Growing China ties let Sri Lanka rebuff US war inquiry push

A Sri Lankan elephant walks along a street in Colombo.

10 Mar 2014

Sri Lanka's deepening economic ties with China offer it a cushion from any measures aimed at pressuring the South Asian country into cooperating with investigations into alleged crimes during its civil war.

The United States introduced a resolution this week calling on the United Nations to investigate Sri Lanka's past abuses and more recent attacks on human-rights advocates, Sarah Sewall, an undersecretary of state, said on 4 March. Sri Lanka has denounced the measure, and received China's support last month when Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris visited Beijing.

"China has been a strong supporter of Sri Lanka both politically and economically," said Bimanee Meepagala, an analyst at NDB Aviva Wealth Management in Colombo, the island's largest private fund. "Given China's backing, Sri Lanka's economic growth momentum won't be affected."

The case shows China's increasing diplomatic impact abroad as it pursues influence and resources with investments across the globe, regardless of whether a country faces criticism for human-rights abuses. Chinese President Xi Jinping last year pledged financial aid in visits to South America and Africa shortly after taking office.

China has an "all-weather partnership" with Sri Lanka, it said in a statement last month during Peiris's visit.

"We believe that people in Sri Lanka have the wisdom and capacity to manage their internal affairs, and oppose some countries' interference in Sri Lanka's domestic affairs under the pretext of the human rights issue," China Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on 12 February. "We oppose politicising and imposing double standards on the issue of human rights."

Since Sri Lanka's three-decade war ended in 2009 with an offensive that the UN says killed as many as 40,000 civilians, China has overtaken the US as the island's biggest trading partner.

China accounted for 9.6 per cent of Sri Lanka's total trade in 2012, up from 5.2 per cent in 2008, a year before the conflict ended, according to the island's central bank. The US contribution to the country's trade dropped to 8.2 per cent from 9.7 per cent in that time.

Chinese government lending to Sri Lanka increased 50-fold over the past decade to 490 million dollars in 2012, according to Sri Lanka's external resources department, compared with 211 million dollars combined from Western countries and lending agencies. Sri Lanka's first four-lane expressway, second international airport and a port in the southern Hambantota city are among projects financed by the Export-Import Bank of China.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa hailed the backing of China and Russia in a press briefing last week to denounce the UN proceedings.

"If any country wants to put sanctions, they can do it," he told reporters.

In a visit to Colombo on 1 February, State Department official Nisha Desai Biswal said the United States wasn't considering sanctions "at this point." The European Union, Sri Lanka's biggest export bloc, withdrew concessions on exports in 2010 because of the country's human rights record,

Even so, the island's 59-billion-dollar economy, roughly the size of Delaware, grew at least 7.2 per cent in 2013, compared with 6.4 per cent a year earlier, Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said in January. Gross domestic product will expand 7.8 per cent in 2014, and average 8.3 per cent over the next three years, he said.

A UN panel in April 2011 accused Sri Lanka's military and Tamil Tiger rebels of committing serious violations of international law in the final stages of the conflict. Sri Lanka denies the charges and says the calls for a probe amount to interference that will polarize the country.

"These initiatives disregard the substantial progress made by the government during the five years which have elapsed since the end of the 30-year war against terrorism," Peiris told the UN Thursday.

Although the US remains Sri Lanka's single biggest export market and largest holder of its sovereign bonds, closer ties with China provide the island more room to push back, according to said Dushni Weerakoon, deputy director at the Institute of Policy Studies in Colombo. Last month, the US Embassy in Colombo said Sri Lanka refused a visa for Catherine Russell, the US ambassador-at-large for global women's issues.

"Having China's increasing backing on credit, foreign direct investment, trade and tourism — and playing such a major role in the economy — puts Sri Lanka in a better position," Weerakoon said. "The US could try to scale back development assistance, but that is not significant."

Anusha Ondaatjie – Bloomberg News
Image: Ishara S.Kodikara / AFP / Lehtikuva

Was the President scared to go to the UK?

Tuesday, 11 March 2014

President Mahinda Rajapaksa was scared to go to the UK because he feared that the Tamils would protest and ruin his plans to attend the Commonwealth event at the Commonwealth Secretariat, Marlborough House. Instead, he sent his External Affairs Minister G L Peris to represent him.

