Ada Derana
Cameron was the first foreign leader to visit Jaffna since Sri Lanka, a former British colony, gained independence in 1948
Completely shunning local media personnel at a press conference today, UK Prime Minister David Cameron put Sri Lanka on notice to address allegations of war crimes within months or else he would lead a push for action at the United Nations.
The British premier, who held a press conference at the BMICH media center this morning, completely avoided the majority of local media who were ready to pose questions while only answering a selected few questions mainly by foreign journalists.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Commonwealth summit in Colombo, Cameron warned his hosts that pressure over alleged abuses at the end of Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict was not about to go away.
He also told of how he had “frank” exchanges with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse after he returned from a historic visit to the war-torn Jaffna region.
“The Sri Lankan government needs to go further and faster on human rights and reconciliation,” Cameron told the press conference.
“I accept it takes time but I think the important thing is to get on the right track.
“This issue is not going to go away, it’s an issue of international concern.”
Cameron said Rajapakse wanted more time to address the claims but put him on notice to deliver by March or else he would push for an international investigation through the auspices of the UN human rights council.
“Let me be very clear, if an investigation is not completed by March, then I will use our position on the UN Human Rights Council to work with the UN Human Rights Commission and call for a full, credible and independent international inquiry.”
Cameron upstaged the first day of the three-day meeting Friday by travelling to the Jaffna region which bore the main brunt of the 37-year civil war, meeting with local ethnic Tamils who lost loved ones or were left homeless.
He was the first foreign leader to visit Jaffna since Sri Lanka, a former British colony, gained independence in 1948.
Cameron received an emotional reception in Jaffna from locals who were desperate to tell him of their plight during the war and in its aftermath.
During his tour, Cameron met the editor of a newspaper whose printing presses have been torched several times, including in April, and has lost five staff in attacks.
Cameron held 45 minutes of talks late Friday with President Rajapakse after his return to Colombo.
Asked about his meeting with Rajapakse, Cameron said “very strong views were expressed on both sides”.
“Of course not everything I said was accepted,” he added.
According to a statement from Rajapakse’s office, the president asked Cameron to give Sri Lanka “more time to overcome all major challenges”.
Late Friday Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Chandra Ramgoolam said his country was withdrawing as host of the 2015 Commonwealth summit.
“I have made it perfectly clear that human rights are more important than hosting a Commonwealth summit, regardless of its importance,” Ramgoolam said.
The summit is meant to be focusing on issues such as poverty reduction and climate change but press conferences have been dominated by questions over alleged rights abuses by Sri Lankan forces.
- With excerpt from AFP