Britain has renewed calls for Sri Lanka to investigate allegations of war crimes after video footage apparently showing the summary execution of naked and bound prisoners was broadcast on UK television.
The film, shown on Channel 4, reportedly shows "trophy videos" taken on mobile phones by Sri Lankan soldiers taking part in the military operation in 2009 to crush the Tamil Tiger insurgency and end a 25-year civil war.
The broadcast came as the Home Office prepared to deport some 40 Tamils to the south Asian island state, including five who claim that their safety has been put in danger after UK officials passed papers in their case to the authorities in Colombo.
Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt said he was "shocked by the horrific scenes" in the Channel 4 film, Sri Lanka's Killing Fields, which he said contained "convincing evidence of violations of international humanitarian and human rights law".
Burt said the UK was ready to join the rest of the international community in pursuing "all options available" to put pressure on the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to take action.
The film was shown to the United Nations Human Rights Council in May. Presenter Jon Snow said it was "one of the most shocking films" the channel had ever produced.
It included footage of apparent extrajudicial killing of prisoners by government forces, the aftermath of targeted shelling of civilian hospitals and the bodies of female Tamil fighters who appear to have been sexually assaulted. It also examined atrocities carried out by the Tamil Tigers, including the use of human shields and a suicide bombing in a government centre for the displaced.
Sri Lanka's civil war ended in 2009, as the Colombo government claimed victory over the insurgents after a bloody military operation that killed thousands of people and displaced many more.
A panel of experts convened by the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, reported this year that it had found "credible allegations" of war crimes on both sides and said that a civilian death toll of 40,000 or more could not be ruled out.
In its annual human rights report for 2010, published in March, the Foreign Office voiced concern about continued human rights violations, disappearances, extrajudicial killings and arbitrary arrests in the country after the end of the war.
Responding to the film, Burt said: "The recent UN panel of experts' report, this documentary and previously authenticated Channel 4 footage constitute convincing evidence of violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.
"The whole of the international community will expect the Sri Lankans to give a serious and full response to this evidence.
"Since the end of the conflict the UK has called for an independent, thorough and credible investigation of the allegations that war crimes were committed during the hostilities and the UK government expects to see progress by the end of the year. I reiterated this message to the Sri Lankan foreign minister on 14 June.
"If the Sri Lankan government does not respond we will support the international community in revisiting all options available to press the Sri Lankan government to fulfil its obligations.
"Unless this is done, Sri Lanka will not be able to move on, and the prospects for reconciliation between Sri Lanka's communities will be curtailed. It is of the greatest importance that this does not happen."
Channel 4 News highlighted the case of 40 Tamils being held at a detention centre at Heathrow airport and who are due to be returned to Sri Lanka on a deportation flight on Thursday.
The programme quoted one of the asylum seekers - who was not named - as saying he feared he would be killed if he was sent back.
His lawyer said that the provision of potentially incriminating documentation on his case to the Sri Lankan authorities amounted to a serious breach of confidentiality in contravention of UN guidelines and Home Office rules.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/15/sri-lanka-uk-film-war-crimes-inquiryChannel 4's Sri Lanka documentary draws 700,000 viewers
Channel 4's Sri Lankan horror show
Sri Lanka's Killing Fields: Channel 4, 11.05pm – The documentary presented by Jon Snow investigated alleged war crimes carried out in the final weeks of the Sri Lankan civil war in 2009 and was broadcast in a late evening slot due to the shocking nature of some of the footage.
The documentary attracted 700,000 viewers and an 8.3% audience share in its slot, with about another 100,000 watching an hour later on Channel 4 +1.
Competition included a BBC1 documentary series about a Scottish housing project, The Scheme (11.05pm: 1.2 million/13%), a repeat of movie The Game on ITV1 (10.35pm: 600,000/6.8%) and a CSI repeat on Channel 5 (11pm: 600,000/5.9%).
Elsewhere last night BBC1's Idris Elba crime drama Luther began its second series with 5.6 million viewers and a 25.2% share from 9pm.
Competition in the slot included new ITV1 documentary series Baby Hospital (2.6 million/11.8%, ITV1 +1 200,000), BBC2's The Country House Revealed (1.5 million/6.9%, including BBC HD), Channel 4's The Fairy Jobmother (1.2 million/5.6%, C4+1 300,000), and Channel 5's CSI repeat (900,000/4%).