UN chief slammed by Sri Lankan leaders

UN chief slammed by Sri Lankan leaders - AFP- 2008/09/12

Colombo - United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon came in for tough criticism on Thursday from Sri Lanka's government, which accused him of unwittingly helping Tamil Tiger rebels.

Responding to the UN chief's concern over civilians displaced by heavy fighting in the north of the island, a Sri Lankan government rights official said a government offensive had caused hardly any civilian casualties.

Ban had on Tuesday reminded the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of their obligations to ensure the safety of civilians.

"Unfortunately, the secretary general may not have realised that his remarks could be used to advantage by the LTTE, who will use any weapon to hand, including an innocent secretary general, to halt the advance of Sri Lankan forces," Sri Lankan human rights ministry official Rajiva Wijesinghe said.

He said in a statement that the LTTE "will relish that he made these remarks".

Sri Lanka regularly views any criticism of its own rights record as support for the LTTE, which has been fighting for autonomy in the island's north and east for minority Tamils since 1972.

Fighting is now centred in the north, after forces wrestled the east of the island from Tiger control in July 2007.

According to UN agencies, at least 160 000 people have been displaced in the past few months in the rebel-held districts of Mullaittivu and Kilinochchi. More than 70 000 people have fled due to fighting in the past two months alone.

UN agencies plan to pull out of the rebel-held areas in the north this week, after Colombo said it could not guarantee the safety of aid workers.

Colombo wants to avoid troops being accused of killing aid workers in a repeat of the August 2006 massacre of 17 local employees of the French aid agency Action Against Hunger in the east of the island.

According to the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies, there are 11 United Nations and other agencies working in the rebel-held Wanni area.

Tens of thousands have died on both sides during over three decades of bloodshed.
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