Sri Lanka slams UN rights chief's statement

Sri Lanka today accused UN rights chief Navi Pillay of transgressing her mandate during her week-long fact-finding mission in the country to probe alleged war crimes committed during the ethnic conflict with the Tamil Tigers.
"The High Commissioner's observation that Sri Lanka is showing signs of heading in an increasingly authoritarian direction is a political statement on her part, which clearly transgresses her mandate and the basic norms which should be observed by a discerning international civil servant," Information Department said in a statement.
The government charges that she had failed to recognise the freedom people now enjoy following the end to the conflict in 2009.

Her judgement on the leadership of Sri Lanka was "better left for the people of Sri Lanka to decide than being caricatured by external entities influenced by vested interests", the statement said.
The government complaints that Pillay's contention that people who had met her during her visit had come under military harassment was yet to be officially conveyed to it.
"Pillay's office must provide evidence to prove the allegations in order to investigate it," said government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella.
Rambukwella, also the Minister of Information, told the Colombo Gazette that some groups may attempt to discredit the government by either threatening those who spoke to her or making false claims to that effect.

The minister also said the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights was given the freedom to travel and meet anyone she wanted and that opportunity may have been used by those who wanted to meet her and pass false information.