the tamil tigers were a listed terrorist organisation.ore and more civilians were able to escape the siege zone. the siege then became smaller till it was a patch and a couple of hundred square metres. a symbolic moment. sri lankan movements meeting today and cutting the tamil tigers‘ last hope of escape. we had been caught between these two opposing sides, enemies who were literally intent on destroying each other and the un were stuck in the middle. it was an experience that never leaves you. former united nations official gordon vice. remember, you can watch witness history every month on the bbc news channel or you can catch up on all our films, along with more than 1,000 radio programmes in our online archive. just search online for bbc witness history. now to a story of triumph over injustice. for over 200 years, soldiers from the small south asian country of nepal fought and died for the british armed forces. the soldiers are known as gurkhas and more than 200,000 fought in the two world wars. it is only in 2009 they were actually

pitted the government, based in colombo and dominated by the sinhalese majority against the tamil tigers. they'd been fighting in the north for a state for ethnic minority tamils. the tamil tigers or ltte have been ruthless, pioneers in suicide bombings. they also stand accused of conscripting child soldiers but the government has been using brutal methods of its own. the civilian population back. the un had fairly good access to these areas but then in september 2008, the un was told in no uncertain terms that it needed to move its international offices out of the siege area. the purpose was to ensure they were not independent witnesses to what was going to happen. this footage was released by pro—tamil groups yesterday. it claims to show carnage caused when shells hit a clinic. it is impossible to know for sure when or where the footage was shot. the tigers claim the army is using heavy weapons. the government says that is a lie and these imagesjust propaganda. on one particular day we had very graphic

similar cases involving the disappearances of 100 the tamils after the 26 year conflict with the tamil tigers will be forgotten then sri lanka and go to the polls on wednesday the sri lanka people's party led by the rajapaksa brothers is expected to win. president then prime minister mind the family will protect war heroes who brought a queue ssion ensure national security subcommittee and bring prosperity. the president's party must come to power to take this program forward we require a 2 thirds majority for this amendments needed to the constitution or else we need to change the constitution presidential powers were weakened and those of the parliament strengthened under an amendment passed by m.p.'s in 2015 and only see any reversal would be detrimental as far as to. if that arch boxes get close enough all it will be out of the window. and therefore you will have a strong authoritarian government i think the general tendency the brand as it were of the dr burke says that the majority of authoritarian dispensation but this doesn't seem to want emotion longer than for many rajapaksa appear

similar cases involving the disappearances of hundreds of tamils after the 26 year conflict with the tamil tigers will be forgotten in sri lanka and go to the polls on windy sri lanka people's party led by the rajapaksa brothers is expected to win. president hu tabin prime minister mind sadly will protect war heroes who brought a queue ssion ensure national security subcommittee and bring prosperity un to. the president's party must come to power to take this program forward we require a 2 thirds majority for this there are amendments needed to the constitution or else we need to change the constitution presidential powers were weakened and those of the parliament strengthened under an amendment passed by m.p.'s in 2015 and only see any reversal would be detrimental as far as democracy is concerned if that arch boxes get close enough all the set will be out of the window and therefore you will have a strong authoritarian government. but this doesn't seem to want emotion longer than for many the rajapaksa appears the best option given their handling of the coronavirus outbreak and the negative per

the rajapaksa are hugely popular among the majority and elites by defeating that tamil tigers separatistt missing in the war. the rajapa ksa brothers, who were in power at that time, are accused of human rights abuses but they deny the charges. i think there is a lack of political will to kind of address the past. there's this narrative of let's just move on and forget the past. unfortunately, there are people who still remember that, because they have lost loved ones, lost family members, lost property. the priority for the new government will be to revive the economy and to generate jobs. that may prove to be more challenging than winning the election. anbarasan ethirajan, bbc news. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: why this massive glacier could soon break free. the question was whether we want to save our people and japanese, as well and win the war, or whether we want to take a chance on being able to win the war by killing all our young men. the invasion began at two o'clock this morning. mr bush, like most other people, was clearly caught by surprise. we call for the immedi

the rajapaksa are hugely popular among the majority and elites by defeating that tamil tigers separatist. the rajapa ksa brothers, who were in power at that time, are accused of human rights abuses but they deny the charges. i think there is a lack of political will to kind of address the past. there's this narrative of let's just move on and forget the past. unfortunately, there are people who still remember that, because they have lost loved ones, lost family members, lost property. the priority for the new government will be to revive the economy and to generate jobs. that may prove to be more challenging than winning the election. to africa now, where confirmed coronavirus cases have reached a million. take a look at this graph, comparing some of the worst affected countries on the continent. as you can see, cases are running higher in egypt, and then much higher again in south africa. 0ur correspondents across the continent have been monitoring the virus‘s spread over the last few months. we begin with nomsa maseko reporting from south africa. just over 3 million people have been te

years after the oversaw the defeat of the tamil tigers in sri lanka civil rule a former member of the national human rights commission voiced these concerns we also see a rise in single a buddhist nationalism and it seems like that is what is taking hold and and shaping the policy of the country so this means that minorities in particular feel frightened because if you are critical of the government you can be called a traitor you can be called a terrorist you can be arrested merely for expressing an opinion balancing the multiple challenges facing she lanka will not be easy for the new government but for the majority of people here the rajapaksa led government is the best option for now and then there's just the raw colombo. thousands of residents and tourists in italy is also a valley have been relocated after warnings a huge portion of them on blong place here is at risk of collapse a recent heatwave created a layer of water on the wii ice causing it to slide about 80 centimeters a day. let's take you through some of the headlines here on al-jazeera the u.s. state department has ca