It is very unusual for the Chair-in-Office to be absent from such an event. President Rajapaksa’s last two trips to the UK were disastrous. The first trip where he had high hopes of giving a speech at the Oxford Union was unilaterally cancelled by Oxford Union as they could not provide security when the British Tamils Forum planned a protest in Oxford. The second trip, where he planned to give a speech at the prestigious Mansion House was also cancelled as the British Tamils Forum organized a protest. It looks like the President has to keep on hiding for the rest of his life. He has admitted that the US sponsored UN Human Rights Council resolution is a headache and he feels uncomfortable. Sri Lankans are now feeling ashamed of the President because he has brought nothing but disgrace to our mother land. When someone does a search in google and types ‘Sri Lanka’ they would see ‘war crimes’, ‘crimes against humanity’, ‘rape’ and so on. The Channel 4 news recently showed evidence of Sri Lankan soldiers sexually assaulting bodies of dead Tamil women. These soldiers are believed to be Sinhala Buddhists. All Buddhists in Sri Lanka are ashamed of their actions as it is completely the opposite of what Buddhism preaches.

The response from the High Commissioner to Channel 4 was unbelievable. He says it was unsubstantiated ‘rubbish’. Is this the best he can do being a diplomat. Is this diplomatic language? Even a Maradana thug would think twice before using such language. Then he also says Callum and calumny, Callum being the producer of the documentary. If a medical doctor, a businessman and above all a man representing our country can use such undignified language, what hope do we have?

The clip shows where the Sri Lankan High Commissioner DrNonis pointing to Mr and MrsPeiris the protest organized by the British Tamils Forum whilst their car was entering Marlborough House.

The Royal Tweet And Sexual Harassment

By Parvathi Ram-Bandaranayake -March 11, 2014 

The Royal tweet from the Presidential scion about Anarkali Akarsha is nothing less than sexual harassment. A young woman is sexualized as an object and reduced to her body parts; the arrogant young man in question shrugs off shocked comments by claiming it was all a joke. But is the joker laughing alone? Apparently not, since the objectified lady has joined the joker in assuring those concerned about her that she too, is laughing.

Since both the joker and the object of his joke have joined sides why cannot we walk away from such a situation? By drawing attention to an issue which the young lady in question has closed, would we be violating her privacy by directing our gaze once more into the situation? It is in the background of this apprehension that I write.

We cannot walk away from this situation because of the power this young man possesses. As the scion of the ruling house he is honor bound to uphold norms of decency, especially when it comes to the privacy of a young woman. Reducing a young woman in public to her body parts is sexual harassment; it is demeaning behavior which contains at its core, a misogynistic arrogance passed off as a harmless joke. A joke that seeks to reduce and demean is not a joke, but an act of violence. The inability of those at the highest echelons of power to see this as an inappropriate act, to condemn it and push the young man to withdraw the offensive tweet speaks to the powerlessness of these advisors, and to a growing impunity at the center of power; an impunity that lacks even the minute grace of decency. What respect can women in the nation expect we wonder when such vulgarity is condoned and treated as a laughing matter.

And what of the objectified young woman who requests the shocked to back off and chill out? For her, it is a situation of double jeopardy. Not only is she objectified once, she is objectified over and over again by those who point at her lack of outrage as lack of virtue and dignity. She is caught in a fast paced game of politics in which power is concentrated into a tight central core of a handful of individuals. A game in which hierarchical patron client relationships trump horizontal networks in which power is distributed with more equality. Does not her survival within this structure require her to downplay friction, and play homage to the center of power? We should not forget that it is her dignity that has been compromised. Let us consider the obvious alternate. What indeed would have become of Anarkali had she had made this tweet an issue?

The Sri Lankan woman has always possessed the courage to rise up for her rights. We witness this on a daily basis with the women around us. Our tiny county was the first to boast of a woman Head of State way back in 1960. Numerous women’s rights groups have sprung up on fertile soil. Yet, this act of vulgarity is an insult to this grand legacy, originating as it does from the center of power. It sets, indeed, a dangerous precedent for the future.

Related posts;

Women workers step in to the Streets demanding their social dignity !

 Tuesday, 11 March 2014

Women wing of Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union commemorate the 103rd  International Women Day  on 09th March 2014 at Katunayake free trade zone in high spirits with the participation over 1000 members including 3 Km.  road march to the hall in front of the main zonal entrance.

