The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein has slammed Sri Lanka for refusing to co-operate with a United Nations inquiry into mass atrocities, stating that it has gone to “extraordinary lengths to sabotage” the investigation.

“The Government of Sri Lanka has refused point blank to cooperate with the investigation despite being explicitly requested by the Human Rights Council to do so,” Zeid said.

In a statement released in Geneva on Friday, the High Commissioner went on to say,

“Such a refusal does not, however, undermine the integrity of an investigation set up by the Council – instead it raises concerns about the integrity of the government in question. Why would governments with nothing to hide go to such extraordinary lengths to sabotage an impartial international investigation?”

Zeid went on to criticise Sri Lanka for its attempts to obstruct witnesses from testifying before the inquiry, saying,

“The Government’s attempts to deter and intimidate individuals from submitting evidence to a UN investigation team is unacceptable conduct for any Member State of the United Nations which has committed to uphold the UN Charter.”

“Since the end of the conflict in 2009, Sri Lanka has continued to obstruct any independent investigation despite the persistent, compelling and widespread allegations that possible serious international crimes were committed by both sides during the conflict in Sri Lanka.”

“This continuing campaign of distortion and disinformation about the investigation, as well as the insidious attempts to prevent possible bona fide witnesses from submitting information to the investigating team, is an affront to the United Nations Human Rights Council which mandated the investigation.”

“A wall of fear has been created that has undoubtedly served to deter people from submitting evidence,” he added.

See his full statement here.

The US Ambassador to the Human Rights Council Keith harper “applauded” Zeid’s condemnation of Sri Lanka’s “persistent disinformation campaign”.

Applaud HC Zeid's appropriate condemnation of #SriLanka's persistent disinformation campaign re #UN investigation http://t.co/88jwCpKg70

— Keith Harper (@USAmbHRC) November 7, 2014

TNPF officials meet with survivors of the landslide in a welfare centre (Pics: Lankasri)

Politicians from the Tamil National People’s Front visited the area hit by landslides which left at least 11 dead and heard concerns from people who are temporarily housed in welfare centres.

President of the TNPF Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam and Secretary Kajendren Selvarajah visited the approximately 2,500 displaced from the Upcountry Tamil community in Koslantha Sri Vidyalayam and Poonakalai Tamil Vidyalayam.

Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that those orphaned in the Koslanda landslide will not be given to the Northern Provincial Council, after they expressed concern that the children would lose their Tamil identity if left in the hands of the Sri Lankan government.

Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been appointed the head of the committee which grants dual citizenship, Minister Dilan Perera told parliament on Tuesday, according to Lankasri.

Foreign citizens wishing to apply for Sri Lankan nationality in addition to their existing passport can provide their details to the committee, who will make the final decision.

The United States has warned Sri Lanka over its attempts to silence those who cooperate with the UN on the OHCHR Investigation in Sri Lanka (OISL).

The US Ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council Keith Harper said in a tweet that attempts at intimidation to those individuals were an attack on the UN.

#SriLanka must understand that attempting to silence those cooperating with UN is an attack on the UN

— Keith Harper (@USAmbHRC) November 5, 2014

Sri Lanka has warned against submitting evidence to the OISL and has arrested one individual who was collecting information for submission to the inquiry.

An Indian tribunal at the high court in Delhi, looking into the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, heard that the organisation continued to be active in a manner detrimental to India, reported PTI.

Abeywardena made the claim at the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party headquarters on Wednesday. ColomboPage reported the minister as saying “The opposition is breaking into pieces and the government is getting stronger.”

Sri Lanka’s Minister of External Affairs GL Peiris expressed his “deepest displeasure” at recent comments by a spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, who said that submissions of evidence to the OHCHR Investigation in Sri Lanka, which are received after the deadline, will not necessarily be refused.

During a meeting with the heads of missions and representatives of the main countries involved in the OISL, including the High Commissioner of Australia and the deputy country director of the UNDP, Peiris “expressed strong displeasure at the selective and biased approach followed where the investigation determines the nature of the information they wish to receive”, an MEA statement said.

The Deputy Labour Minister Sarath Weerasekara has called for the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to be banned.