Sri Lanka terms UN rights chief inept in comprehending its concerns

Reacting to comments made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the Sri Lankan government has said that his office is incapable of understanding the latter's concerns on what it called a 'flawed" investigation.

"The OHCHR has been inept in comprehending for reasons best known to it that the thrust of the concerns expressed by the Government of Sri Lanka related to the flawed procedure of the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL)," the government said.

Issuing a statement on Friday, the UN Rights Chief, according to the Lanka Page web site, criticized the continuing attacks by the Sri Lankan Government on the integrity of the ongoing investigation into alleged grave human rights violations and abuses in Sri Lanka.

The UN official further condemned the government's alleged intimidation of human rights defenders and individuals who may wish to cooperate with the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) mandated investigation.

Zeid's criticism was directed at a statement made by the External Affairs Minister of Sri Lanka Prof. G. L. Peiris on November 5 calling the UN investigation "biased and flawed".