Praying for impunity

The Sri Lankan government organised a series of Buddhist religious poojas across the country on Wednesday, in order to ward off a prospective resolution against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Deputy Finance Minister, said , "We have organised simultaneous 'adhistana poojas' today at most leading Buddhist temples." "We will face the international challenge with determination."

Sri Lanka will 'resist resolution'

Sri Lanka has rejected a draft resolution tabled at the UN Human Rights Council. Tamara Kunanayakam, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, criticised the move by the US. Ms Kunanayakam said that Sri Lanka is working hard to convince the Human Rights Council to vote against the resolution. "A lot of work still remains to be done to convince Council Members of the correctness of our position. It is far too early to venture a prognosis," the Ambassador said in an interview. "What, in fact, are the US trying to tell us with their draft resolution? "They are not saying that our...

UK urges Sri Lanka to “move quickly”

Speaking at in Parliament on Monday, Britain has once again reiterated its calls for speedy implementation of the LLRC reports recommendations. British Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Alistair Burt addressed the House of Commons, stating , “The UK sees a political settlement, respect for human rights and accountability for alleged war crimes as being essential elements in post-conflict reconciliation in Sri Lanka. The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), which was appointed by the Sri Lankan Government to examine events relating to...

If Sri Lanka really could be good, then why has it been so bad?

As Sri Lanka struggles to fend off a critical resolution at the UN Human Rights Commission, international pressure on Sri Lanka is coalescing on three key demands. International actors are demanding that Sri Lanka implements reforms to usher in good governance, credibly investigates and prosecutes those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity and finally meets Tamil demands for meaningful self government. While the substance of these demands is entirely reasonable and plausible, the presumption that Sri Lanka might somehow meet these expectations is not. For if Sri Lanka really was capable of such enlightened behaviour then why has its post independence history been one of relentlessly escalating ethnic antagonism and brutality, culminating in the bloodbath of May 2009? What explains the ongoing militarised repression of the Tamil speaking regions? The very need for such overt international insistence on measures that are patently necessary reveals precisely why all such pressure is futile.

UN Rapporteur criticises Sri Lanka’s national media

Speaking at the 19th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders sharply criticised Sri Lanka’s national media for campaigning against and endangering human rights defenders on the island. Addressing the session, Margaret Sekaggya stated, "Regarding other parts of the world, I have once again been alerted that should human rights defenders in Sri Lanka seek the protection of my mandate, they, their families and colleagues may be subject to reprisals. This ongoing situation, combined with smear campaigns against defenders in...

Ruling party calls for Tamil Bishop’s arrest

One of the parties of Sri Lanka’s ruling coalition has called for the prosecution of the Bishop of Mannar, Rayappu Joseph, and 30 other members of the clergy who have signed a letter critical of the government. The JHU, a Buddhist nationalist party, accused the Bishop of sympathising with Tamil separatism, for his letter that criticised the LLRC and called on the UN Human Rights Commission to pass a resolution to put pressure on Sri Lanka. The letter reveals a growing rift along ethnic lines within the Catholic clergy on the island. "At least now, we urge the Council to act decisively in...

Tamil NGO delegates intimidated at UN Human Rights Council

Tamil NGO delegates were subject to intimidation tactics by members of the Sri Lankan delegation reported the news agency, Agence France-Presse (AFP) , on Thursday. Delegates were targeted with photography and video inside the main plenary room at the UN, and during side line event hosted by Sri Lanka. A formal complaint has been lodged with security officers, AFP reported. A Tamil delegation, including members of the British Tamil Forum (BTF), Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC), Tamil Youth Organisation UK (TYO UK) and US Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC) were attending the 19th session of...

MSF confirm denial of access to war zone

Médecins Sans Frontières have refuted comments made by Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa that the organisation was allowed access in the final war zone in 2009, stating that despite repeated reuqests, access was denied. Following comments made by the Defence Secretary to the Deccan Chronicle , MSF stated that in September 2008 they were issued a government directive asking them and other international organisations to leave Kilinochchi. They went on to state, "Permission was sought from numerous ministries, including the Ministries of Health as well as Defense, but at no point...

UN panel of experts urge UNHRC to take action

Writing in the New York Times, the panel of experts appointed by the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon to examine the final stages of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka - Marzuki Darusman, the former attorney-general of Indonesia, Steven Ratner, a professor of law at the University of Michigan, and Yasmin Sooka, the executive director of the Foundation for Human Rights in South Africa - urged the 19th session of the UN Human Rights Council to ensure that "Sri Lanka fulfills its responsibilities to all its people and to the rest of the world". See here for text in full, extracts reproduced below...

Canadian Lawyers' rights NGO urges action at UNHRC

Addressing the 19th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada (LRWC), an NGO that advocates the rights of human rights activists internationally, highlighted Sri Lanka's failure to make meaningful progress on peace and reconciliation, whilst increasing its intimidation and harrassment of those campaigning for human rights. See here for full statement, including LRWC's concerns regarding the situation in Syria. Extracts reproduced below: "Since winning the war in 2009, Sri Lanka has failed in attaining peace ." " Sri Lanka has enjoyed the support of this Council. Sri...

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