The whole area seems to be a purples lace  which was decorated by the purple banners cutouts flags which the symbolic color of the feminine .

It was highlighted the women belongs to all races such as Sinhalese ,  Tamils , Muslims ,and Burghers  shouting by showing placards demanding social dignity for them specially the women workers belongs to the RMG sector who is belittled by the society.
The march started at 10.00 a.m in front of the main gate of the Katunayake free trade zone piloted by the union Easter band   and it reached to the venue around 12.00 noon . The road selected to the place where the rally was held via the avenues in between the boarding houses of their colleagues and this was a novel experience even for the villages who lives around the Katunayake free zone .

The main theme was  ensure the social dignity of the working women and it was observed the only rally and the IWD commemoration the working women who came from the Northern province , Plantation , Eastern Province , and Down South and Colombo who raises the voices in their own language urging to protect their rights .

Once the rally reached to the main venue the season started by lighting a traditional oil lamp and the crowed was welcome by the leader of the women wing of the FTZ&GSEU and on her speech she did not forgot to add the history of the international women day and the Clare Zeltzin  too

This was not only a traditional rally which limited to the speeches but shows to a concert which brought out the talents of the women workers related to their own cultures including the folk dances , songs , and there a major role was played by the union Western band by amusing the tiresome participants who had March nearly 3 Km. under the hot sun

The event drag around 3.00 p.m and there was an opportunity give to the representatives of the participants to explore their own problems and issues pertaining to the workplace , culture , society , even home not only as a  woman but also  as working woman.

Finally before the vote of thanks the resolution was unanimously passed  by the audience ( which we attached for your easy reference ) and the vote of thanks was given by the Women committee member of  the FTZ&GSEU wing  and adjourned the international women day commemoration .

Skills mismatch

• The never ending saga of Sri Lanka’s job market-Tuesday 11th March 2014

The words skills mismatch entered Sri Lanka’s job market vocabulary after the first youth revolt in 1971.
The Government of the day obtained the assistance of UNDP and ILO to get the services of Prof. Dudley Seers, Director of the Institute of Development Studies of the University of Sussex, England, to look into the reasons for youth unrest. In a groundbreaking report, Dr. Seers pinpointed the skills mismatch which existed in the Sri Lanka employment scene as the fundamental reason for the unrest.
The process of education produced a type of youth whose skills were literacy in the national languages, some numeracy and knowledge in the humanities and social sciences, and little else, while the employment market, outside Government employment, which was at that time also saturated, demanded technical and vocational skills for the manufacturing and service sectors.

Skills Mismatch by nelvely

CBK and RW pow-wow

 Tuesday, 11 March 2014 

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had a meeting this morning at the Opposition Leader’s Office.

Kumaratunga has told the media that she had sought the meeting on behalf of an NGO, South Asia Policy and Research Institute (SAPRI).
She has added that she had also made request for a similar meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The meeting between the former President and the Opposition Leader was based on religious issues.

“I am grateful to the UNP leader for giving us time for the discussion. We have received responses from some Government Ministers who are willing to meet us. We will later brief the public on the importance of inter faith coexistence and how this will help the country,” Kumaratunga was quoted in the media as saying.

The former President has also noted that it is important that the issue of attacks on religious minorities had figured in the US draft resolution presented to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva.

Wickremesinghe meanwhile has said that the UNP will support Kumaratunga and SAPRI in its efforts to create unity among all religions in Sri Lanka.

CBK-Ranil Meet Amid Press Glare

March 11, 2014

Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga held talks with Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe on the ongoing attacks on religious minorities today (11).

Kumaratunga’s think tank, SAPRI handed over recommendations it had drafted on how resolve religious tensions following an interfaith dialogue and forum it had organised to the UNP Delegation led by Wickremesinghe.

The meeting that was held at the UNP Leader’s office in Jawatte, Colombo, was mobbed by journalists and photographers eager to get soundbytes from the former head of state, amid speculation that she may be contemplating a return to active politics.

“Nothing political was discussed,” Kumaratunga told reporters soon after the discussion.

She said that although she had sought a meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and several ministers, she was yet to be granted audience.

Elections monitoring bodies fault President 


By Ruwan Laknath Jayakody- March 11, 2014
 
Calling it an act unbefitting of a national and political leader, elections observers and monitoring bodies, People's Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) and Intellectuals for Human Rights Network for Election Monitoring (IHR NEM), have all condemned President Mahinda Rajapaksa's involvement in the 'live' Janapathi Jana Hamuwa programme held last week.
  
