InfoAnda - Ban denies U.N. covered up death toll in Sri Lanka

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Qaeda militants seize town southeast of Yemen capital | | 15 January 2012
Actor Worthy segues from "Battlestar" to "Heroes" | 17 June 2009
Police crack down on China activists ahead of Nobel | 10 December 2010

Colombia says never thought to attack Venezuela | | 1 August 2010

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Ban denies U.N. covered up death toll in Sri Lanka | International |

My Profile Top News Reuters top ten news stories delivered to your inbox each day. Subscribe You are here: Home > News > International > Article Home Business & Finance News U.S. Politics International Technology Entertainment Sports Lifestyle Oddly Enough Health Science Special Coverage Video Pictures Your View The Great Debate Blogs Weather Reader Feedback Do More With Reuters RSS Widgets Mobile Podcasts Newsletters Your View Make Reuters My Homepage Partner Services CareerBuilder Affiliate Network Professional Products Support (Customer Zone) Reuters Media Financial Products About Thomson Reuters Ban denies U.N. covered up death toll in Sri Lanka Mon Jun 1, 2009 6:45pm EDT Email | Print | Share | Reprints | Single Page [-] Text [+] By Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday denied media reports the United Nations has covered up a high civilian death toll during the bloody final phase of Sri Lanka's war against Tamil Tiger rebels. Last week the French newspaper Le Monde first reported that an unofficial and unverified U.N. tally for civilian deaths in the final months of the government's siege against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) exceeded 20,000. The British newspaper The Times later reported the same figure, writing in an editorial that "the U.N. has no right to collude in suppressing the appalling evidence" of a government-executed massacre of civilians in northeastern Sri Lanka. Ban vehemently rejected the notion that the world body had been involved in a cover-up. "I categorically reject -- repeat, categorically -- any suggestion that the United Nations has deliberately underestimated any figures," he said in a speech to the General Assembly. "Let me also say, whatever the total, the casualties in the conflict were unacceptably high." Last week U.N. humanitarian affairs chief John Holmes disputed the 20,000 figure, saying it was based on questionable assumptions and that the final death toll may never be known. "That figure has no status as far as we're concerned," Holmes told Reuters. "It may be right, it may be wrong, it may be far too high, it may even be too low. But we honestly don't know. We've always said an investigation would be a good idea." So far the United Nations has no plans for an investigation of the Sri Lanka war. The U.N. Human Rights Council last month decided not to have any probe of possible war crimes committed during the months-long siege against the LTTE zone. ESTIMATES "NOT CONSISTENT" WITH U.N. DATA In the final months of the war, the civilian death rate rose alarmingly as government forces surrounded the LTTE, who retreated to a tiny strip of coast in northeastern Sri Lanka, where the United Nations says they kept hundreds of thousands of civilians as human shields. During that siege, Holmes repeatedly criticized the government for shelling areas where civilians were trapped, warning that it could lead to a "bloodbath". He also criticized the LTTE for treating innocent civilians as hostages. Both sides rejected the U.N. charges. Holmes said the 20,000 figure during the final phase was based on an unconfirmed U.N. estimate of around 7,000 civilian deaths through the end of April and added roughly 1,000 more per day after that. Holmes said the initial figure of 7,000 deaths had been deemed far too questionable for official publication because the world body was not in a position to calculate a reliable death count. It was not really present in the battle zone, he said. Ban expanded on this point in his speech to the General Assembly, insisting that the "final total is not yet known." "Most of these figures do not emanate from the U.N. and most are not consistent with the information at our disposal," he said. Continued... View article on single page Share: Del.icio.us Digg Mixx Yahoo! Facebook LinkedIn