during serang because civil war their government is accused of war crimes for their battles with tamil tiger rebels the leaders are popular among ethnic majority sinhalese and many praise them for helping to end the war in 2009 they've gained more support since last year's easter attacks that killed 269 people and also for their handling of the coronavirus pandemic but sure lanka's opposition accuse the government of corruption censorship and intimidation and now fernandez is our correspondent in colombo with the latest on the election results. despite having sort of criticisms of authoritarianism and dominance obviously for the people of this country it's the p.p. and thereby the rajapaksa us that are going to work for them in the most recent past we've had obviously this huge crisis and challenge of the coronavirus pandemic and their handling of it the president got of it rajapakse is handling of it has evoked a lot of confidence in the people who contrasted with the shambles the last government made of the whole easter bombings a year ago so that's why such a strong showing that's what an

similar cases involving the disappearances of hundreds of after the 26 year conflict with the tamil tigers will be forgotten in sri lanka and go to the polls on windy sri lanka people's party led by the rajapaksa brothers is expected to win. president then prime minister mind sandy would protect more. ensure national security. and bring prosperity. the president's party must come to power to take this program forward we require a 2 thirds majority for this amendment is needed to the constitution or else we need to change the constitution presidential powers were weakened and those of the parliament strengthened under an amendment passed by m.p.'s in 2015 and only see any reversal would be detrimental as far as depok wishes go if that arch boxes get close enough. to say it will be out of the window and therefore you will have a strong authoritarian government but this doesn't seem to want emotion longer than for many rajapaksa appear the best option given their handling of the corona virus outbreak and the negative perceptions of the previous government including security failures that led

yes after the oversaw the defeat of the tamil tigers in sri lanka. a former member of the national human rights commission voiced these concerns we also see a rise in seeing in a buddhist nationalism and it seems like that is what is taking hold and and shaping the policy of the country so this means that minorities in particular feel frightened because if you are critical of the government you can be called a traitor you can be called a terrorist you can be arrested merely for expressing an opinion balancing the multiple challenges facing she lanka will not be easy for the new government but for the majority of people here the rajapaksa led government is the best option for now and then this. film. this is all to syria these are the top stories the u.s. state department has spoken out in defense of a former top saudi intelligence agent who was allegedly targeted in a fort assassination attempt that's describing sought out a valued partner filed a lawsuit in washington d.c. on thursday accusing the saudi crown prince mohammed bin sultan of sending a

indicator of way from this crossroads obviously over a decade since the war ended here between the tamil tiger rebels and the government there are still a huge amount of issues that remain under in the north and east of the country about devolution of power and things like that but in the other parts of the country they've also been issues since $29000.00 that fatal sort of easter bombing that claimed over 250 lives you know there are fears of national security however in terms of this election it's been largely personality politics and we've seen a century that rajapaksa clan the 2 sort of key brothers in that the former president prime minister made the rajapaksa and the president go top it rajapaksa leading the p.p. campaign from the front talking about giving them the mandate to change the constitution essential to carry forward the work that president gore listed out in his campaign and obviously the opposition also in a shambles as they try to sort of cobble together a proper challenge to the rajapaksa is let's take a look at some of the issues going into this election yes let me just sa

allegations of war crimes and fools disappearances 11 years after the oversaw the defeat of the tamil tigers you should marcos if you will a former member of the national human rights commission voiced these concerns we also see a rise in single a buddhist nationalism and it seems like that is what is taking hold and and shaping the policy of the country so this means that minorities in particular feel frightened because the few who are critical of the government you can be called a traitor you can be called a terrorist you can be arrested merely for expressing an opinion balancing the multiple challenges facing she lanka will not be easy for the new government but for the majority of people here the rajapaksa led government is the best option for now and then this is era. so to take you through the headlines this hour before we go the u.s. state department has called former top saudi intelligence officials saeed al jobbery a valued partner comes a day after it was revealed our japery filed a lawsuit in washington accusing saudi crown prince mohammed bin cylon of sending a hit squad to canad

allegations of war crimes and foods disappearance 11 years after the oversaw the defeat of the tamil tigers in sri lanka civil war a former member of the national human rights commission voiced these concerns we also see a rise in single a buddhist nationalism and it seems like that is what is taking hold and and shaping the policy of the country so this means that minorities in particular feel frightened because the few who are critical of the government you can be called a traitor you can be called a terrorist you can be arrested merely for expressing an opinion balancing the multiple challenges facing she lanka will not be easy for the new government but for the majority of people here the rajapaksa led government is the best option for now and then there's just era fillable. on our germany and france have both abandoned talks to reform the world health organization out of frustration with the u.s. attempts to dominate negotiations the move is a blow to president donald trump is administration had hoped to lead a sweeping overhaul of the w.h.o. before the upcoming u.s. election france's

similar cases involving the disappearances of hundreds of camels after the 26 year conflict with the tamil tigers will be forgotten in sri lanka and go to the pool on windy sri lanka people's party led by the rajapaksa brothers is expected to win. president then prime minister minder family will protect war heroes who brought a queue ssion ensure national security subcommittee and bring prosperity under. the president's party must come to power to take this program forward we require a 2 thirds majority for this there are amendments needed to the constitution or else we need to change the constitution the presidential powers were weakened and those of the parliament strengthened under an amendment passed by m.p.'s in 2015 and only see any reversal would be detrimental as far as democracy is concerned if that arch boxes get close enough. all the set will be out of the window and therefore you will have a strong authoritarian government but this doesn't seem to want emotion longer than the many rajapaksa appeared the best option given their handling of the coronavirus outbreak and the negative perc