Sri Lanka in 'manipulation' claim

By Roland Buerk
BBC News, Colombo

The ICRC says that killings and abductions must stop

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has accused Sri Lanka's government of manipulating confidential information.

The ICRC says it did so to defend its human rights record.

The accusation follows allegations from the US and others of extra-judicial killings and abductions as the island slipped back into civil war.

Sri Lanka's government has consistently rejected calls for a UN human rights monitoring mission.

It argues that such a move would be an infringement of its sovereignty.

But the government is under pressure over human rights again.

'Misrepresented'

In unusual public criticism, the ICRC said the government had "misrepresented confidential reports to defend its record".

The row began last week when the US State Department said respect for human rights in Sri Lanka had continued to decline in 2007.

The government is fighting a renewed war (Pic: Athula Bandara)

In response Sri Lanka's government said information from the ICRC had shown a distinct downward trend in disappearances and unexplained killings.

The ICRC has now said it deplores the misleading use of confidential findings and that killings and abductions are part of a terrible pattern of abuse in Sri Lanka that must be stopped.

Sri Lanka's Foreign Secretary Dr Palitha Kohona said he was deeply disappointed by the statement and maintained that the number of incidents has gone down.

International concern over human rights is potentially extremely serious for Sri Lanka's government, which is fighting a renewed war aimed at crushing the separatist Tamil Tigers.

The European Union has also expressed very serious concerns and noted that trade concessions are up for review.

They have helped to make garment exports a mainstay of the island's economy.