Sri Lanka after the war

Ban Ki-Moon to visit war-hit areas

Article published on the 2009-05-22 Latest update 2009-05-22 10:29 TU

The UN's Vijay Nambiar speaks during a media conference in central Colombo
(Photo: Reuters)

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon is to visit war-ravaged areas of north Sri Lanka during a 24-hour visit to the island. Ban is expected to raise complaints about aid agencies' lack of access to the region where the military this week defeated Tamil Tiger guerrillas.

Ban is to meet President Mahinda Rajapakse and Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama on Saturday. He is also set to visit the Manik Farm area in the northern district of Vavuniya and, weather permitting, fly over the north-east.

His Chief of Staff Vijay Nambiar declared himself "deeply moved" after flying over the area Thursday.

"Large number of vehicles burnt, clumps of trees, clumps of tents - the absence of human life was eerie, except for a few soldiers," was his description at a press conference. Nambiar said that Ban's visit should "help begin a process of national recovery, renewal and reconciliaton for all Sri Lankans".

British-based charity Oxfam joined other aid groups in urging the government to ease restrictions on access to refugee camps, where 280,000 civilians are estimated to be sheltering. It said that a ban on aid vehicles is putting thousands of lives at risks.

The bulk of internally displaced people will be resettled within six months, the government declared during a visit by Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon Thursday. Government officials earlier said that some refugees could be in the camps for up to two years.

And there are accusations that the military may have shot dead two rebel leaders as they were trying to surrender. The International Committee of the Red Cross has confirmed that Tamil Tigers political chief B Nadesan and Peace Secretariat head S Pulideevan contacted it to say that they would pass over to government-controlled with a white flag on Sunday evening.

"The next thing we heard was on Monday morning, when the Sri Lankans said they were dead," an anonymous diplomat told the AFP news agency, adding that the army may have shot them or that the rebels may have executed them for trying to surrender.