Protestors killed in Sri Lanka army crackdown

August 05, 2013 - Two people died on Sunday after allegedly being shot last week by Sri Lankan soldiers during a crackdown on protesters demanding clean water. It brought to three the number of those killed during the crackdown on Thursday near Colombo. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), the national human rights watchdog, has begun an investigation into the incident. A funeral was held on Sunday for Akila Dinesh, a 17-year-old student who was the first to be confirmed dead. The ceremony took place amid tight security in Weliweriya, near the capital. Sri Lankan troops are believed to have entered a church in the village and forced people to kneel down before assaulting them, according to a local resident who asked to remain anonymous. “I strongly condemned the army entering the church and attacking unarmed civilians who protested for water,” said Father Lakpriya Nonis, parish priest of St. Anthony’s Church in Weliweriya, addressing the gathering at the funeral. “No one has the right to take the life of another, it’s a disgrace to humanity,” he stressed. The two confirmed dead yesterday were an 18-year-old student, Ravishan Perera, and a 29-year-old newly married garment factory worker. “The army scolded and intimidated a priest and later threatened the nuns,” said the local resident. The US embassy in Colombo condemned the attack on protesters and urged the government to respect the rights of the people to engage in peaceful protests. The army has denied any attack on civilians. (Source: UCAN)