Lankan minister begins fast unto death against UN expert panel

Colombo: A senior Sri Lankan minister today
began a hunger strike outside the UN office here, demanding
that the world body scrap a panel set up to probe allegations
of war crime during the country's civil war.
Housing minister Wimal Weerawansa claimed he would
"fast-unto-death" to protect the country's military as he said
that any international probe could lead to questioning of Sri
Lankan armed forces and even some political leaders.
His fast comes as the siege of the UN office entered the
third day today. But, unlike yesterday the essential staff of
the world body reported for work.
Weerawansa began his fast as Buddhist monks chanted
slogans and his supporters waved flags. Addressing the
protesters, the minister said he had taken recourse to the
action as he believed that any questioning of armed forces or
political leaders would be unfair.
The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has named a three
member panel to advise him on "accountability issue" during
the war between government forces and Tamil Tigers which ended
in May last year.
On Tuesday, the minister's supporters laid siege to the
UN compound and prevented the staff from going home.
The Sri Lankan authorities have announced that they will
bar entry to the UN panel members.
"I will fast until the UN panel is dissolved and Ban
Ki-moon gives an assurance that he will not act acrimoniously
against Sri Lanka", the minister said.
The Minister said he proposed to continue with
fast-unto-death till the panel was dissolved.
Weerawansa heads the National Freedom Front, an ally of
President Mahinda Rajapaksa led United People's Freedom
Alliance (UPFA) coalition.
Meanwhile, Ban spoke about the significance of the panel
while addressing the UN Security Council yesterday at New
York.
"In Sri Lanka, I have emphasised the importance of an
accountability process for alleged violations of human rights
and humanitarian law by all sides in the conflict that ended
there last year. I have appointed a Panel of Experts to advise
me on these issues," he said.
Nearly a hundred of Weerawansa supporters gathered this
morning outside the UN compound.
In New York, the UN associate spokesman Farhan Haq said,
Weerawansa had assured that the UN staff would be allowed to
move in and out of the compound.