COLOMBO: UN chief Ban Ki-moon Friday urged Sri Lanka to speed up returning land to war-battered minority Tamils and reduce the army’s presence in their areas to help reconciliation after decades of ethnic bloodshed.

The UN Secretary-General said he welcomed some symbolic steps taken by the new government to ensure reconciliation, but there should be more momentum to ensure lasting peace, seven years after the 37-year civil war ended.

Premium + Digital Edition

Ad-free access


P 80 per month
(billed annually at P 960)
  • Unlimited ad-free access to website articles
  • Limited offer: Subscribe today and get digital edition access for free (accessible with up to 3 devices)

TRY FREE FOR 14 DAYS
See details
See details