"As a President, he has the right to intervene in people's issues. However, he is also the Leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), and therefore he shouldn't use his position to get undue... ..advantage for his Party which is also contesting the elections. That is why we object. Even though we have staggered elections, we are not saying that development should come to a standstill. But nobody, including the Elections Commissioner, Mahinda Deshapriya, can control the President, the Secretaries and the Ministries, and therefore they must control themselves and not engage in such violations during times of elections," the Executive Director, PAFFREL, Rohana Hettiarachchi said.
 
Meanwhile, the Executive Director, CaFFE, Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon, said: "This is a straightforward act of election campaigning, although officially according to the law, it is not illegal. This propaganda act was done abusing state property with the radio broadcasting system, premises and equipment, are all government resources. This is a very indirect way of getting a clear advantage for the ruling Party."
IHR NEM Media Spokesman and Legal Adviser, Chaminda Gunasekera, went on to say, "The President's intervention is unfair to other contesting parties, and is certainly favourable to the development of the UPFA."

Now Police officers ordered to carry firearms 

By Gihan Nicholas-March 11, 2014 
 
 
Inspector General of Police (IGP), N.K. Illangakoon, has ordered all police officers to carry a revolver while on duty with immediate effect, Police Media Spokesman, SSP Ajith Rohana said.
 
 
The decision was apparently followed by recent attacks on police officers while they had been carrying out their duties. Expressing his views to Ceylon Today, the Police Media Spokesman said that, in fact the decision in this regard had been made previously although it had not been adhered to by police officers.
 
 
"All police officers would be hereafter required to carry a firearm while on duty which could be either a pistol or a revolver. This is a re-enactment of a previous decision that had been made. We were compelled to re-enforce this regulation due to the recent escalation of assaults on police personnel," SSP Ajith Rohana explained.

Minister’s son imported the heroin container; it is synthetic lawyer who ordered Pakistani suspect to be freed

(Lanka-e-News-11.March.2014, 4.30PM) The Pakistani national who got down the second container of heroin that was detected by the Sri Lanka (SL) Customs is Ibrahim Saleem Marsoof (his name could be bogus), and he has by now escaped from the country ; and it is the country’s only synthetic Medamulana lawyer who had given instructions to release the suspect , a Pakistani national from the custody of the Customs , according to reports reaching Lanka e news inside information division.

Along with him another two suspects who are linked to this massive heroin haul and ring - another Pakistani national and a Sri Lankan have also bolted from the country. The rumors that the Customs was informed about this container by America has been proved a lie , based on information reaching Lanka e news inside information division.. It is Customs Director General Jagath Premalal Wijeweera himself who had had given orders that this container in question contains kudu (heroin), and therefore to open and inspect.
It is learnt that the Customs director General had been passed this information by another notorious international heroin peddler –our own citizen and monitoring M.P. of the government ( and a member of the heroin ring ?)

It is a rival of this monitoring M.P. who is a son of a Minister who had got down this container load of heroin . This son of a Minister has by now become infamously famous as yet another politico’s ‘golden son’ of the present ruling regime involved in heroin business. Interestingly , this heroin dealer son’s father ,the Minister had heroically stated recently , he will buy a helicopter for his son (only , he had forgotten to mention it is out of kudu money) .

This Minister’s heroin business magnate son is a bosom pal of the synthetic lawyer son of Medamulana. No sooner the heroin container was seized , than the heroin business magnate son had sought assistance from the synthetic lawyer of Medamulana . Just like birds of a feather flock together ,the medamulana lawyer had intervened and got the Pakistani national Ibrahim Saleem Marsoof in custody who was behind this import of heroin weighing as huge as 36 .752 kilograms released and dispatched out of the country !


As revealed earlier by Lanka e news earlier , the Customs Director General is liable and answerable in this massive racket because he did not act legally and take action duly in connection with the detection of this massive container load of heroin . The biggest crime he had committed against the state is , despite knowing that the container was containing heroin , and it had been detected , he had failed to inform the anti narcotics bureau or to summon them immediately which is his primary and paramount duty in such a detection.

