Cameron asks to meet Sri Lanka's Rajapaksa as Chogm boycott grows

Rowena Mason,-Tuesday 12 November 2013 Prime minister wants to raise claims of war crimes and human rights abuses on trip to ommonwealth summit, says No 10

There have been demands for a credible in!uiry into the deaths of up to "0,000 people during the last days of the #ri $an%an civil war& Photo' (inistry of )efence*+,P*-etty David Cameron is pressing for a formal meeting with Sri Lanka's president to bring up allegations of war crimes and abductions by government forces, as he prepares to visit the country for theCommonwealth summit on Friday. )owning #treet sources said the #ri $an%an president, (ahinda .a/apa%sa, had not yet agreed to a private meeting with ameron after the prime minister promised to use the summit to visit the country0s troubled north and bring up allegations that state troops were involved in the %illing of civilians, the disappearance of opponents and intimidation of the media& #ources said the 12 had made it very clear that ameron wanted a substantive meeting with .a/apa%sa, and officials are confident that he will get one, but the #ri $an%an side had not agreed to it& 3n the runup to the summit, ameron challenged fellow leaders not to 4bury our heads in the sands4 and ignore the difficult issues facing the ommonwealth, including concerns about #ri $an%a& 4Together we must say clearly to the government of #ri $an%a - our hosts 5 that there must be accountability for the past and respect for human rights today,4 he said in an article published in newspapers in

ommonwealth countries& 6e said the sta%es for the meeting are high, as they face a choice between giving in to 4those who thin% that the ommonwealth is no longer relevant4 or using it as an 4opportunity to come together and restate why our values matter4& 3f no bilateral meeting ta%es place, the prime minister will have to press the case for improved human rights in 4brush-by4 meetings on the fringes of the summit and leave 7illiam 6ague to ma%e a fuller representation in meetings with his counterpart on foreign affairs& The ommonwealth heads of government meeting 8 hogm9, which is held every two years, has been overshadowed by accusations about #ri $an%a0s record on human rights, as campaigners claim there has still been no credible in!uiry into the deaths of up to "0,000 people at the end of the country0s 2:-year civil war& The ,oreign ;ffice has said it has serious concerns about human rights in the country over reports of abductions, torture and intimidation of /ournalists and lawyers& ameron has pledged to bring up the #ri $an%an government0s treatment of what he described as the country0s 4cruel treatment of Tamils4 and the murder of a <ritish national and .ed ross wor%er 2huram #hai%h& <ut concerns about #ri $an%a0s violations of human rights are not on the ommonwealth summit0s agenda and will not be formally discussed during the event, where the Prince of 7ales will represent the =ueen and host a dinner on her behalf& The leaders of 3ndia and anada are boycotting the gathering in protest at #ri $an%a0s failure to address international concerns about its record on human rights& The (auritian prime minister, Navin handra .amgoolam, announced on Tuesday that he would /oin the boycott& 6owever, ameron is pressing ahead with the visit after ma%ing it clear he would not attend the summit unless he was allowed to visit the north of the country, where the worst atrocities too% place during the civil war& 6e will be the first world leader to travel to this region since the country gained independence in 1>"? and is planning to meet people directly affected by the conflict& 6owever, Tamil groups have said his actions do not go far enough and have urged him to call publicly for #ri $an%a to be stripped of its two-year chairmanship of the ommonwealth& +s ameron highlights the need for press freedom, editors in the +sian country have also called on ameron to consider the effects of the 120s royal charter on regimes such as #ri $an%a, saying the document could be used as a 4blueprint for those who see% to control the press4& $abour said the prime minister should not be trying to meet .a/apas%a at all and said it was not too late to call off the visit& 4The prime minister should not be attending this summit or trying to do deals over

drin%s with President .a/apas%a& The prime minister should be standing in defence of the basic principles of freedom, democracy and human rights,4 a senior $abour source said& $abour also criticised the silence of Nic% legg, the deputy prime minister, after he said in (ay there would be 4conse!uences4 if #ri $an%a continued to ignore their international commitments in the lead-up to the ommonwealth meeting& <efore his trip, ameron is planning to visit 3ndia with a business delegation in his third visit as prime minister& )uring the trip, ameron is e@pected to have his first formal meeting with the +ustralian prime minister, Tony +bbott, since he was elected earlier this year, as well as meeting leaders from the other :3 ommonwealth countries& +s part of the formal sessions, the delegates are e@pected to discuss millennium development goals on world poverty and supporting democracy in the (aldives& ;n his way bac% to <ritain, the prime minister is planning to stop off in the -ulf&