Sri Lanka's promise to stem bloodshed broken: US

0 Comments | AFP, May, 2007

COLOMBO (AFP) — The United States Thursday accused Sri Lanka of going back on promises to protect human rights and said the situation in the embattled island had "deteriorated" in the past year.

Visiting US diplomat Richard Boucher said there was more bloodshed and that the government of President Mahinda Rajapakse had failed to honour pledges to reduce violence since he took office in November 2005.

"People are more fearful and face more difficulties. Overall there has been a deterioration in Sri Lanka's human rights record," Boucher said when asked how he assessed the situation in Colombo since his last visit in October.

Boucher, the US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian affairs, told reporters here that he wanted to see Colombo deliver on the...