Next Article: Cubans face hardship under new austerity measures Afghanistan and Pakistan Fighting the Taliban A growing insurgency in Afghanistan is also spreading deep into Pakistan, making both countries crucial to U.S. war efforts in the region. Full Coverage More International News Ocean search for Air France jet with 228 aboard continues | Video North Korea's Kim moves to anoint youngest son as heir Pakistani army rescues kidnapped students | Video Economy Ahmadinejad's big election test Netanyahu defies Obama call for settlement freeze More International News... Featured Broker sponsored link Editor's Choice Slideshow A selection of our best photos from the past 24 hours. Slideshow Most Popular on Reuters Articles Video High seas search for Air France jet with 228 aboard Ocean search for Air France jet with 228 aboard continues | Video China anger with North Korea echoes in the press What happened to Flight 447? | Video Car loses all four wheels on highway WRAPUP 8-GM files for bankruptcy, urges quick action US judge: Guantanamo evidence must be made public North Korea's Kim moves to anoint youngest son as heir UPDATE 11-Air France jet missing over Atlantic with 228 aboard Federal Reserve puzzled by yield curve steepening Most Popular Articles RSS Feed Video Relatives of plane passengers gather US becomes major GM stakeholder Michigan residents react to GM Air France airliner disappears Big laser, bigger implications Train passes over woman on tracks Missing Airbus: anxious Paris scenes GM files for bankruptcy French plane lost over Atlantic Titanic's last survivor dies Most Popular Videos RSS Feed The Great Debate Fearing the supermen of Guantanamo Bernd Debusmann The language used in the debate over plans to close the detention center has taken on a surreal quality and convey the impression that Guantanamo detainees will wander the streets, shopping for sandals and guns. Commentary Follow Bernd Debusmann on Twitter We want to hear from you Join the Reuters Consumer Insight Panel and help us get to know you better Please take a moment to complete our survey Reuters.com: Help and Contact Us | Advertise With Us | Mobile | Newsletters | RSS | Labs | Archive | Site Index | Video Index Thomson Reuters Corporate: Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy | Professional Products | Professional Products Support | About Thomson Reuters | Careers International Editions: Africa | Arabic | Argentina | Brazil | Canada | China | France | Germany | India | Italy | Japan | Latin America | Mexico | Russia | Spain | United Kingdom | United States Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests. NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.

Other News on Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Air France flight vanishes; 'very slim' chance of survivors
Jewish settlers rampage in West Bank
Taiwan's PVI acquires e-paper display firm E Ink
Militants kidnap 400 students, others in Pakistan | International |
Signal failure indicates 'rapid' Air France catastrophe: official
GM in bankruptcy, Chrysler gets OK for exit
Georgia hails 'successful' NATO war games
Bomb in Baghdad market kills 4 and wounds 13
Draft text at UN climate talks clears first hurdle
Netanyahu defies Obama call for settlement freeze | International |
Universal And Mattel To Make Monster Musical Together
UK finance minister caught up in expenses scandal | International |
British fugitive said he was 'attacked' by lover
Last Remaining Titanic Survivor Dies At Age 97
Ahmadinejad vows to reveal past government books
Oil price hits seven-month peak above $68
CNS Readers Vote Their Favorite Disney-Pixar Film
US: Unclear troop number remaining in Iraq cities
Afghan roadside bombs kill four ISAF troops | International |
Danny DeVito Sued By Film Backer For $500K
General Motors files for bankruptcy
Susan Boyle Suffers From Emotional Breakdown Over "Britain's Got Talent" Defeat
Israel throws out proposed 'loyalty law'
Cubans face hardship under new austerity measures | International |
Britney Spears Sued By Ex-TMZ Photog For 2007 Hit-And-Run Incident
Bomb discovery forces return of Iranian plane
Taiwan's PVI acquires e-paper display firm E Ink
Natasha Richardson's Will Leaves Riches To Husband, Half-Sister, Employees
Flu crisis boosts Mexican Calderon's ratings | International |
