AI says it is 'using the opportunity' to focus on Sri Lanka's rights abuses

The organisation is 'using the opportunity' of the Cricket World Cup to urge both parties to end rights abuses in the island nation, the AI said.

"Just as all cricket teams need an independent umpire to make objective decisions, so too does Sri Lanka need independent human rights monitors to ensure the Sri Lankan government, Tamil Tigers and other armed groups respect the rules and protect civilians caught up in the conflict," said AI deputy director Tim Parritt.

We hope cricket fans in Sri Lanka and across the world will join in our campaign for the sake of the hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankan people caught up in the conflict who face killings, abductions and displacement. We want Sri Lanka to be a winner on human rights Amnesty International

But the government has criticised the watchdog of trying to tarnish the moral of the cricket team participating in the world cup in the Caribbean.

Presidential media spokesman, Chandrapala Liyanage, told BBC Sandeshaya that the AI campaign might affect the moral of the national cricket team.

"The AI is giving a message to the world that there are widespread human rights violations in Sri Lanka," he said.

The AI says both parties in the conflict are violating the international norms.

"Currently all parties to the conflict in Sri Lanka are breaking international law by killing civilians, destroying homes and schools, or forcibly disappearing people," the AI statement issued on Monday said.

The AI is giving a message to the world that there are widespread human rights violations in Sri Lanka Presidential spokesman, Chandrapala Liyanage

But the campaign is in no way focused against Sri Lanka cricket team, the AI insisted.

The campaign is focused at getting global support in establishing an international rights monitoring mission in Sri Lanka.

"The Sri Lankan people are rightly proud of their ethnically diverse national cricket team, which symbolises the best of Sri Lanka. We hope cricket fans in Sri Lanka and across the world will join in our campaign for the sake of the hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankan people caught up in the conflict who face killings, abductions and displacement. We want Sri Lanka to be a winner on human rights." said Tim Parritt.