Sri Lankan minister fasts against UN rights probe

Colombo, Jul 8: A Sri Lankan cabinet Minister and other protesters started the indefinite hunger strike on Thursday, Jul 8 outside the UN office in Sri Lanka to protest the enquiry into alleged human rights abuses during the country's civil war.

Wimal Weerawansa, the Construction and Housing Minister started the strike against the three-member panel appointed by UN to probe the alleged killing of civilians by government troops during the civil war.

He started his strike and got on a stage while Buddhist monks chanted blessings and hundreds of supporters waved the national flag. “I will fast until the UN panel is dissolved and Ban Ki-moon gives an assurance that he will not label the soldiers and political leaders who brought peace to Sri Lanka as war criminals," Weerawansa said.

He added that the panel was set up with the motive of 'hunting down' the soldiers.

UN had alleged that more than 7000 ethnic Tamil civilians were killed in the last five months of the fighting. UN General Secretary Ban ki-moon appointed a three-member panel to advise him on the accountability regarding the matter.

OneIndia News