NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will skip a meeting of Commonwealth leaders in Sri Lanka this week marred by long-running accusations that Colombo has failed to resolve the issue of war crimes against minority Tamils.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has already said he would boycott the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) that Sri Lanka is hosting from Nov. 15 to 17.
Harper said last month he was disturbed by continuing reports of intimidation and incarceration of political leaders and journalists, the harassment of minorities, reported disappearances and accusations of extra-judicial killings.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has said he will attend, but will demand an investigation into the accusations.
The Sri Lankan government, which defeated the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009, faces increasing pressure from the international community to try those responsible for rights abuses during a nearly three-decade-long civil war.
