Sri Lankan minister begins fast unto death against UN expert panel

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.