AFP | Daily Times
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The UN report released last Monday highlighted “credible allegations” that both the Sri Lankan army and Tamil Tiger rebels had been involved in violations that could amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity.
The allegations referred to the final months of the government’s ultimately successful 2009 offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in which tens of thousands of civilians are estimated to have died.n “The report violates the UN charter, undermines the fight against global terrorism, and hijacks Sri Lanka’s reconciliation process,” senior minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told public radio on Sunday. He said the May Day theme was the “people’s power to protect the country”, adding that “the rallies are held to protest against (UN secretary general) Ban Ki-moon.”
Hundreds of thousands of people were expected to attend several demonstrations in Colombo, with President Mahinda Rajapakse due to address followers of his United Peoples Freedom Alliance in the evening.
Roads were decorated in the party colours of blue, red and maroon, while billboards were erected showing the president and recently-completed development work. “We want to send a clear message to the international community that no imperialist interventions are possible in Sri Lanka,” said petroleum minister Susil Premajayantha, who is also the ruling party’s general secretary.
More 8,000 police officers and hundreds of army personnel were deployed around the capital to maintain security on May Day, which is traditionally a day of workers’ demonstrations across the world.
© Daily Times
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