Jon Snow presents a forensic investigation into the final weeks of the quarter-century-long civil war between the government of Sri Lanka and the secessionist rebels, the Tamil Tigers. With disturbing and distressing descriptions and film of executions, atrocities and the shelling of civilians the programme features devastating new video evidence of war crimes - some of the most horrific footage Channel 4 has ever broadcast.
Captured on mobile phones, both by Tamils under attack and government soldiers as war trophies, the disturbing footage shows: the extra-judicial executions of prisoners; the aftermath of targeted shelling of civilian camps; and dead female Tamil fighters who appear to have been raped or sexually assaulted, abused and murdered.
The film is made and broadcast as UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon faces growing criticism for refusing to launch an investigation into 'credible allegations' that Sri Lankan forces committed war crimes during the closing weeks of the bloody conflict with the Tamil Tigers.
Warning, Disturbing Video FootageVideo
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/sri-lankas-killing-fields/4od#3200170News Report
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/sri-lankas-killing-fields/episode-guide/series-1/episode-1A report published in April 2011, by an UN appointed Panel of experts was released by Ban-Ki-Moon, concluding that as many as 40 000 civilians were killed in the finals few weeks alone
Channel 4 News has consistently reported on the bloody denouement of Sri Lanka's civil war. Sri Lanka's Killing Fields presents a further damning account of the actions of Sri Lankan forces, in a war that the government still insists was conducted with a policy of Zero Civilian Casualties.The film raises serious questions about the consequences if the UN fails to act, not only with respect to Sri Lanka but also to future violations of international law.
This is one of the most horrific and less reported example of genocide conducted in recent times. Ironically the Srilankan government claims that the UN report is a fabrication. This is the very same government which called international observers "white terrorists" for calling for an inquiry into these atrocities. The government has also went back on its promises to allow a federal system of rule and has claimed that "all is well" and there is no need for such a system.
^^ a poster in Srilanka calling Hillary Clinton, Eric Solheim(Norweigian government minister) and David Milliband(British Foreign secretary) as terrorist supporters.Not surprisingly, these were the first ones to call for an international war crimes inquiry.
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