BBC Monday, 3 April, 2000, 16:22 GMT 17:22 UK

Sri Lanka rapped over human rights

The European Union has delivered a strongly-worded letter to Sri Lanka urging an improvement in the country's human rights record.

The EU has criticised both Tamil Tiger rebels and security forces forviolations, and has called for talks to end the country's civil war.

The appeal came as heavy fighting in the northern Jaffna peninsula left over 12,000 people homeless.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Tamils from all over Europe have been protesting inGeneva over human rights violations in Sri Lanka.

The mass demonstration in front of the UN was called by European representatives of the Tamil Tigers.

The UN is currently discussing which countries should be publicly rebuked for human rights abuses.

EU concerns

The EU said it had made clear to the government that human rights abuses by the Tigers could not justify excesses committed by defence forces.

It also strongly criticised recent attacks on private-owned media and independent journalists.

It said it was pressing the government, the main opposition United National Party and the Tigers to enter into peace negotiations.

It also backed the efforts of Norway in facilitating the peace talks.

Investigation

Human rights watchdog, Amnesty International, said the Sri Lankan Government's human rights record was improving. It said atrocities were committed by both sides and that it was particularly concerned about the Tamil Tigers' use of child soldiers.

The Sri Lankan Government has indicated that it would set up, next month, an independent investigation into the disappearance of hundreds of people from the Jaffna peninsula, four years ago.

The government has held three independent commissions of inquiry and paid compensation to many of the families whose relatives were among some 16,000 said to have disappeared in late 80s and early 90s.