Monthly Archives: December 2016

AI: Much Remains to be Done on Torture

by Amnesty International, London, December 9, 2016 The Sri Lankan authorities must take decisive action to stop torture and other ill-treatment, investigate complaints, and hold perpetrators accountable, Amnesty International said following the publication of the concluding observations by the UN Committee against Torture on Sri Lanka. “If the Sri Lankan authorities are serious about breaking… Read more »

UNHRC Sessions March 2017 & Sri Lanka

by Thambu Kanagasabai, Toronto, December 10, 2016 Sri Lanka became a member of the United Nations in 1955, bound with obligations to observe the provisions of the United Nations and other United Nations Conventions. Some of the most important Conventions ratified by Sri Lanka are as follows:- International Convention on the Elimination of all forms… Read more »

Revolutionary Heroes

by Blake Smith, ‘Aeon,’ London, December 7, 2016 If the sultan of Mysore had had a bit more luck, George Washington might be known as the Haider Ali of North America. As the ruler of Mysore, a kingdom in what is now southwestern India, Haider fought a series of wars with Great Britain in the… Read more »

MRG: Continued Violations Against Religious Minorities in Sri Lanka

by Minority Rights Goup, London, December 8, 2016 mrg_rep_srilan_dec16 Executive summary Though Sri Lanka’s three-decade long armed conflict came to an end in 2009, hopes for a peaceful transition have been marred by ongoing violence against the country’s minorities. Post-war triumphalism and resurgent ethnonationalism, including the formation of Buddhist nationalist groups, has contributed to an… Read more »

Remembering and Rebuilding

by Tamil Guardian, London, November 27, 2016 Today, Tamils across the globe will collectively light candles, lay flowers and bow heads in memory of those who gave their lives resisting state oppression. Marking the legacy of these heroes has become an integral moment of solidarity for the entire nation. In the Tamil homeland, commemorations have… Read more »

Jayalalitha Tribute

by M.K. Eelaventhan, Toronto, December 7, 2016 Jayalalitha, the voice of the voiceless Eelam Tamils, have been prematurely muted.  We feel politically orphaned, but her name is etched deeply in the hearts of Eelam Tamils. The untimely  demise of Jayalalitha, the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu at age 68 is an irrepairable loss not only to… Read more »

Torture Is ‘Common Practice’ in Sri Lanka

by Nick Cummings-Bruce, ‘The New York Times,’ December 7, 2016 GENEVA — President Maithripala Sirisena swept to a surprising election victory about two years ago promising political changes and human rights protections in Sri Lanka. On Wednesday, a United Nations committee questioned the government’s commitment to fulfilling those promises, pointing to the continued use of… Read more »

UN Committee Against Torture Concluding Observations on Sri Lanka

int_cat_coc_lka_25983_e Key Points:  – The UN Committee Against Torture is calling for an independent mechanism to investigate allegations of torture and sexual violence in the “rehabilitation” programme for 12,000+ suspected former cadres. (paragraph 26). – The Committee says allegations of unlawful detention, torture and sexual violence by security forces in Sri Lanka should be investigated… Read more »

ACPR: Subcommittee on Centre-Periphery Relations

by Adayaalam, Jaffna, December 2, 2016 The Sub-Committee on Centre-Periphery Relations and the Unitary State acpr-2016_november_issue_brief_no-_1 ACPR is cautiously optimistic about the report of the CPR Sub-Committee which contains recommendations that have the potential to positively contribute to a genuine restructuring of the State that accommodates the concerns of the numerically smaller communities vis a… Read more »

Adayaalam: Student Killings, Aava Gang and Securitisation of Jaffna

by Adayaalam, Jaffna Adayaalam Centre for Policy Research releases its first Situation Brief: Student Killings, Aava Gang and Securitisation of Jaffna You can read the full brief here or acpr-2016_november_situation_brief_no_1 Follow Adayaalam’s work on their facebook page and on twitter.

US Navy at Galle Dialogue 2016

US Policy and Objectives in Building Strategic partnership with Navies in the Indo-Asia-Pacific by US Admiral Harry B. Harris, Galle, November 28, 2016 USN, Commander US Pacific Command adm-harris-galle-dialogue-2016 All speeches at http://galledialogue.lk/index.php?id=53 Thanks, Admiral Wijegunaratne for that kind introduction. In addition to being an expert in asymmetric naval warfare and special boat operations, the… Read more »

USS Somerset Supports Exchange with Sri Lanka Marines

By 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Pacific Command, Hawaii, November 28, 2016 TRINCOMALEE, Sri Lanka – U.S. Marines and Sailors of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked aboard amphibious transport dock USS Somerset (LPD 25) recently arrived in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, for a theater security cooperation (TSC) exchange with the Sri Lankan Navy’s marine forces, Nov. 23-25…. Read more »

TNA: Conciliatory Approach Not Weakness

TNA warns Colombo not to take its conciliatory approach as weakness – YouTube TNA report on full speech: Hon. M A Sumanthiran’s Speech in Parliament on Sri Lanka’s new Constitution and the reconciliation Process (30th November 2016) – TNA Full speech on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBwzLRgLtB0 ————– Interview with TNA MP M A Sumanthiran: the Constitution, Transitional Justice and… Read more »

In Colombia, Turning a Peace Deal Into Reality

by the Editorial Board, ‘The New York Times, December 2, 2016 Among the dozens of people who addressed Colombia’s Congress this week before lawmakers ratified a peace deal with the country’s largest guerrilla group, Richard Moreno stood out. Men like him don’t often get to confront the ruling elite. So when he got his turn at… Read more »

US Supreme Court Weighs Jailed Immigrants’ Right to Periodic Hearings

by Adam Liptak, ‘The New York Times,’ November 30, 2016 WASHINGTON — With the nation on the cusp of a more assertive immigration policy under the administration of President-elect Donald J. Trump, the Supreme Court on Wednesday considered the rights of people held in immigration detention. Their numbers are likely to swell if Mr. Trump… Read more »