Click to play videoNew Delhi: Sri Lanka faces UN sanctions after reports of human rights violations against Tamils in the country. India fears that it could set off reactions in Tamil Nadu as well.
A senior UN official in Colombo told Sri Lankan has told Sri Lankan president Rajapakse that Sri Lanka must own up to human rights abuses committed in the war against the LTTE.
The UN official has called for serious and independent inquiry into excesses against Tamil civilians and the inquiry must cover allegations of war crimes. She also slammed the treatment of Tamil refugees at the Menik Farm camp.
"First, the United Nations is very concerned about the lack of freedom of movement for the IDPs (internally displaced people), and in particular the closed nature of the camps. People are not free to come and go and they are understandably upset," said Lynn Pascoe.
Sri Lanka has consistently denied all allegations of war crimes and even managed to block a debate in the UN on the issue with the help of China and Russia. But criticism from the UN suggests that influential UN members may no longer be willing to overlook Colombo's tactics that may have resulted in scores of civilian deaths.
"A military solution does not resolve the underlying political issues that must be managed in order for peace to last. What we are looking for are signs of a serious effort at outreach to the Tamil and other minorities, to address aspirations and grievances of all Sri Lankans. That's the basis of a lasting peace," Pascoe added.
Colombo is already facing sanctions from the European Union that could severely hit its booming textiles industry. It's also facing flak over the trial of a Tamil journalist. Most embarrassingly, former Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga recently referred to an atmosphere of fear and lack of freedom in her country.
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