David Cameron promises Sri Lanka tough message on alleged war crimes

Prime Minister David Cameron: There are legitimate accusations of war crimes 14 November !1" David Cameron has promised to send a "tough message" to Sri Lanka's government over alleged war crimes after it warned him not to question ministers at the Commonwealth summit. The U prime minister! who has re"ected calls to #o$cott the meeting in Colom#o! said there had to #e "proper inquiries" into events in %&&'. (ut Sri Lanka's government said he had no right to #ring up the su#"ect! as he had not #een invited on that #asis. The conference #egins on )rida$. The *rince of +ales! who cele#rated his ,-th #irthda$ on Thursda$! is representing the .ueen at the #iennial event. /r Cameron's attendance follows trade talks in 0ew Delhi with his 1ndian counterpart! /anmohan Singh! who is among those avoiding the event. 'Appalling' /r Singh is "oined #$ the prime ministers of Canada and /auritius! who are sta$ing awa$ in protest over allegations that the regime of Sri Lankan president /ahinda 2a"apaska carried out war crimes at the end of a civil war with Tamil separatists four $ears ago. The U0 estimates that 3&!&&& civilians were killed in the last five months of the %,4 $ear conflict! #ut the Sri Lankan authorities den$ responsi#ilit$.

1n an interview with the ((C's 0ick 2o#inson! /r Cameron said5 "There are legitimate accusations of war crimes that need to #e properl$ investigated. "That is actuall$ what the Sri Lankan government! in its own lessons learned and reconciliation e6ercise! found 4 there were more questions to #e answered. (ut it hasn't effectivel$ answered them. The$ need to #e answered. "+e should #e clear! this was an appalling civil war! a civil war in which o#viousl$ the Tamil Tigers! using suicide #om#s and child soldiers! did some appalling things as well. "(ut the end of the war! and this particular set of events where civilians seem to have #een targeted 4 that needs to #e properl$ investigated." 'Independent state' Tamil representatives and La#our! the (ritish opposition part$! urged /r Cameron to "oin the #o$cott! #ut he argued he could achieve more #$ using his attendance to "shine a spotlight" on "some of the human rights issues". (ut the Sri Lankans reacted angril$ to that suggestion. "The invitation to *rime /inister David Cameron was not #ased on that!" minister of mass media and communications eheli$a 2am#ukwella told the ((C. "+e are a sovereign nation. 7ou think someone can "ust make a demand from Sri Lanka8 "+e are not a colon$. +e are an independent state." 9sked a#out the comments! /r Cameron maintained he was right to raise questions! adding5 "That's e6actl$ what 1'll #e doing." 9lthough he said he wanted to deliver a "tough message" to the Sri Lankan government! he pledged not to #e "completel$ uncompromising". /r Cameron e6plained5 "There are some positive steps that have #een taken in Sri Lanka5 the fact that the$ had elections to a northern provincial council: the fact that there is a process of reconciliation! it's "ust not going as far as we would like it to go. "So on the ledger! there are some things on the positive side! #ut there are too man$ things on the negative side. 0ow that's a frank conversation 1 think we should #e a#le to have." (ritish media in Sri Lanka who have #een asking questions a#out the government's human rights record have struggled to get answers. 9 Channel 3 documentar$ team was forced to give up on reaching the north of the south 9sian state after #eing stopped #$ pro4government demonstrators. 'Deep concerns' 9 ((C cameraman was physically restrained #$ securit$ officials at the Commonwealth ;eads of <overnment /eeting as he and correspondent =ames 2o##ins were attempting to film Sri Lankan *resident /ahinda 2a"apaksa at a media

event #efore the formal opening. La#our leader >d /ili#and said5 "/$ part$ has #een clear that in our view we #elieve that this lamenta#le human rights situation meant that the (ritish prime minister 4 like the Canadian and 1ndian prime ministers 4 should not attend the summit." (ut /r Cameron! having decided to attend! must now "insist on the full implementation of the recommendations of Sri Lanka's own Lessons Learnt and 2econciliation Commission"! /r /ili#and argued! in an article for the Tamil Guardian. ;e also urged the U prime minister to "seek urgent assurances from the Sri Lankan authorities" that the$ will respect the Commonwealth's values on human rights as the$ respond to an$ protests that ma$ take place during the forthcoming summit. La#our's shadow foreign secretar$ Douglas 9le6ander was #lunter! telling the ((C5 "The prime minister has #lundered! and #lundered #adl$! in his decision to attend the summit." /r Cameron! who arrived in Delhi on +ednesda$ en route to the summit! has met 1ndian *rime /inister /anmohan Singh. The U */ has hailed "e6traordinar$ progress" on trade and investment since his first visit in %&?&! and pledged to "cement (ritain as 1ndia's partner of choice". ;e is also seeking to reassure 1ndian nationals a#out his drive to cut immigration to the U .