19:12 GMT Unconfirmed reports suggest that two of the recently detained human rights activists, Ruki Fernando and Father Praveen, are due to be released by the Sri Lankan magistrate. The fate of Balendran Jeyakumari, who was moved to the Boosa detention centre, remains unclear. Ms. Jeyakumari's daughter, Vipoosika, is detained in a child facility according to Sri Lankan authorities.
19:24 GMT A Tamil woman who was recruited into the Sri Lankan Army has reported repeated instances of sexual assault against her and other Tamil women by army officials. According to the Uthayan , the 23 year old victim said she was forced to have sexual intercourse with over 10 high ranking officials in the army, as well as other soldiers in lower ranks. Outlining her ordeal she said that she, along side a number of other Tamil women, were forced to fulfill the sexual demands of higher ranking officials at night. Women who fell pregnant were taken to hospital for an abortion. Women who refused were attacked said the young woman, adding that one Tamil woman who tried to escape was later caught and tortured, before she was disappeared. These allegations are the latest in a string of reports of sexual assault against Tamil women recruited into the army.
The British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, writing in the Hindu this week, urged the international community to support a resolution on Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council that looks to establish an international mechanism to address violations of international law and establish true reconciliation in Sri Lanka. Opinion reproduced below.
Photos courtesy: Tamil Mirror ‘An International Women’s Day (IWD) Celebration & Conference’ was held in Toronto earlier this month, highlighting the various achievements of women globally and examining the social and economic issues faced by Tamil women in the North-East and the diaspora.
The third week of the UN Human Rights Council's 25th session begins today with palpable sense of renewed impetus towards the need for concrete action. The second draft of the resolution calling for accountability in Sri Lanka has evidently been strengthened. The High Commissioner's office is called upon to establish a stand alone investigative mechanism. The strengthening of the text is without doubt welcome however ambiguity remains around the core issue of an international investigation into mass wartime atrocities. As the continued calls from international and Tamil voices for a Commission of Inquiry highlight, questions remain over the nature and scope of the investigation envisaged in this latest text - will it have the necessary mandate, sufficient resources and right direction to go beyond mere fact-finding but gather evidence towards a judicial process and prosecutions.
A new interactive map reveals the extent of militarisation and Sinhalisation across the North-East, providing details of military installations, Sinhala colonisation and Buddhist Viharas. See here . Launched by the US based Tamil rights group, USTPAC, the map remained yet to reach full completion due to the on-going campaign of intimidation and terror by military, map developers told Tamil Guardian.
Two activists, Father Praveen the Director of the Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, and the Sri Lankan human rights campaigner, Ruki Fernando, detained yesterday in Kilinochchi were detained by officials from the Terrorism Investigation Department (TID), Human Rights Lawyer S. Ratnavale told BBC Tamil. Mr. Ratnavale said, "According to reports that we have received they were reportedly not arrested for their work, however, they are being interrogated. This is likely to be connected to the incident that happened yesterday [Thursday] - the arrest of a mother and daughter [Balendran Jeyakumari and Vipoosika]."
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Jaffna has called for the early release of Rev. Fr. Praveen Mahesan and the Sri Lankan human rights activist Ruki Fernando, who were detained by TID officers on Sunday evening in Kilinochchi. In a statement released Monday, the Jaffna Diocesan Laity Council said, "We understand that this priest and Ruki were involved in mercifully investigating into the circumstances surrounding the plight of that defenceless mother and child. As a further threat to such HR Defenders these two too have now been arrested and detained.
The US government said with the recent spate of arrests of activists by Sri Lankan security forces " we remain convinced that continued scrutiny by the Human Rights Council is necessary " in a statement issued today. The statement follows the detention of the prominent disappearances campaigner Balendran Jeyakumari and her 13 year old daughter last Thursday, followed by the detention of Father Praveen and the Sri Lankan human rights activist Ruki Fernando on Sunday evening.
The Sri Lankan Minister, Wimal Weerawansa, accused the Bishop of Mannar, retired Rev. Rayappu Joseph of trying to 'destabilise the country by siding with Western forces'. Speaking to a Sri Lankan daily, MP Weerawansa said , "He has said that the Tamils are being maltreated by the Sinhala majority. This is the current mission that he is tasked with. The UNHRC is hurling accusations at the government stating that human rights violations have occurred and that the Tamil women in the North are being abused by the Army. "