09 June, 2008 - Published 14:46 GMT

Protest as president in London

The Amnesty International (AI) has expressed hope that Sri Lanka president would take measures to protect human rights as international concern increases on rights violations.

South Asia director of the AI, Sam Zarifi, said the government should understand that Sri Lanka is ‘not forgotten’ by the international community.

The AI organised a demonstration in front of Commonwealth Secretariat in London protesting human rights violations in Sri Lanka.

Commonwealth summit

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is attending a Commonwealth leaders meeting in London.

The protest highlighted the growing number of media workers being killed, assaulted and detained in Sri Lanka.

A journalist in Jaffna, P Devakumarana, was killed and a senior journalist, Keith Noyahr, was brutally assaulted during the past few weeks.

Sunday Times columnist JS Tissanayagam remains in custody since 07 March.

“Certainly the situation in Sri Lanka has been the source of the increasing concern around the world because the deterioration has been rapid,” Sam Zarifi told BBC Sandeshaya.

The government is not seen to be willing, he said, to respond to the concerns by human rights watchdogs and the international community.

The AI insists that the Tamil Tigers are also accused of gross human rights violations including launching attacks on civilians.

“We hope President Rapaksaksa understands that this is not a forgotten conflict,” Mr. Zafiri added.