Sri Lanka gets UN human rights visitor

December 13, 2007 (LBO) – A United Nations human right representative concerned with refugees is to arrive in Sri Lanka today on a week long visit at the invitation of the government, the UN has announced. Walter Kalin, representative of the UN Secretary General on the human rights of internally displaced people, will hold talks with a wide range of people to get a better understanding of the situation here and find possible solutions, the UN statement said.

He will also meet refugees and civil society organisations in districts on the eastern and north-western coasts.

Kalin's findings will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council.

His visit comes at a time when the government is coming under increasing criticism for alleged human rights violations and pressure to allow the presence of UN human rights monitors in the island.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced by the fighting between government forces and Tamil Tigers. .