Civil Society Statement on Accountability and Timing TJ – 22nd June 2016 We, the undersigned Sri Lankan civil society activists and organisations, note with deep concern the lack of tangible progress in ending impunity in Sri Lanka, more than seventeen months since the change of government in January 2015. We believe that no mechanism for… Read more »
Yearly Archives: 2016
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 »
Mr R. Sampanthan’s Adjournment Motion in Parliament
[full speech at end courtesy Colombo Telegraph, June 13, 2016] by Laksiri Fernando ( June 17, 2016, Sydney, Sri Lanka Guardian) The leader of the TNA, R. Sampanthan, has moved an important motion in Parliament (10 June 2016), on behalf of the Tamil people in the North and the East. Perhaps as he has moved… Read more »
Thoughts On Sri Lanka’s Progress In This Transitional Phase
by M.A. Sumanthiran, MP, ‘Colombo Telegraph, June 16, 2016 The process has started and is moving fairly swiftly but it has certain knotty issues and I want to highlight one or two of those. Sri Lanka has been ruled by a simple majoritarian rule. That is the system of government. And when you have permanent… Read more »
Studying Sinhala by Tamils
by Eelaventhan Manickavasakar, June 12, 2016 Northern Provincial Chief Minister Justice C. V. Wigneswaran in a recent speech has exhorted the Tamil students to study Sinhalese. The reasons he mentioned were Lack of knowledge in Sinhalese is the root cause of misunderstanding, suspicion, mistrust and lack of confidence. If you know Sinhalese, you can effectively reply… Read more »
STP: Dark Clouds Report
by Society for Threatened Peoples, Switzerland, February 2015 STP Dark Clouds tourism report In spite of this poor human rights record, the Sri Lankan government promotes a country that has returned to normality. This image of a peaceful and prosperous holiday destination is marketed aggressively in Western Europe. However, this report clearly shows the sobering… Read more »
Sangam Kalai Vila
Ilankai Tamil Sangam (ITS), USA successfully hosted its bi-annual cultural show “Kalai Vila” on Sunday June 5th in West Windsor New Jersey. This year the Kalai Vila 2016 was combined with a super singer show. Over 100 students from different parts of New Jersey show cased their talent in Tamil language, music and arts… Read more »
State Structure in Sri Lanka 2007
by Claus Kruse, Centre for International Migration & Development/Northern & Eastern Provincial Councils, 2007 CIM-Overview-State-Structure 2007 http://www.logcluster.org/sites/default/files/documents/CIM-Overview-State-Structure 5.7.6 Conclusions Owing to the prevalent administrative circumstances, the government-controlled line of command is the preeminent planning authority at district and local level. This situation appears prevalent in most districts, and usually these entities are viewed as the… 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 »
ITJP-SL: Forgotten
by International Truth & Justice Project: Sri Lanka, South Africa, June 10, 2016 Exiled Tamil victims of war crimes and torture say they would testify by video to a special court in Sri Lanka only if international judges were involved and their identities protected, says a new study. ITJP Forgotten press release ITJP Forgotten report… 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
Colombo Beefs Up Naval Installations along Eastern Coast
by TamilNet, June 3, 2016 Emboldened with the blessings coming from the diplomatic US Establishment and its increased ‘military-to-military’ rapport with the Sinhala navy in the island, the military Establishment of genocidal Sri Lanka has stepped up its programme of militarisation and Sinhaliciation of the strategic belt in the three coastal directions of the country… Read more »
Amnesty: Right to Truth; the Right to Justice, Reparation and Non-Recurrence
by Amnesty International, London, May 30, 2016 Amnesty Right to Truth June 2016 ASA 37/4146/2016 The Government must not squander the good will of Sri Lankans who have waited decades for their human rights demands to be addressed. It must increase the pace, transparency and visibility of reform efforts ensuring these are undertaken with genuine… Read more »
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 »
Tamils’ Land Occupied by Sri Lankan Security Forces
by British Tamil Forum, April 18, 2016 Nearly seven years after the end of the war, the Sri Lankan military is still occupying more than 96% of the land belonging to the Tamil people who were driven off their own lands, in the pretext of “national security”. Field data obtained by British Tamils Forum (BTF),… Read more »
60 Years after June 5, 1956
What was common to both agreements was the recognition of regional autonomy and power sharing as a means of addressing Tamil concerns.