U.N. rights chief concerned over Sri Lankan violence

The U.N. human rights chief expressed concern Tuesday over rising violence in Sri Lanka and said both the government and rebels need to respect basic human rights. "These violations are not only cease-fire violations, but also serious breaches of international human rights and humanitarian law," U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said in a statement.

Photo: U.N. rights chief concerned over Sri Lankan violence

U.N. rights chief concerned over Sri Lankan violence

The government and the rebels, known formally as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, held peace talks in Geneva in February for the first time in three years, but a second round slated for April was canceled after the two sides blamed rising violence on each other. Tensions rose again on Saturday, when Col. Ramanan, the Tigers' No. 2 leader and intelligence chief for eastern Sri Lanka, was killed in an ambush, reports the AP.

N.U.