US urges Lanka to arrest worsening human rights situation

Colombo, May 10 (UNI) Expressing concern over the abductions and extra-judicial killings, the US today urged Sri Lanka to arrest the deteriorating human rights situation in the island nation.

''There are two aspects that concern us the most. One is abductions and killings and the second is freedom of the press. Over all, there is a deterioration of human rights situation here,'' visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher told reporters here.

During his three-day stay in Sri Lanka, Mr Boucher held discussions with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, government ministers, senior military officials, and civil society leaders here and Jaffna, mainly on issues pertaining to the peace process, humanitarian issues, and human rights.

''It is important for the government to ensure security for everybody. And in the current circumstances, stopping and controlling the paramilitary groups operating in various parts of the island, who are believed to be involved in many of the abductions and killings in the recent months are crucial,'' he said.

Witnessing the worsening situation with regard to press freedom, Ambassador Boucher said the US was concerned over the reports of intimidation, reports of paramilitary being used on newspapers and journalists, and, of course, the killings.

He said the Rajapaksa government has reiterated its commitment to uphold the human rights situation, hold people accountable for crimes and other actions in the past and also take actions to ensure that such violations do not occur in the future.

''Lot more needs to be done with responsibility, not just to deal with the behaviour of the people in government employment and officials in the security forces, but to make the government control the operations of the paramilitary groups,'' Mr Boucher said.

Reiterating the US stand against terrorism, Mr Boucher said Sri Lanka was under a threat from the Tamil Tigers ''which remains to be a militant group and continues its activities.'' Condemning the air attacks by the LTTE, he said ''the Sri Lankan government has all the rights to take action against the flying Tigers.'' UNI