Sri Lanka’s Housing Minister Wimal Weerawansa today started a fast unto death in front of the UN office in Colombo demanding the abolition of the advisory panel appointed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to look into the alleged human rights violations by the security forces during the war against the LTTE.<br/><br/>Supported by his party workers and with blessings of the Buddhist monks, the firebrand leader announced, "I am starting a fast till death. Only when the accusations of war crimes are withdrawn and the [UN] panel abolished, I will stop this [the fast]".<br/><br/>The Minister, the lone party leader on the fast, urged the people to come out in large numbers to take part in protest demonstrations all over the country to pressurize the UN Chief to repeal his decision.<br/><br/>On Tuesday, the UN had strongly protested stating that ‘While respecting the right of citizens to demonstrate peacefully, preventing access to UN offices hinders the vital work being carried out by the United Nations each day to help the people of Sri Lanka’.<br/><br/>Speaking to reporters in Colombo Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister G.L Peiris said that while the government is trying to end the crisis resulting from the protest outside the UN office in Colombo, there will be no attempt to obstruct the fast unto death by Minister Wimal Weerawansa.<br/><br/>He said that it was the democratic right of any group to stage a peaceful protest. The Minister maintained that the government had assured the UN over the safety and security of the UN staff in Colombo.<br/><br/>Cabinet Minister Wimal Weerawansa and his party supporters of JHU , a ruling coalition partner has been protesting for the last three days outside the UN office in Colombo asking Ban ki Moon to dissolve the panel set up to advise him on alleged violations of humanitarian laws by the Sri Lankan security forces during the recently concluded war with LTTE.<br/><br/>The UN continued to work today with minimal staff strength and have advised most of its staff to work from home for today and tomorrow.