Rajapaksa’s supporters oppose Sri Lanka war crimes probe

Sri Lanka's former President Mahinda Rajapaksa (C in white) shouts slogans at the end of the five-day protest march from Kandy, about 116 km to Colombo, in Sri Lanka, on Monday. (REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte)

Sri Lanka’s former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, center, shouts slogans along his supporters in Kandy on Monday. (AFP)

COLOMBO: Tens of thousands of supporters of Sri Lanka’s former president have held a protest march accusing the government of betraying the nation by agreeing with the United Nations to investigate allegations of war crimes during the country’s civil war.
The protesters reached the capital, Colombo, on Monday after marching for several days from the central town of Kandy.
They also accused the government of wanting to divide the country by granting more powers to ethnic minority Tamils.
The protest was the largest show of strength by former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa since he lost a re-election bid last year. He is currently a lawmaker.
The government says the protest is part of pressure tactics aimed at blocking investigations into alleged corruption and misrule by the former government.