Sony Ericsson introduces Christmas line-up
Octomom Nadya Suleman And 14 Kids To Star In Reality Show
Billy Bob Thornton's Daughter Charged Over Death Of A Child She Was Babysitting
Draft text at UN climate talks clears first hurdle
Venerable US hotel sees future is green
Angelina Jolie Suffers Minor Injury On "Salt" Film Set
Energy from pig slurry helps fight climate change
Climate-change diasters kill 300,000 a year
African officials ask for climate change funding
Pakistan arrests Islamabad attack mastermind
Microsoft adds Facebook, Twitter to Xbox Live | Technology |
Japan's Irie eyes 200m backstroke record
NASA plans launch invitations to Twittering media | Technology |
Indian exports dive but manufacturing, car sales up
At El Salvador inauguration, US turns bitter page
Pakistani students missing after Taliban ambush
US, Russia begin new round of nuclear arms talks
Cinedigm touts Q&A as way of digital cinema future | Technology |
Disney buys mom-oriented websites from Kaboose | Technology |
First Guantanamo hearing of Obama era
US vows 'unshakeable commitment' to Japan security
S.Korea 'not ruling out' island raid by North
Israel PM says 'we can't freeze settlements'
Bangladesh asks for foreign aid after cyclone
Taiwan c.bnk to review monetary policy on June 25
Tired talent star Susan Boyle admitted to clinic | Entertainment |
Greece-set Ruins a bland, sweet-as-baklava comedy | Entertainment |
Cinedigm touts Q&A as way of digital cinema future | Entertainment |
Venerable US hotel sees future is green
Poland's Tatra highlanders make 'Oscypek' the old fashioned way
Harlequin exhibit documents a woman's changing world | Entertainment |
Terry Gilliam ready to take on 'Don Quixote' again
Hats off to Carla: Bruni beats Queen in hat poll
San Francisco Zoo To Award Men Mauled By Tiger $900,000
Catherine Zeta Jones Paid $5,700 Per Second To Star In Shampoo Commercial
Last Titanic Survivor Dies At 97
Murder Convicts Escape Through Front Door Of Arkansas Prison Dressed As Guards
Mysterious Deaths Of Tourists In Thailand Stump Investigators
Elderly Man Found Decapitated In Florida
All abducted Pakistan students freed: officials
EU assembly looks to clean up salaries
Ocean search for Air France jet with 228 aboard continues | International |
EU seeks to twitter continent's youth to vote
Four US soldiers among 28 killed in Afghan unrest
North Korea's Kim moves to anoint youngest son as heir | International |
Google to sell new e-books online
Five reported dead in violence in Iran city
Nigerian militants say British hostage refuses freedom
Fed to allow some banks to repay US for capital
EMC counters NetApp bid for Data Domain
Pakistani army rescues kidnapped students | International |
US newspaper ad revenue slide continues
Oil soars above 68 dollars to seven-month high
Economy Ahmadinejad's big election test | International |
Netanyahu defies Obama call for settlement freeze | International |
U.N. rights team probes Israel's Gaza offensive
Leftist Funes takes over as El Salvador's president | International |
Ban denies U.N. covered up death toll in Sri Lanka | International |
Iraqi sports journalist killed in northern Iraq
Pakistanis negotiate for kidnapped students
North Korea may launch long-range missile in weeks
UN did not underestimate Sri Lanka death toll: Ban
Microsoft unveils new Xbox technology, enlists Facebook | Technology |
Watson stars as Australia see off Bangladesh
Egypt dissidents ask Obama to push Arab democracy
Acer to sell Android netbook PCs in Q3 | Technology |
Intel unveils chip for ultra-thin laptops | Technology |
NKorea apparently moved long-range missile to base: US
At 25, Tetris still eyeing growth | Technology |
Samsung-Sony venture starts $1.5 billion LCD line | Technology |
AMD, Intel play computer server tennis | Technology |
SanDisk unveils netbook-targeted memory, drives | Technology |
Singlehandedly raising a Supreme Court nominee
Nokia says started deliveries of N97 phone | Technology |
Pakistanis recount trauma of living in Swat combat zone
Obama's Gramps: Backing Patton's army after D-Day
Paul and Ringo reunite for Beatles videogame | Technology |
NY offers podcasts of famed film and TV spots | Technology |
Calif. octuplets mom and her 14 kids get TV show
New Zealand, Malaysia in free trade deal: minister
S.Korea govt bonds fall on strong shares, data
Korea Hot Stocks
