2010 letter to Sec. Clinton on Sri Lanka FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 27, 2016 CONTACT: Abraham White 202-308-8430 Bipartisan Group of 24 Lawmakers Calls on Secretary Kerry to Strengthen Peace and Human Rights in Sri Lanka for War Victims WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressmen Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Bill Johnson (R-OH) led… Read more »
Posts Categorized: International
Sri Lanka Must Stay the Course
‘The Hindu’ editorial, Chennai, July 2, 2016 The frequent human rights updates in Geneva provide an occasion for the world to discuss Sri Lanka’s post-war situation, especially the progress made in investigating the excesses during the last phase of the civil war that ended in 2009. Until last year, the country considered the process hostile… Read more »
USTPAC Welcomes High Commissioner Zeid’s Call for Sustained International Engagement on Sri Lanka
WASHINGTON, June 30, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) member states responded yesterday in Geneva to High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein’s midterm report on the government of Sri Lanka’s implementation of Resolution 30/1. USTPAC welcomes High Commissioner Zeid’s report and statements from member states and other countries for more… Read more »
UNHCHR: Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka
by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva, June 28, 2016 Advance copy of UNHCHR oral report on Sri Lanka’s compliance with UNHRC Resolution 30/1 A_HRC_32_CRP_4_EN This oral update is presented pursuant to Human Rights Council Resolution 30/1 on promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka, which was adopted by consensus with the… Read more »
Bipartisan Group of 24 Lawmakers Calls on Secretary Kerry
McGovern Johnson letter to Sec Kerry with signatures Jun 27, 2016 Press Release WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressmen Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Bill Johnson (R-OH) led a bipartisan group of 24 House lawmakers calling on Secretary John Kerry to continue U.S. efforts to strengthen human rights in Sri Lanka following a 26-year civil war between… Read more »
U.N. Urges Sri Lanka to Rein in Military, Prosecute War Crimes
by Stephanie Nebehay, Reuters, London, June 28, 2016 Sri Lanka must rein in its military forces, prosecute war crimes committed during the long civil war with Tamil rebels and win the confidence of the Tamil minority, the United Nations said on Tuesday. Witnesses must be protected under an effective transitional justice mechanism that should include… Read more »
Sri Lanka Wants the World to Forget about Justice for War Victims
by Nirmanusan Balasundaram, ‘The Guardian,’ UK, June 27, 2016 With the Sri Lankan government winding back commitments to reconciliation and justice measures, it’s up to the international community to hold them to account In October 2015 the government of Sri Lanka co-sponsored, along with the US, a resolution on promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights… Read more »
Oral Statements at UNHRC
Monday, June 13, 2016 – Oral Statement by Pasumai Thaayagam UN Web TV link: http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/human-rights-council/watch/item2-general-debate-contd-4th-meeting-32nd-regular-session-of-human-rights-council/4940474281001 No. 58, Time: 2:06:00 ———– —————– ————– Tuesday, June 21, 2016 – Oral statement by Pasumai Thayagam UN Web TV link: http://webtv.un.org/watch/item3-general-debate-cont-20th-meeting-32nd-regular-session-of-human-rights-council/4962898189001 No. 48, Time: 06:30 ———– —————– ————– Thursday, June 23, 2016 – Oral statement by Pasumai Thayagam UN Web TV link: http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/watch/item4-general-debate-contd-27th-meeting-32nd-regular-session-of-human-rights-council/4973022505001… Read more »
GTF: International Community Must Continue to Exert Pressure on Sri Lanka
International Community must continue to exert pressure on Sri Lanka to facilitate faithful implementation of all aspects of the UNHRC resolution – Global Tamil Forum Wednesday, June 22, 2016 As the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) meets in Geneva this month and the High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein prepares his… Read more »
Status of Confidence-Building Measures
by US Tamil Political Action Council Confidence-Building Measures Implementation_Chart This chart is to be read with the October 2015 Confidence Building Measures It has been 18 months since President Sirisena was elected and 9 months since the government of Sri Lanka co-sponsored HRC Resolution 30/1. While the government has implemented some notable measures to build… Read more »
Broken Promises Again at the UN?
by JS Tissainayagam, ‘Asian Correspondent,’ June 21, 2016 THE United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions now underway in Geneva gives another opportunity to Sri Lanka to trumpet the progress it is making on transitional justice. However, there is scant evidence of ‘progress’ on the ground because the government has either gone back, or done… Read more »
Cluster Bombs Used in Sri Lanka’s Civil War
by Emanuel Stoakes, ‘The Guardian,’ UK, June 20, 2016 Exclusive: images appear to confirm use of the indiscriminate weapon in a conflict which cost the lives of at least 100,000 Remnants of what appears to be an RBK-500 AO-2.5RT cluster bomb uncovered near Chalai, Sri Lanka. Photograph: Source Images that appear to confirm the use… Read more »
Tough Pressure for Genuine Accountability Required in Sri Lanka
by Tamil Guardian, London, June 12, 2016 Tough supportive pressure is needed for genuine accountability amid allegations of genocide in Sri Lanka, said former US Ambassador at Large for War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide. Mr Rapp spoke on a panel in the Royal Institute of Great Britain at the launch of the International… Read more »
UNHRC: Pasumai Thaayagam Oral Statement
UN Web TV link: http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/human-rights-council/watch/item2-general-debate-contd-4th-meeting-32nd-regular-session-of-human-rights-council/4940474281001 No. 58, Time: 2:06:00 Oral Statement by Pasumai Thaayagam on Accountability, Justice and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka 32nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, June 14, 2016 Geneva Pasumai Thaayagam congratulates and appreciates the UNHRC for a decade of upholding human rights within its member states. We, on behalf… Read more »
NECC: Obligations of the GoSL & UN
by North East Coordinating Committee, June 13, 2016. Courtesy of Groundviews.org We call upon His Excellency High Commissioner of Human Rights and the Representatives of the Member States of the Human Rights Council, 32nd Session, June, 2016 OBLIGATIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SRI LANKA AND THE UNITED NATIONS IN SRI LANKA’S TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE PROCESS. 1…. Read more »
Testing Time for United Nations and Sri Lanka
by Thambu Kanagasabai, June 10 The armed struggle by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam which commenced in 1976 with the failure of peaceful struggles initiated in 1956 by the past Tamil political leaders, reached its climax in the Eelam war IV from 2006 – 2009. The war ended with a victory for Sri Lankan Government… Read more »
House Subcommittee Hearing on Sri Lanka
by US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Asia & the Pacific, June 9, 2016 Video of Hearing https://youtu.be/9u4ZCiILRrs Subcommittee Hearing Lisa Curtis testimony Subcommittee Hearing Karen Bue testimony Subcommittee Hearing Nimmi Gowrinathan testimony
US Country Reports on Terrorism 2015
by US. Department of State, June 2016 SRI LANKA Overview: The Sri Lankan government maintained a strong military presence in post-conflict areas and continued to voice concern about the possible reemergence of pro-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) sympathizers, but the new, democratically-elected government of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized its… Read more »
Preliminary Observations of the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges
Preliminary observations and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers — Ms. Mónica Pinto, Colombo, 7 May 2016 United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers and Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Official joint visit to Sri Lanka — 29 April to 7 May… Read more »
Preliminary Observations of the Special Rapporteur on Torture
Preliminary observations and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment — Juan E. Mendez, Colombo, 7 May 2016 United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers and Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Official joint visit to Sri… Read more »