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 »
Posts Categorized: International
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 »
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 »
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 »
Human Rights Up Front & Sri Lanka
http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/general-assembly/agenda-items/promotion-of-human-rights/watch/human-rights-up-front/5077276050001 Overview [PDF] Detailed discussion, including origin in the Petrie Report on UN failures in Sri Lanka [PDF] by Gerritt Kurtz, ‘With Courage and Coherence: The Human Rights up Front Initiative by the United Nations,’ Policy Paper, Global Public Policy Institute, July 2015 Introduction During its final offensive, in 2009, the Sri Lankan army closed in on… Read more »
UN Committee on Racial Discrimination Assessment of Sri Lanka Report
The UN Committee on Racial Discrimination (CERD) will assess Sri Lanka’s report submitted in October 2015 on August 15-16 2016 in Geneva. CERD is a committee of 8 independent experts who assess progress of states parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The membership of the Committee can be seen… Read more »
The Halfway Mark
by Sri Lanka Campaign, London, August 2, 2016 The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) met last month to discuss, among other things, Sri Lanka’s progress in implementing the process they agreed last September to build a lasting peace based upon justice. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Al-Hussein delivered an oral update… Read more »
US Asst Secretaries of State Biswal & Malinowski Visit
US Officials Insist Sustainable Peace Must Include Peace Dividend by Dharsha Bastians, ‘Daily Financial Times,’ Colombo, July 15, 2016 Visiting State Department officials insisted that accountability and reconciliation in Sri Lanka continues to be a key focus for the US Government, but defended their apparent focus on economic growth and investment on a two-day visit… Read more »
Engaging Sinhalese Buddhist Majoritarianism
by Neil DeVotta, ‘The Review of Faith & International Affairs,’ Summer 2016 Engaging Sinhalese Buddhist Majoritarianism and Countering Religious Animus in Sri Lanka Recommendations for the Incoming U S Administration This essay, consequently, discusses the Sinhalese Buddhist-Muslim dynamic in the country as part of its focus on religion and public life in Sri Lanka. The… Read more »
Bipartisan Group of 24 Lawmakers Calls on Secretary Kerry
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 »
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 »