 Senator Rhiannon being detained by SL officials. Photo:Tamil Mirror |
Australian Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon was detained by Sri Lankan authorities after speaking out against sexual abuse and land confiscation by state authorities on the island, on her return to Colombo from the Tamil North-East.
Rhiannon and New Zealand MP Jan Logie had their passports taken from them on their return to the Southern capital where they were due to board a flight leaving the island. Before their departure they had released a statement, saying,
''If CHOGM goes ahead and if Sri Lanka is given the Chair of this organisation the Commonwealth will have failed the people of Sri Lanka and damaged its own high standing with the international community''.In particular the statement highlighted sexual violence noting that,
“Large numbers of women regularly suffer sexual abuse perpetrated by members of the Sri Lankan armed forces. One lawyer described to us the evidence collected about these crimes. In one case they have text messages from Major General Mahinda Hathurusingha to the 'comfort women' he frequently abuses.''Major General Mahinda Hathurusingha is currently the Commander Security Forces Head Quarters – Jaffna.
The statement added,
“We visited areas where the army is occupying people's land. The homes of the displaced people are now tin shacks serviced by dirt pot holed roads. Many people have been living like this for more than two decades.''See the full statement here.
After 3 hours of detention, the two were released and allowed to return home. Rhiannon commented,
"These people who we were with me when we were detained by immigration officials, they were very fearful, very distressed. They were uncertain about what would happen to them."
“This excessive response from the government of Sri Lanka is just further evidence why the country should not have been awarded the right to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, and the chair of CHOGM for two years.''
“Our detention highlights the Sri Lankan government is unwilling to allow a free exchange of ideas.”Read the full report from the Sydney Morning Herald here.