The Director General of Customs had informed the anti narcotics bureau only at 6.40 p.m. That is several hours after facilitating the Pakistani national’s escape via the airport and after giving media exposure . It is very evident therefore that though the heroin container was seized by the Customs director General on a government ‘s monitoring M.P.’s tip off , the suspect who was arrested had to be released by him because of the power and influence of a more powerful political synthetic lawyer of the same government. In other words SL is the only country in the world where the main actors in the drama of heroin business sponsored by the regime , the hero and villain are one and the same , and all the actors are part and parcel of the same government.

Incidentally and interestingly , Dr. Omalpe Sobitha Thera , the President of the JHU which is a constituent party of the government itself, prior to the government getting trapped at the center of this maelstrom of heroin container controversy and held blameworthy, made a startling exposure that two sons of Ministers got two containers released without Customs inspection.

It is obvious that even if the anti narcotics bureau was summoned , with the intervention of the synthetic lawyer , that would not have made much of a difference. This is because the Director of the present anti narcotics bureau SP Kamal Silva is a close ally and favorite of heroin dealers . Even when he was at the Wattala Pamunugamuwa police station , he was notorious for his association and camaraderie with heroin peddlers .At that time DIG R.M. Seneviratne who became aware of Kamal Silva’s underhand deals with heroin businessmen during the many years he was at Pamunugama police , chased Kamal Silva away to the police headquarters . It is such a crooked police officer who was appointed by the Rajapakses as a Director of the present anti narcotics bureau. This is obviously because the Rajapakses wanted their own clandestine and crooked deals to be successfully concluded, and for nothing else.

193 Children Died Of Hunger With Wheat Rotting In Godowns In Pakistan

( March 11, 2014, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka Guardian) A total of 193 deaths of children have been reported from the Thar district of Sindh province over the last three months. Though the governmental authorities are trying to attribute these deaths to different ailments, there is strong evidence that hunger, chronic shortage of water, extreme poverty and lack of health facilities are the real reason behind them. The situation is so grim that the Chief Minister of Sindh had to concede that 60 children have in fact died in the area during past two months but blamed the deaths on cold and mother-child health conditions. He also ordered the release of 60,000 bags of wheat (each of 100 kilo grams) from the official store for immediate distribution but asserted that the children did not perish to the famine conditions prevailing in the area. He has also declared a 200,000 Pakistani rupees (USD 1960) compensation for the bereaved families. It must be noted that until now only 2,000 bags of wheat have been distributed as against those totally released.

193 Children Died of Hunger With Wheat Rotting in Godowns in Pakistan by nelvely

Ukraine crisis: US will not recognise Crimea referendum, says ambassador

Link to video: Ukraine: Crimea referendum would be 'illegal', says Cameron

Luke Harding in Kiev and agencies-Monday 10 March 2014
America's ambassador in Kiev said the US would refuse to recognise next Sunday's "so-called referendum" in Crimea, and said Washington would take further steps against Russia if it used the poll to legitimise its occupation.

Geoffrey Pyatt said Barack Obama and the US secretary of state, John Kerry, had spent the weekend talking to European leaders. Obama also spoke to Russia's president, Vladimir Putin. The ambassador said the US and EU were in complete agreement that stronger sanctions could follow after next weekend's referendum, adding: "There is no daylight between us."

The ambassador said the White House was unbending in its view that Crimea was part of Ukraine. He said that in the runup to Sunday's referendum "gangs of pro-Russian thugs" were roaming the peninsula, beating up activists and creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. Without mentioning Moscow by name, Pyatt said there was also an "active campaign right now" to stir up dissension and division across the country.

Ukraine's interim prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, is due to travel to Washington on Wednesday for talks with Obama. The trip would be an opportunity to reaffirm the US's strongest support for the "new democratic Ukraine'", its integrity and the Ukrainian people, Pyatt said. They would also discuss Russia's invasion of Crimea.

His comments came after David Cameron and Angela Merkel agreed that any Russian attempt to legitimise Sunday's referendum in Crimea would result in further consequences, implying stronger sanctions.

The UK prime minister and the German chancellor agreed a statement after a working dinner in Hanover on Sunday night.

On Sunday, during separate telephone calls with Obama and Merkel, the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, urged a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine and for all parties to exercise calm and restraint.

"The situation in Ukraine is extremely complex, and what is most urgent is for all sides to remain calm and exercise restraint to avoid an escalation in tensions," China's foreign ministry on Monday cited Xi as telling Obama.

