: "That so many people should be in such a small area attempting to live, let alone under fire, is absolutely horrific."

He said: "We intervened in Kosovo. I accepted the dossier that the then prime minister presented to the House. I voted to intervene in Iraq. I say we cannot stand aside."

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generaldecay

at 09:22 on May 14th, 2009

Thank you for your post. However, we ask that posters add their own commentary to highlights, outside of the grey box. We want to know why the story is important to you and what you want to discuss about it. Please read the information in the newsroom - http://my.nowpublic.com/newsroom - for more information.

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thirukk

at 09:53 on May 14th, 2009

Added my comment to the post. Thanks for the advice!

lalith

at 19:39 on May 14th, 2009

"killing has to stop".

I wonder whether Mr. Rammell has heard of a terrorist called Prabhakaran and the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world called the LTTE (on its last legs) ?

thirukk

at 23:02 on May 14th, 2009

The world knows how ruthless Rajapakse military junta is. On April 5th, 2009 Rajapakses', Sarath Fonseka brutal regime attacked the Tamil civilians and the LTTE with chemical weapons and phosphorous bombs, that are banned under UN conventions and its a clear war crime. Attacks on all the hospitals, ICRC, using the Tamil civilians who entered in the army controlled area on 20th April 2009 as a human sheild.

loveurcountry (not verified)

at 09:45 on June 25th, 2009

it is hypocritical of the world to speak of sri lankan war crimes when the US has gone into afghanistan and iraq and so many places around the world and killed thousands of people! As for Britain..do they think that they are still the colonial masters of the world and can own everything??

the Sri Lankan soldiers have defeated the cruel, brutal, inhumane terrorists (tamil tigers) who seem to think that getting eelam ( freedom ) for the tamil people is by murdering innocent civillians and politicians who who wanted to sort out their problems.

President Mahinda Rajapakse has done a brilliant job of restoring the country and bringing in peace that can lead to prosperity with the tamil people living as one with the sinhalease!

It is sad that the world has been taken in by the evil motives of the ltte!!