Sri Lanka war crimes: Main allegations

A thin strip of land in northern Sri Lanka was the brutal theatre of war during the closing phase of Sri Lanka's 26-year civil conflict. Thousands of civilians were hemmed in as the government battled Tamil Tiger rebels fighting for a separate homeland.

The UN report focuses on alleged war crimes committed by both the Sri Lankan armed forces and Tamil Tigers during the months leading up to the defeat of the rebels in May 2009.

Numerous allegations were circulating at the time and have emerged since. During that final stage of combat very few of the accusations could be independently verified. Journalists and most aid groups were barred from the region.

Civilian deaths 

In March 2009, the UN said it feared actions by both sides might amount to war crimes. The UN High Commissioner of Human Rights Navi Pillay described the level of civilian deaths as "truly shocking", and warned it could reach "catastrophic" levels.

The government was accused of repeatedly shelling safe zones set up to protect civilians. The rebels were accused of holding civilians as human shields and firing on those who tried to flee. Both denied the allegations.

At the time, The Times newspaper also claimed that more than 20,000 people had been killed in the closing stages of the conflict.

The UN estimated that up to 7,000 people had died by the end of April. The latest report now says it believes tens of thousands of civilians were killed in that final stage, adding that most civilian casualties in the final phases of the war were caused by government shelling.

Conduct of war

Sri Lanka's government was accused of using heavy weaponry and UN images obtained by the BBC appeared to show shelling damage in a government-designated "safe zone" for civilians.

The UN report claims the government shelled food distribution lines and near ICRC ships coming to pick up wounded civilians from beaches.

The government denied security forces had shelled the safe zone, saying there were a number of rebel suicide blasts in that area. The UN reportals is also said to condemn the rebels for killing civilians through suicide attacks.

Tamil Tiger rebels were primarily criticised for allegedly using civilians as human shields.

Britain and France said the rebels had been "forcefully preventing civilians from leaving" during a 48-hour ceasefire. The rebels said the truce had not been long enough to allow civilians to safely leave the conflict zone. They rejected the charge that rebels prevented civilians from leaving the war zone.

The UN report also alleges the forced recruitment of children by rebels.

Hospital shelled

The report accuses the government of "systematically" shelling hospitals on the front line. In May 2009, sources in one hospital in rebel-held territory claimed that government forces shelled it, killing dozens of people. One doctor described the artillery bombardment to the BBC.

At the time ,the Sri Lankan government denied the army had caused civilian casualties but said it had pierced rebel defences.

After the conflict ended, a group of doctors who worked in Sri Lanka's rebel-held war zone were arrested on suspicion of collaborating with rebels. They later retracted their accusations against the government.

Extra-judicial killings

After the war more allegations emerged. One video obtained by Britain's Channel 4 news purported to show the extra-judicial killing of what were thought to be Tamil rebels. Sri Lanka's army spokesman angrily rejected the video as a fabrication.

In late 2010, graphic video which apparently showed more footage from the same incident was aired by Channel 4 news. The pictures, which also showed bloodstained and blindfolded bodies, was rejected by Sri Lanka as an attempt by rebel sympathisers to tarnish Sri Lanka's image.

And one senior army commander told Channel 4 news that orders for the killings came from the top - Sri Lanka denied those allegations.

The authenticity of the footage and images cannot be verified.

Civilian ordeal

In the midst of the fighting, the BBC talked to civilians fleeing the war about their ordeal. They said they had lived under constant gunfire, intense shelling and an acute shortage of water, food and medicine.

They also confirmed accusations that the rebels were forcibly recruiting children. The head of the charity Medecins Sans Frontieres in Sri Lanka told the BBC of shrapnel wounds to the limbs of civilians.

The BBC was part of a trip organised by the government to part of the recently captured front line, where refugees in a state of shock were listlessly standing. The army said it would work on developing the area.

The BBC has also heard numerous allegations from Tamils that their relatives are missing, among them a number of senior rebel fighters.

The government says that the military inflicted no civilian deaths during the final stages of its victory.

International human rights groups, however, say a comprehensive and independent war crimes inquiry is needed.

Sri Lanka conducted its own inquiry into war crimes but human rights groups refused to participate, saying the inquiry does not meet international standards.

Estimates say that as many as 100,000 people were killed during 26 years of war.

Newsnight's Interview with Sarah Palin

Excellent. Excellent today. This is one of our favourite days of the year.

JACKIE LONG: I'm struggling with the cold, I can hardly speak.

SARAH PALIN: Do you have layers on? Do you have enough layers?

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SP: Pretty uniquely Alaskan, you know, 2,000 miles across [interruption as one of the riders comes over and she gives him a hug] rugged conditions. God Bless you. God Bless you. Ride safe, ride hard.