"Political and diplomatic routes must be used to resolve the crisis," Xi added. China had an "open attitude" towards any suggestions or proposals that could ameliorate the situation and was willing to remain in touch with all parties including the US, he said.

Xi told Merkel the Ukraine situation was "highly sensitive" and needed to be weighed carefully, according to a separate Chinese statement.

Flight MH370: 'No terror link' to stolen passports

TUESDAY 11 MARCH 2014
The two men holding fake passports who boarded the Malaysian airliner that vanished last week were Iranian nationals and had no apparent links to terrorist groups, officials say.

Flight MH370 'No Terror Link' to Stolen Passports by nelvely

Feds Mute on Cancer Incidence Study for Lejeune

Tuesday, March 11th, 2014 | Posted by Robert O'Dowd

(SALEM, OR) -   The Tampa Bay Times reported on March 10th  that ‘the feds’ were reluctant to commit to a cancer incident study of Camp Lejeune veterans.  The base wells at Lejeune were contaminated with organic solvents and other toxic chemicals for at least 30 years (1957-1987).  

According to William R. Levesque, Tamp Bay Times staff reporter:

Feds Mute on Cancer Incidence Study for Lejeune by nelvely

Sri Lanka inquiry: genuine progress or diplomatic fudge?

SUNDAY 09 MARCH 2014

David Cameron is pushing for the UN to set up an international, independent inquiry into war crimes and human rights abuses allegedly carried out by the Sri Lankan military.

The British prime minister promised at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Colombo last year that if Sri Lanka did not do enough investigate allegations of human rights violations committed by its forces, then he would push for the UN to takeover.

The deadline he set the Sri Lankan government, 2 March, has now passed.

Many of the allegations of human rights violations and war crimes have been brought to light byChannel 4 News, and on Sunday night journalist Callum Macrae's report revealed even more shocking video evidence – that appears to show government soldiers sexually violating the bodies of dead Tamil women.

Forensic analysis of the videos indicates that the footage is genuine.

Promise

At the Commonwealth meeting in Sri Lanka in November last year, Mr Cameron said: "Let me be very clear, if that investigation is not completed by March then I will use our position on the UN human rights council to work with the UN Human Rights commissioner and call for a full credible and independent international inquiry."

Whilst in Jaffna, the main city in the traaditionally Tamil north of Sri Lanka, crowds of people came onto the streets to ask for help in locating their missing sons, husbands and fathers.

Last month the UN's high commissioner for human rights, Navi Pillay, pushed the calls for an independent inquiry further. A report from her office said the government of Sri Lanka, led by Mahindra Rajapaksa, had "failed to ensure independent and credible investigations into past violations of international human rights and humanitarian law."

The report said that new evidence "continue to emerge" and that Ms Pillay "recommends the establishment of an independent, international inquiry mechanism, which would contribute to establishing the truth where domestic inquiry mechanisms have failed."

Sri Lanka's 'failure'

Channel 4 News contacted 10 Downing Street to see if Mr Cameron would make good on his promise.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "When the prime minister was in Sri Lanka, he said that this month was the deadline for the government of Sri Lanka to take concrete action to establish a credible, thorough inquiry into what happened during their civil war, including its final stages.

"They have failed to do so.

"Therefore the UK, along with four other countries including the US, has tabled a resolution on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council supporting the call by the UN high commissioner for human rights for an international, independent investigation into violations of human rights and related crimes by both sides during the war.

"We want this to take place in this year's UN HRC session. There will be a vote on our resolution at the end of this month.

"Ahead of the vote, we are working hard to secure support from other countries. The PM has personally written to a number of leaders whose countries are on the Human Rights Council this session calling on them to support this resolution which would help to deliver progress on reconciliation and human rights in Sri Lanka."

'Fudge'

However, Mr Macrae warned that an early draft of the resolution is a "bit of a diplomatic fudge".

He told Channel 4 News: "It doesn't call for the setting up of an independnent mechanism, or commissio,n as many people hoped. It calls on ... the human rights commissoner's offices to launch its own investigation whilst also saying Sri Lanka should continue to carry on with (it's investigation).

"It's not quite as clear as many people hoped."

He said he was concerned that human rights groups will see this as an opportunity for Sri Lanka to "string the international community" along.