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| Sri Lankans 'deport UK news team' | |
| (about 15 hours later) | |
| A British Channel 4 News team has been deported from Sri Lanka after reporting claims of abuse in camps for displaced Tamils, the AP news agency has said. | |
| The Sri Lankan Defence Minister ordered Asia correspondent Nick Paton-Walsh, cameraman Matt Jasper and producer Bessie Du to leave the country. | The Sri Lankan Defence Minister ordered Asia correspondent Nick Paton-Walsh, cameraman Matt Jasper and producer Bessie Du to leave the country. |
| The TV report contained claims that dead bodies were left where they fell and allegations of sexual abuse. | |
| The Sri Lankan government has denied the allegations in Tuesday's report. | The Sri Lankan government has denied the allegations in Tuesday's report. |
| Investigations | Investigations |
| Police spokesman Ranjith Gunasekera told reporters the trio were arrested in the eastern city of Trincomalee on Saturday. He said investigations were continuing. | Police spokesman Ranjith Gunasekera told reporters the trio were arrested in the eastern city of Trincomalee on Saturday. He said investigations were continuing. |
| Lakshman Hulugalle, the head of the Sri Lankan government security information centre, said the journalists had admitted that they had "done something wrong", according to the Associated Press. | |
| But Mr Paton-Walsh told the agency that any suggestions he had given a statement to the police or admitted wrongdoing were "complete rubbish". | |
| He said the crew had been driven to Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo, with a police escort. | |
| A spokesperson for ITN, which produces Channel 4 News, said: "We will be seeking an explanation from the Sri Lankan government for this decision." | A spokesperson for ITN, which produces Channel 4 News, said: "We will be seeking an explanation from the Sri Lankan government for this decision." |
| The Channel 4 team had been covering fighting between the government and the Tamil Tiger rebels. | The Channel 4 team had been covering fighting between the government and the Tamil Tiger rebels. |
| Its report looked at the conditions in camps that had been set up by the government for the refugees who had fled the northern war zone. | Its report looked at the conditions in camps that had been set up by the government for the refugees who had fled the northern war zone. |
| It explored allegations of sexual abuse as well as shortages of food and water. | It explored allegations of sexual abuse as well as shortages of food and water. |
| The United Nations estimates that about 50,000 civilians are trapped by fighting as government troops attempt to oust the Tamil Tigers from their strongholds across the north. | The United Nations estimates that about 50,000 civilians are trapped by fighting as government troops attempt to oust the Tamil Tigers from their strongholds across the north. |
| The rebels have been driven back into a small pocket of land on the north-eastern coast. | The rebels have been driven back into a small pocket of land on the north-eastern coast. |
| The Tamil Tigers have fought for an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority since 1983. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the war. | The Tamil Tigers have fought for an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority since 1983. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the war. |