Commenting on a video that emerged earlier this week depicting the maltreatment of female army recruits by male officers, the Sri Lankan Army said that the video had be " stage-managed " in order to " tarnish and discredit the Army ". In a statement issued this weekend the Sri Lankan military said , "Taking a stern view on those trying to tarnish and discredit the Army by producing such stage-managed harassment and uncivilized treatment on woman soldiers under training, Commander of the Army, has assured that soon after SLCMP investigations, all those involved in this incident would be...
The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) party in Tamil Nadu, outlined in their new manifesto, released today , that they would lift the ban on the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), should they be voted into power. Adding further issues relating to Eelam Tamils in the manifesto, the MDMK also pledged to work towards holding a referendum to create a state, Eelam, as a political solution for Tamils in Sri Lanka. The MDMK further expressed its intention of working towards renaming India as the ‘United States of India’ to emphasise the federal structure of India and help...
The United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, Navi Pillay's, focus on atrocities committed in Sri Lanka, showed that she was prejudiced, a Sri Lankan External Affairs Ministry official told the Island . The Island also alleged that Navi Pillay, in a recent meeting with the South Korean Foreign Minister, Yun Byung-se, equated Sri Lanka with North Korea. Sources also told the Island that the Human Rights chief, commenting on discussions regarding human rights in Russia, called for more time to be spent on Sri Lanka due to the severe deterioration of human rights on the island.
00:52 GMT A report released today on Sri Lanka - An Unfinished War: Torture and Sexual Violence in Sri Lanka, 2009 - 2014 - concludes that " abduction, arbitrary detention, torture, rape and sexual violence has increased in the post-war period " against Tamil people by Sri Lankan security forces and there was " a prima facie case of post-war crimes against humanity by the Sri Lankan security forces, with respect to (a) torture and (b) rape and sexual violence. " Describing the violations carried out by the Sri Lankan security forces as " widespread and systematic ", the report also concluded that the violations " occur in a manner that indicates a coordinated, systematic plan approved by the highest levels of government ." Outlining the Sri Lankan government's failure to deliver justice, the authors called for an independent international inquiry at the UNHRC, and called upon the UN Security Council " to refer this report , which indicates reasonable grounds to believe that crimes against humanity are occurring in Sri Lanka to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for further action against those who bear the greatest responsibility ". As an alternative, the authors urged the ICC Prosecutor to " explore the cases of individuals who bear the greatest responsibility and who hold a nationality of a State Party to the Rome Statute ." See full report here . Produced by human rights lawyer and co-author of the UN Panel of Experts report on mass atrocities in Sri Lanka, Yasmin Sooka, as well as the UK Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (BHRC) and the International Truth & Justice Project, Sri Lanka, the report draws on testimonies, medical examinations and psychiatric assessments from 40 victims - Tamil men and women who had sought asylum in the UK.
Below is the video of today’s panel discussion at the Geneva Press Club. The speakers were, in order: Prof. R. Sri Ranjan , co-chair, International Council of Eelam Tamils (ICET) Mr. Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam , president, Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) Mr. Kumaravadivel Guruparan , Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF), Mr. MK Shivajlingam , parliamentarian, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Mr. Krishna Saravanamuttu , National Council of Canadian Tamils (NCCT) Dr. Andrew Higginbottom , Kingston University, UK. Mr. Bashana Abeywardane , journalist in exile, former editor, Hiru Ms. Luxcy Alex...
14:59 GMT The British Prime Minister David Cameron said today that he had " secured the full backing of all the EU " in favour of an UNHRC resolution calling for accountability in Sri Lanka, due to be voted on next week. Speaking at a press conference following the European Council earlier today, Prime Minister Cameron said that he had also raised the situation in Sri Lanka at the Council and stressed the need for an " international, independent investigation". "As you know, this is an issue that I care deeply about," said Mr. Cameron, adding, "I want to see reconciliation in the country and...
Amnesty International called for "urgent action" over the recent spate of arrests and detentions of activists in the North of Sri Lanka, and for Balendran Jeyakumari, a prominent disappearances campaigner to be released or charged with a recognisable criminal offence. In a statement released Friday, the organisation said, Human rights defenders in Northern Sri Lanka have been arrested, detained, and threatened. This has coincided with the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva considering a resolution calling for an international investigation into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka. Prominent Sri Lankan human rights activist Balendran Jeyakumari, was arrested along with her teenaged daughter in Kilinochchi, Northern Sri Lanka on 13 March. Officials confirmed that she has been detained by the Terrorist Investigation Department (TID) at the Boosa Detention Centre. Her daughter was later turned over to the Department of Probation and Child Care Services.
Writing in the Asian Correspondent today on the heightened militarisation in the North-East, and the spate of recent arrests of activists, the Tamil journalist in exile J.S. Tissainayagam, warned that the international community's deletion of 'demilitarisation' from the draft UNHRC resolution text " signals to Colombo that there will be no serious opposition to it ruling northern Sri Lanka through the military ." See full article here . Extracts reproduced below: "As the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva was discussing the clauses of its resolution on Sri Lanka, the Colombo government used troops and special laws to arrest human rights defenders (HRDs) in the northern part of the country last week. It is ironic that while the Sri Lanka Government decided to beef-up militarisation in the former warzones and arrest activists, the UNHRC agreed to delete the word “demilitarisation” from its draft resolution."
Sri Lanka’s External Affairs Minister GL Peiris said in parliament on Wednesday that Sri Lanka could have easily avoided action at the UN Human Rights Council, if it had given in to international pressure, but that they cannot give in due to “national pride”. He said that Sri Lanka would never accept an international inquiry and compromise the sovereignty of its people, and although countries like the US, the UK or blocs like the EU could impose sanctions on Sri Lanka, this was unlikely.
Photo: Tamil Guardian A new report, to be launched on Friday in London, will reveal systematic torture and sexual violence, perpetrated by Sri Lankan security forces, the author of the report Yasmin Sooka said at an event on the sidelines of the 25th session of the UN Human Rights Council. The report titled, “ An Unfinished War: torture and sexual violence in Sri Lanka ”, uses sworn affidavits from 40 victims, 20 men and 20 women, who testified their experience of abduction, torture, rape and sexual violence, majority of which occurred in 2013/14, and focuses on “white van” abductions, arbitrary detention, torture, rape and sexual violence in the post-war period.