▁ ▁Background ▁and ▁investig ations ▁Human ▁Rights ▁Watch ▁acc uses ▁the ▁Sri ▁L ank an ▁military ▁of ▁shell ing ▁hosp it als ▁in ▁the ▁Sa fe ▁Zone ▁ind isc rimin ately ▁with ▁art illery ▁and ▁attack ing ▁them ▁aer ial ly ▁beginning ▁with ▁the ▁Mul lait iv u ▁General ▁Hospital ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁and ▁including ▁at ▁least ▁eight ▁other ▁hosp it als . ▁Human ▁Rights ▁Watch ▁arg ues ▁that ▁these ▁attacks ▁const itute ▁war ▁cr imes . ▁ ▁They ' ve ▁also ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁hosp it als ▁are ▁clearly ▁marked . ▁United ▁States ▁government ▁photograph s ▁taken ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁show ▁the ▁mark ings . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁following ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁T amil ▁u pr ising , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Department ▁of ▁State ▁issued ▁a ▁" Report ▁to ▁Congress ▁on ▁Inc idents ▁during ▁the ▁Rec ent ▁Conf lict ▁in ▁Sri ▁L anka ". ▁The ▁president ▁of ▁Sri ▁L anka , ▁Mah inda ▁Raj ap ak sa ▁appointed ▁a ▁committee ▁to ▁study ▁and ▁respond ▁to ▁that ▁report . ▁The ▁committee ▁members ▁were ▁Chair man ▁D . S . ▁W ij es ing he ▁PC , ▁Ni hal ▁Jay am ann ne ▁PC , ▁C . ▁R . ▁De ▁Silva ▁PC , ▁M ano ▁Ram an athan , ▁Je z ima ▁Is mail ▁and ▁An ura ▁Med deg oda . ▁The ▁secretary ▁of ▁the ▁committee ▁was ▁S . M . ▁Sam ar ako on . ▁The ▁committee ▁interview ed ▁numerous ▁parties