Monthly Archives: August 2016

Polymath Charles Santiapillai (1944-2014) Remembered

by Sachi Sri Kantha, August 30, 2016 Charles Santiapillai, a brilliant Tamil zoologist of our generation, died on October 29, 2014. It is a pity that I came to know about his death only early this year. Quite a few appreciations about his career and character did appear in a few journals (listed at the… Read more »

Deforestation Now Urgent Concern in Post-War Sri Lanka

By Johann Rebert, Asia Foundation, San Francisco, March 16, 2016 Following parliamentary elections in August 2015 and six years after the end of a bloody, decades-long civil war, Sri Lanka’s newly elected president, Maithripala Sirisena, has made the important decision to keep the Ministry of Environment directly under his wing. The move, which also positions the… Read more »

Colombian Negotiators Announce a Final Peace Accord

by Jenny Bouvier, ‘Colombia Calls,’ Washington, DC, August 24, 2016 The suitcase has been ready and there have been several false alarms, but last night it was confirmed that tonight will be the night.  A final peace agreement, pending a few items, has been reached in Havana.  The negotiating teams are expected to spend the… Read more »

Looking for the Missing

by Jeevan Thiagarajah, ‘Daily News,’ Colombo, August 22, 2016 The Office of Missing Persons (OMP) was legislated. It has elicited words of appreciation from several quarters. In doing we may forget similar inquiries from the past. The JVP commenced its second insurrection in the South, purportedly in protest against the Indo-Lanka Accord. This was a… Read more »

Sri Lankan Justice Has No Place for ‘Accountable Amnesties’

by James Ross, Human Rights Watch, New York, August 22, 2016 Commission Recommendation Conflicts with UN Resolution It’s time to add “accountable amnesties” to notable oxymorons like “open secret” and “working vacation.” EXPAND   According to Sri Lankan media reports, the Presidential Commission to Investigate Complaints Regarding Missing Persons is recommending those accused of human… Read more »

Sri Lanka’s National Policy Document on Rehabilitation

by P.K. Balachandran, ‘The New Indian Express,’ August 22, 2016  COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan Ministry of Rehabilitation has recommended, through its National Policy Document, the enactment of a comprehensive law that addresses all displaced persons and communities in order to be prepared for any eventuality in the future. The comprehensive policy document has recommended recognition… Read more »

Key Findings: Strategic Conflict Assessment

by Asia Foundation, January 30, 2006 SLkeyfindingsconflict On January 30, 2006, five sponsoring agencies — The World Bank, The Asia Foundation, and the Governments of the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom — launched a study in Colombo, Sri Lanka, titled, The Strategic Conflict Assessment – Aid, Conflict, and Peacebuilding in Sri Lanka, to guide… Read more »

America Shouldn’t Rush to Support Sri Lanka’s Military

by Taylor Dibbert, ‘The National Interest,’ August 18, 2016 Colombo needs to shape up before it gets rewarded by Washington. The United States is poised to deepen ties with Sri Lanka’s military. Such an initiative would likely include increased military cooperation between the two countries, training programs and possibly an uptick in military assistance heading… Read more »

Asia Foundation: Sri Lanka Strategic Assessment 2016

by Asia Foundation, San Francisco, March 2016 Asia Foundation Sri Lanka Strategic Assessment 2016 Sri Lanka underwent a major political transition in 2015 with the election of President Maithripala Sirisena and the establishment of a new coalition government between the United Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) and one faction of the United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance… Read more »

What Have You Done with My Husband?

