Protesters descend on UN as Ban Ki-moon visits Colombo

Dozens of Sri Lankan nationalists rallied outside the United Nations compound in Colombo Thursday as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited the island, protesting against the UN’s actions during a prolonged civil war. Police held back the demonstrators led by Buddhist monks as they tried to march on the compound just before Ban arrived on the first […]

Dozens of Sri Lankan nationalists rallied outside the United Nations compound in Colombo Thursday as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited the island, protesting against the UN’s actions during a prolonged civil war.
Police held back the demonstrators led by Buddhist monks as they tried to march on the compound just before Ban arrived on the first full day of his two-day visit to Sri Lanka.
“UN, where were you?” said one placard, which carried a photograph of a victim of a bombing blamed on Tamil Tiger rebels who were crushed by security forces in May 2009.
The protesting ultra-nationalists accuse the UN of siding with Tamil rebels while hardliners in the Tamil community also criticise it for failing to protect civilians during Sri Lanka’s 37-year ethnic war.