Over 200 Tamils slain in apparent political attacks in Sri Lanka since 2002

Up to 200 Tamils have been slain in apparent political violence that has undermined Sri Lanka's peace since the 2002 halt in its civil war, and the government hasn't done enough to investigate the attacks, a human rights monitor said Tuesday.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch suggested most of the killings were the result of a split in the ranks of the Tamil Tigers in 2004, and called for an independent commission to investigate the violence and recommend ways to end it.

``In a country where Tamil grievances have been the primary cause of a protracted and complicated civil war, the failure by the government to pursue these killings is particularly troubling and raises serious questions about its stated commitment to take Tamil human rights concerns seriously,'' the group said.

Sri Lankan police denied that they were closing their eyes to the killings.

``When a killing takes place in areas under (the rebels') control, we cannot investigate,'' police spokesman Rienzie Perera said of large swathe of land in the northeast where the Tamil Tigers run a parallel administration.

And sometimes, when killings occur in areas under government control, witnesses have refused to give evidence out of fear of retribution, Perera said.

Since the 2002 cease-fire, ``an estimated 200 Tamils have been killed for apparently political reasons,'' Human Rights Watch said in its statement.

The April 28 slaying of well-known Tamil journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram by ``unknown assailants is only one of a long line of assassinations of outspoken members of the Tamil community,'' the group said.

Sivaram, a founding member of the pro-rebel TamilNet Web site and a columnist for the English language Daily Mirror, was killed after being abducted in Colombo.

``We have yet to see the government seriously investigate, prosecute and punish those responsible for politically motivated killings of Tamils,'' said Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch.

The rights group linked much of the violence to a split in the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam in March 2004, when a commander broke off from the mainstream rebel organization. ``A number of the victims were persons deemed to be supporters of one faction or the other,'' it said.

``The evidence available places responsibility for many of the killings on the Tamil Tigers,'' the group said. ``In many cases there is circumstantial evidence of LTTE involvement, such as threats from LTTE members or agents prior to a killing.''

Other killings have been linked to the breakaway faction, the group said.

Adams said that the cease-fire has been a welcome development for Sri Lanka ``but some are using it as an opportunity to kill their opponents.''

A Bhakthi Gee recital was held at the President’s House on Sunday as a prelude to Vesak celebrations on Full Moon Vesak Poya Day. Here President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga along with Ministers watch students and artistes singing Bhakthi Gee.