Amnesty International’s representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Peter Splinter, stressed that Sri Lanka’s latest legislation to ban several diaspora organisations, would worsen the climate for NGO staff, journalists and others interacting with Tamil groups. Expressing concern over the likely use of the Sri Lankan Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), to enforce the new legislation, Mr. Splinter said to CNN, “The consequence of that is that anyone dealing with those organisations will be subject to accusations of cooperating with terrorism—that brings them within the parameters of a rather draconian piece of legislation, the Prevention of Terrorism Act.”
Students in Chennai held a protest this weekend, criticising India for their stance on Sri Lanka and calling for economic sanctions to be put in place. Organised by the Tamil Youth and Students Federation, over 150 people gathered in Chennai, calling on India to impose economic sanctions on Sri Lanka.
The All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPGT), a cross-party group of parliamentarians said it deplored the Sri Lankan government’s proscription of Tamil diaspora groups, in a statement issued Wednesday, and called on the international community to condemn the Sri Lankan government’s attempt “to restrict the Human Rights of people and the organisations that they wish to proscribe.”
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on Sri Lanka to “constructively engage and cooperate” with the Office of the High Commissioner on the implementation of the resolution passed by the Human Rights Council last week. Speaking at the daily briefing of the UN, deputy spokesperson for the Secretary General Farhan Haq said that Ban Ki-moon welcomes the “determination” shown by High Commissioner Navi Pillay to advance accountability.
The general secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena, a Buddhist organisation thought to be close to Defence Secretary gotabhaya Rajapaksa, has been acquitted of attacking a church in 2008. Galabodaaththe Gnanasara and 13 others, inlucding 4 other monks, were charged with trespassing and attacking the Calvary Church in Thalahena, Malabe, reported the Daily Mirror .
Defending the Sri Lankan government's proscription of 15 Tamil diaspora organisations, Sri Lanka's High commissioner to Australia, Thisara Samarasinghe, said that "any organisation that acknowledges separatism or do not reject separatism in Sri Lanka is supporting terrorist ideology .” Speaking to SBS Australia, Samarasinghe said, “I’m not here to share my information with you, that is important. And certain action which we have shared with relevant authorities is there to justify that Sri Lankan government has enough credible evidence to suggest that,”
The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has raised the proscription of Tamil diaspora organisations with the Sri Lankan government, " making clear that proscription should not be used to prevent or stifle free speech and legitimate criticism ", a spokesperson for the FCO told Tamil Guardian today. Highlighting the FCO's good relations with Tamil diaspora organisations, the spokesperson confirmed that the UK would continue this engagement. "The UK government has good relations with a wide range of NGOs and civil society organisations with an interest in Sri Lanka including the Global Tamil Forum and British Tamils Forum both of whom publicly state that they work through democratic means," he said, adding, " the UK will continue to engage with organisations focused on achieving a lasting and equitable peace in Sri Lanka through non-violent means."
The resolution adopted in the UN Human Rights council is the first step in the rocky path towards accountability, writes the exiled Tamil journalist, J.S. Tissainayagam in the Asian Correspondent on Monday. Full text of his opinion reproduced below. The Sri Lanka resolution adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Thursday establishes an international investigation mechanism to probe alleged war crimes of the past as well as monitor ongoing human rights violations in the country. While politicians worldwide spoke of the passing of the resolution in terms of victory and defeat, for those working for justice and accountability in the country it was a day of sober reflection on the work ahead. While the resolution partly fulfils the demand for justice and accountability, its weaknesses could also be a cause for serious setbacks.
The Tamil Students Initiative (TSI) recognises the resolution passed by the United Nations Human Rights Council as a small but important step in the ongoing struggle for justice for the Tamil people in Sri Lanka.
India's decision to abstain from voting on the resolution at the UN Human Rights Council last week was a betrayal said the Bishop of Mannar, Rayappu Joseph, reports Uthayan. Accusing the Indian government of wanting to avoid unearthing their own involvement and complicity in the Sri Lankan government's genocide of the Tamil people, the Bishop called on India to work with the UN to help seek justice for the Tamils.