Seoul shares open higher fueled by econ hopes
S.Korea May FX reserves post record monthly gain
Tired talent star Susan Boyle admitted to clinic | Entertainment |
Miley Cyrus signs on for more Hannah | Entertainment |
NY offers podcasts of famed film and TV spots | Entertainment |
Paul and Ringo reunite for Beatles videogame | Entertainment |
Sade at work on first album in nine years | Entertainment |
Beatles videogame premieres with McCartney, Ringo
Emmy ceremony pushed up a week | Entertainment |
Salinger sues over Catcher in the Rye sequel | Entertainment |
GM's demise foretold, says filmmaker Michael Moore
Disney embraces Pooh for animated feature | Entertainment |
US fearful flier becomes frequent flier
Alyssa Milano commits to Boyfriend | Entertainment |
'Up' soars to the top of North American box office
Monster Garage rebuilt for Motor City | Entertainment |
Boyle rushed to clinic after talent show defeat
Sony Music back catalog comes to eMusic
Greenland eyes self-rule as it goes to the polls
Xbox Live links to Twitter, Facebook and Last.fm
Ubisoft puts players in new fitness videogame
Britain's interior minister to quit scandal-hit government | International |
Somali government forces seize ground in capital | International |
"Tetris" still a videogame star at age 25
Death toll at South African gold mine rises to 61 | International |
Israel's Barak probes U.S. on settlements, missiles | International |
Netanyahu: Call for settlement freeze unreasonable
Stark warnings for those seen traitors in Sri Lanka | International |
Suicide bomber kills six Afghan civilians | International |
Governments under pressure in EU Parliament vote | International |
Xbox Live links to Twitter, Facebook and Last.fm
Traces of cocaine 'found in Red Bull' in Hong Kong
Clinton arrives in Honduras for Americas meet
Pakistan to release cleric linked to Mumbai attacks
First Guantanamo hearing of Obama era opens
Google courts business customers with new products | Technology |
N.Korea's Kim names third son as successor: reports
Publishers look to music lessons on digital content | Technology |
Father of left girl pleads not guilty to murder
RIM pressured as rivals ready new phones: analyst | Technology |
N.Korea's Kim Jong-Il picks successor: reports
Lethal brew kills 25 in Bali: police
Pakistan 'to release' Mumbai attack linked man
RIM's CEO gets U.S. antitrust ok for Phoenix Coyotes | Technology |
Suspect jailed in Kansas abortion doctor's killing
Pakistan rescues kidnapped hostages from Taliban
AG orders protection in wake of doctor slaying
SKorea sends guided-missile ship to border: navy
Videogame makers EA, Ubisoft favor sports, sequels | Technology |
INQ Mobile to roll out Twitter-phone | Technology |
Taiwan dollar reverses upward course to end lower
Air China to inject cash into ailing Macau unit
Japan's Suzuki, Isuzu warn of loan losses to GM
NZ dollar firm but off highs; debt weak
SKorea, ASEAN sign sweeping free trade pact
Seoul shares dip after N.Korea missile report
Geithner says China confident in US economy
O'Brien's Tonight Show a work in progress | Entertainment |
South Korea, ASEAN complete sweeping FTA
China state press slams US debt purchases
FBI Investigating Suspect In Little Rock Army Recruiter Shooting
Australia mulls public funds for obesity surgery
Veteran Republican Rep. John McHugh To Be Appointed Secretary Of Army
Blagojevich's Trial May Begin April 2010
Obama Leaves Tuesday For Talks With Allies In Egypt, France
Update: BAF Says Debris Located; May Be Linked To Missing Air France Plane
Cheney Says Same-Sex Marriage OK If States Agree
Byrd, Oldest Sitting Senator, Still In Hospital With Staph Infection
Four U.S. Troops In Afghanistan Killed In Roadside Bombs
Minnesota Justices Grill Both Sides in Contested Senate Race
Rangel Apologizes For Joke About Obama Not Being Safe In Harlem
Israeli Comedian Dudu Topaz Accused Of Ordering Attacks On TV Executives
Greyhound Bus Passenger Beheader To Be Kept Indefinitely At Mental Health Center
Mel Gibson Goes On "Crazed Rant" At His California Church
House Actor Hugh Laurie Planned To Kill Himself On His 40th Birthday
Johnny Depp Feeds Hot Dogs To Sharks To Escape From Pressures Of Celeb Lifestyle
Daniel Craig's "James Bond" Shirtless Scene Immortalized In Popsicles
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph	VPN on MacOSX	BlogMeter 1.01