By Ananthi Sasitharan as told to and with additional reporting by Melissa Petro | Comic by Danielle Chenette, ‘Narratively,’ August 12, 2016 As Sri Lanka’s bitter civil war ground to a bloody end, many rebel leaders disappeared, never to be seen again. Seven years later, one wife wants answers. In October 2015, the United Nations… Read more »

INFORM – Human Rights Situation in Sri Lanka

by INFORM Human Rights Documentation Centre, Colombo, August 18, 2016 Full report at http://www.forum-asia.org/?p=21357 Human Rights Situation in Sri Lanka August 17, 2015 – August 17, 2016 Introduction The January 2015 presidential elections didn’t just defeat Mahinda Rajapakse. It was an electoral rejection of Rajapakse politics and way of ruling by Sri Lankan people, ending also… Read more »

Enforced Disappearances in Sri Lanka

by M.C.M. Iqbal, ‘Groundviews,’ May 19, 2016 (This is an abridged version of a presentation made at a meeting at the University of London on 25th April, 2016. The full version can be read here) Enforced disappearance of persons remains one of the widely known human rights violations in Sri Lanka. The machinery that had… Read more »

Reparations

by International Centre for Transitional Justice, 2007 ICTJ-Global-Reparations-Practice-2007-English The UN Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law assert that victims of such abuses have a right to prompt, adequate and effective reparation.2 This is held… Read more »

The Right to Truth

by International Center for Transitional Justice, New York, 2013 ICTJ-Book-Truth-Seeking-Chapter1-2013-English What Is the Right to the Truth? Victims of gross violations of human rights and serious violations of international humanitarian law, and their families, have the right to an effective remedy. Th is includes the right to know the truth about the abuses they have… Read more »

Ambassador Atul Keshap’s Remarks

by Embassy of the US to Sri Lanka & the Maldives, August 15, 2016 Video of Ambassador’s speech posted by Embassy [YouTube] Video of MP Sampanthan speech by LankaSri [YouTube] Video of Sampanthan’s meeting with Amb. Keshap by LankaSri [YouTube] Video of America’s 40 member medical team Jaffna visit by LankaSri[YouTube] Sinhala Translation Tamil Translation Thank… Read more »

CPA: Certificates of Absence

by Centre for Policy Alternatives, Colombo, September 2015 CPA Certificates-of-Absence-FINAL ——————————– Sri Lanka to issue certificates of absence for missing persons by LankaBusinessOnline, June 8, 2016 The Cabinet of Ministers approved draft legislation enabling the issuance of Certificates of Absence enabling family of missing to address practical issues relating to their disappearance. The draft legislation which… Read more »

From Ilankaiththurai to Lanka Patuna

by ‘Tamil Guardian,’ London,’ August 16, 2016 The newly-built Buddhist temple at Ilankaithurai – re-named Lanka Patuna by the government. A bridge is being constructed to improve access to the site for the increasing number of Sinhala visitors. Tamil Guardian co-editor and PEARL Advocacy Director Mario Arulthas travelled to Trincomalee last month to report on… Read more »

Impunity Reigns In Sri Lanka’s August 14, 2006 Bombing Of Schoolgirls

by Anjali Manivannan, ‘Forbes,’ New York,  August 14, 2016 Anjali Manivannan is Legal Researcher and Advocacy Coordinator for People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL). On August 14, 2006, the Sri Lanka Air Force bombed the Senchcholai Girls Orphanage, killing 61 Tamil children and three instructors and injuring more than 60–150 others. Ten years after… Read more »

US Foreign Assistance to Sri Lanka

Partnership Opportunities with USAID – https://www.usaid.gov/sri-lanka/partnership-opportunities —————————————– http://beta.foreignassistance.gov/, accessed August 17, 2016     ————– US AID Sri Lanka https://www.usaid.gov/sri-lanka , accessed August 17, 2016 It is possible to search the database for which organizations in Sri Lanka were given how much money on the website above. 2016 partial year              … Read more »

CHR June: What is Happening with the PTA Detainees

by Centre for Human Rights and Research Sri Lanka, Rajagiriya, Colombo, June 13, 2016 Centre for Human Rights and Research (CHR) Sri Lanka has unveiled its comprehensive report on the Prevention of Terrorism act (PTA) ‘What is happening with the detainees now? The forgotten political prisoners under the Yahapalanaya. In the report CHR puts the… Read more »