It's uniquely Alaskan. This is awesome. A lot of us living sort of vicariously through the Iron Doggers, so many of us would love to be tough enough to do what they're doing and be good-enough mechanics and strong enough and tenacious enough, because I think it's one of the world's toughest races. It's the world's longest and toughest snow machine race.

JL: And you'd love to do it, wouldn't you?

SP: You know it takes a special breed of cat to be able to lift 700lb, to be able to change out shocks and fix the engines at -70F (-56.6C) in the pitch black on a frozen river. I'm not capable, so it's just something I dream about.

JL: Looking at it from the outside, people will be saying: 'why do they put themselves through this? It seems crazy.'

SP: It's just like our other great race, the Iditarod the 1,049 miles (1,688km) with dogs. It's just a good, again, uniquely Alaskan, it's something that Alaskans so enjoy because we want to be outside, we want to be outside enjoying God's creation however we can and this is one of the tools used to enjoy the great outdoors.

JL: Do you worry about your husband when he's on this?

SP: I really don't. He started racing this race 18 years ago. He's got a lot of miles under his belt, he's a great mechanic, he knows what he's doing. Just say a prayer and wish him well and he's in his element when he's out there in these rugged conditions. So not too worried.

JL: He's racing to win quite, clearly. Presumably, you don't want him to lose either, you don't do losing.

SP: You run the race to win, that's for sure. And he's won four times and certainly he would love to win, kind of win one for the old guys, you know. Some of these guys are in their early 20s and our guys are in their 40s. Also, it's also good testimony for staying in shape, and staying focused, staying active in what you can do really at any age.

JL: Can I just ask you, of course, the big race everyone is interested in outside of the Iron Dog is the presidential race. What are your thoughts on that? Are you going to run?

SP: Well there again, you enter a race to win the race. There is still a lot of consideration that have to be made. We haven't made up our mind or desired to make an announcement yet as to what it is we will be doing.

JL: What are the considerations at the moment? What are the things that you are weighing up?

SP: Well, understanding that Obama has already said he's going to rake in and spend $1bn (£615.4m) in this race. Money is certainly going to be a consideration. And then just the idea of, will the American electorate be ready for someone a bit unconventional, in terms of a candidate who will call it like she sees it, and who will not be beholden to special interests or such obsessive partisanship as to let a political machine get in the way of just doing what's right for the voters.

JL: In a sense, do you think your "unconventionality" in that sense, the fact that you tell it as it is, is your strength but is also perceived as a weakness as well?

SP: I believe that it is a strength. I tell my kids, I encourage everyone I know that whether it be in their workplace, whether it be in a political arena or within their own families, to do what their gut tells them to do. And that involves calling it like they see it and tackling the tasks that are at hand and not worrying so much what other people are thinking or saying about them. And a lot of that goes along with that unconventional vein that I am talking about, that independent vein that I have within me. So I think that it's a strength and I encourage people I know to exercise that strength, too.

JL: In terms of making that decision, presumably the pressure on you and your family is a big part of the decision making, because you've been through a lot and you take a lot of flack?

SP: Our family is pretty thick-skinned, though. We have taken the pressure and pressure I think builds character and allows someone to handle what else is coming. For the last 20 years being in political office our family has had unconventional schedules, we've put up with a lot of flak, and we're still standing and we're doing well, so we're not worried too much about that pressure put on the family because we've been tried by fire.

JL: What are the criticisms that have hurt you most? One of the big ones that's thrown at you is that you're not intellectually capable. Does that sting?

SP: Who said that?

JL: Lots of criticism about the interviews you have given, the ability to get your head around foreign policy.

SP: Well, how about the idea of perhaps what some of the media has chosen to portray. Let's take a couple of examples - and I don't really want to have to talk politics on one of the best days of our life here in Alaska - but I'll give you one more answer. Things like, that are misconstrued regarding rumours out there that are still in the media because reporters don't do their homework, too often, and they don't set the record straight - though I think it's their job to set the record straight - rumours like I didn't know that Africa was a continent, that's still out there, that's a lie. Things like I censored books when I was a mayor up here in Alaska, that's a lie.

[Governor Palin begins to walk away]

SP: So again if I decide to run we know that we have to put up with a lot of the BS that comes from the media but ... It's not all of you guys but some of you still claim that Trig isn't my kid. I think that's an indication of screwed-up media.

JL: You were saying, your favourite from the media? Which one is that?

SP: Is that trig is not my child, which is still out there in the media.

JL: How offensive is that? How do you deal with that?

SP: Would you be offended if someone said you're child wasn't your child? It's offensive. OK, you know what, I'm really really trying to enjoy one of the best days of our lives.