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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| UN fears Sri Lanka 'war crimes' | UN fears Sri Lanka 'war crimes' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Actions by Sri Lanka's government and the Tamil Tiger rebels may amount to war crimes, the United Nations says. | Actions by Sri Lanka's government and the Tamil Tiger rebels may amount to war crimes, the United Nations says. |
| UN High Commissioner of Human Rights Navi Pillay called on the two warring sides to suspend hostilities immediately in the island's north-east. | UN High Commissioner of Human Rights Navi Pillay called on the two warring sides to suspend hostilities immediately in the island's north-east. |
| Describing the level of civilian deaths as "truly shocking", she warned it could reach "catastrophic" levels. | Describing the level of civilian deaths as "truly shocking", she warned it could reach "catastrophic" levels. |
| The government suggested the UN was using unreliable figures, while there was no immediate rebel reaction. | The government suggested the UN was using unreliable figures, while there was no immediate rebel reaction. |
| The army has pressed the rebels into a shrinking area amid heavy fighting. | The army has pressed the rebels into a shrinking area amid heavy fighting. |
| See map of the region | |
| The military say they are on their final offensive to capture the last Tamil Tiger strongholds. | The military say they are on their final offensive to capture the last Tamil Tiger strongholds. |
| This is the UN's strongest message on the conflict so far, BBC Sri Lanka correspondent Anbarasan Ethirajan reports. | This is the UN's strongest message on the conflict so far, BBC Sri Lanka correspondent Anbarasan Ethirajan reports. |
| 'Thousands dead or injured' | 'Thousands dead or injured' |
| "Certain actions being undertaken by the Sri Lankan military and by the LTTE [Tigers] may constitute violations of international human rights and humanitarian law," said Ms Pillay. | "Certain actions being undertaken by the Sri Lankan military and by the LTTE [Tigers] may constitute violations of international human rights and humanitarian law," said Ms Pillay. |
| Government troops believe they are close to crushing the rebels | Government troops believe they are close to crushing the rebels |
| She accused government forces of repeatedly shelling safe zones set up to protect civilians. | She accused government forces of repeatedly shelling safe zones set up to protect civilians. |
| Tamil Tigers, she said, had reportedly held civilians as human shields and fired on those who tried to flee. | Tamil Tigers, she said, had reportedly held civilians as human shields and fired on those who tried to flee. |
| "The brutal and inhuman treatment of civilians by the LTTE is utterly reprehensible and should be examined to see if it constitutes war crimes," she continued. | "The brutal and inhuman treatment of civilians by the LTTE is utterly reprehensible and should be examined to see if it constitutes war crimes," she continued. |
| According to what the UN called credible sources, more than 2,800 civilians may have been killed and 7,000 others wounded in the fighting over the last two months. | According to what the UN called credible sources, more than 2,800 civilians may have been killed and 7,000 others wounded in the fighting over the last two months. |
| Hundreds of children are believed to have died, Ms Pillay said, and more than a thousand have been injured. | Hundreds of children are believed to have died, Ms Pillay said, and more than a thousand have been injured. |
| The Sri Lankan minister for human rights, Mahinda Samarasinghe, said the government was surprised at the UN using what he called unsubstantiated figures about civilian casualties. | The Sri Lankan minister for human rights, Mahinda Samarasinghe, said the government was surprised at the UN using what he called unsubstantiated figures about civilian casualties. |
| "We have very clearly stated that we have not at any time fired at the no-fire zone," he added. | "We have very clearly stated that we have not at any time fired at the no-fire zone," he added. |
| While there was no immediate response top the UN report from the Tigers, pro-rebel news website TamilNet accused government forces of killing 30 civilians and wounding 60 inside safe zones on Thursday alone. | While there was no immediate response top the UN report from the Tigers, pro-rebel news website TamilNet accused government forces of killing 30 civilians and wounding 60 inside safe zones on Thursday alone. |
| The assertions could not be verified independently. | The assertions could not be verified independently. |
| Separatist war | Separatist war |
| The Tigers, who are proscribed as a terrorist group in many countries, started fighting in the 1970s for a separate state for Tamils in Sri Lanka's north and east. | The Tigers, who are proscribed as a terrorist group in many countries, started fighting in the 1970s for a separate state for Tamils in Sri Lanka's north and east. |
| They argued that the Tamils had been discriminated against by successive majority Sinhalese governments. | They argued that the Tamils had been discriminated against by successive majority Sinhalese governments. |
| After army advances in the east in 2007 and progress in the north in 2008, most of Sri Lanka is now under government control. | After army advances in the east in 2007 and progress in the north in 2008, most of Sri Lanka is now under government control. |
| But despite the army's commanding position, the rebels have shown on innumerable occasions their capacity to fight a guerrilla war through the use of suicide bombings, assassinations and even aerial attacks carried out by planes operating from secret jungle bases. | But despite the army's commanding position, the rebels have shown on innumerable occasions their capacity to fight a guerrilla war through the use of suicide bombings, assassinations and even aerial attacks carried out by planes operating from secret jungle bases. |
| The conflict has killed an estimated 70,000 people, displaced thousands more and held back the island's growth and economic development. | The conflict has killed an estimated 70,000 people, displaced thousands more and held back the island's growth and economic development. |
| Both the military and the Tigers have been regularly accused of gross abuses of human rights by organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. | Both the military and the Tigers have been regularly accused of gross abuses of human rights by organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. |
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