UN seeks explanation on death of three senior LTTE leaders

The United Nations has sought an explanation from Sri Lanka on the death of three top Tamil Tiger leaders after former army chief Sarath Fonseka alleged that surrendering Tamil rebels were killed in cold blood.

The United Nations has sought an explanation from Sri Lanka on the death of three top Tamil Tiger leaders after former army chief Sarath Fonseka alleged that surrendering Tamil rebels were killed in cold blood.

The UN special rapporteur on extra-judicial arbitrary executions Philip Alston has sought an explanation of what had happened to three rebel leaders who wanted to surrender. The three LTTE leaders Balasingham Nadesan,political head of the organisation,Seevaratnam Pulidevan,heading its peace secretariat and senior LTTE commander Ramesh and their families were killed in the last phase of the war on May 18,2009 as they came out to surrender.

The UN’s action follows comments by Fonseka who is running as a joint opposition candidate for presidency that Sri Lankan forces eliminated surrendering Tiger leaders on the orders of the defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

The former top general in an explosive interview to the ‘Sunday Leader’ had alleged that Gotabhaya had instructed that “all LTTE leaders must be killed.”

“Are the allegations summarised accurate,If not so,please share the information and documents proving their inaccuracy,” the UN letter to the Lankan government queried.

“What information does your Government have on the family members of Nadesan,Pulidevan and Ramesh,” it asked. The explanation was sought in a letter addressed to Kshenuka Senewiratna,the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN Office in Geneva.