Sri Lanka seeks delay in UN war-crimes report
Sri Lanka said on Wednesday it was seeking a delay of several months in the release of a UN report on alleged war crimes during the country's civil war until the government has time to establish a new judicial mechanism to deal with the allegations.
Last March, the United Nations Human Rights Council voted to look into reports of abuses during the conflict, saying the Sri Lankan government had failed to investigate properly. The UN report is due out on March 25. Sri Lanka's new government, which took power last month, says it is planning a new local inquiry that would bring in some foreign experts if necessary. It has also invited the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit to discuss the issue.
