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As the United Nations spokesman in Colombo at the time, Mr. Weiss had a unique perch from which to observe the calamitous end of the war, and he has documented his account in a critically acclaimed non-fiction book.

The book’s version of what happened is hardly far-fetched. Mr. Weiss argues that a lot of civilians needlessly lost their lives during the final months of fighting and that the government bears its share of responsibility.

For this, the 45-year-old Australian, who was in Toronto this week for a panel discussion hosted by Sri Lankans Without Borders, has been defamed as a rebel apologist by the government and its supporters.

But he is hardly a voice in the wilderness. Investigations by the International Crisis Group, a panel of experts appointed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Amnesty International, among others, have come to the same stark conclusion.

Witnesses to the bloodshed have been coming forward. Videos apparently showing troops executing captives have been broadcast by Britain’s Channel 4. The UN Human Rights Council was asked this week to investigate allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper took a stand last week when he said he supported an independent investigation. He also said he would not attend an upcoming Commonwealth meeting in Sri Lanka unless the country’s human rights record improved.

“I think there is momentum building,” Mr. Weiss said in an interview. “There have been some fairly momentous reports come out … a series of things that tended to argue that the position that was consistently held by the government of Sri Lanka — that nothing much happened at the end of the war — was an absurd one.”