Sri Lankan president defends human rights record

The Sri Lankan president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, has opened the Commonwealth leaders' summit in Colombo, with a speech defending the country's record on human rights.

Canada, India and Mauritius have boycotted the gathering in protest at the Sri Lankan refusal to allow an independent investigation into alleged war crimes during the government's final victory over the Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009.

The British Prime Minister David Cameron is attending, but is to visit Tamil leaders in the north to signal his concerns.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa used his opening speech to hit back at critics.