• Human rights organisations slam report, urge world to act

    Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have slammed the LLRC report's failure to address the most serious allegations of war crimes and call upon governments to call for an international investigation.

    In a statement - 'Sri Lanka: Report Fails to Advance Accountability'- HRW stated,

    "The report of the Sri Lankan government’s Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) disregards the worst abuses by government forces, rehashes longstanding recommendations, and fails to advance accountability for victims of Sri Lanka’s civil armed conflict."

    "The LLRC report provides no realistic pathway for holding accountable military and government officials implicated in serious abuses."

    Brad Adams, HRW's Asia director said,

    “The commission’s failure to provide a road map for investigating and prosecuting wartime perpetrators shows the dire need for an independent, international commission.

    "The commission shockingly fails to call for any criminal investigations into artillery shelling of crowded areas in which tens of thousands of civilians died."

    It is clear that justice for conflict-related abuses is not going to happen within Sri Lanka’s domestic institutions,” 

    “The government has been playing for time by appointing the LLRC. That time has now run out.”

  • Rajapaksa seeks time to respond to US court summons

    Counsel for Mahinda Rajapaksa filed a motion for "enlargement of time to respond to the complaint" at the US Dictrict Court of Columbia, reported Tamilnet.

  • Sri Lanka places conditions on unblocked website

    The Supreme Court has ordered the unblocking of a website critical of the government.
    Sri Lanka Mirror was one of several websites blocked by the Sri Lankan government in recent months for propagating ‘false information’.

    The websites, including Lanka-e-news and Sri Lanka Guardian, are all highly critical of the ruling party.

  • LLRC report released - 'no intentional killings by security forces'

    The long awaited report by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) has been presented to the Sri Lankan parliament today.

    For full report click here or here.

    In its conclusion the report stated that no civilians were intentionally targeted in the No-Fire-Zones.

  • Britain deports more Tamils despite on-going torture

    Upto 50 Tamil asylum seekers in the UK are being deported to Sri Lanka on Thursday reported The Guardian newspaper.

  • Tamil civil society slam TNA's dithering leadership

    A multitude of Tamil civil society groups condemned the "deception and deviatory polity" of the TNA's leadership, in a memorandum presented to the party leader's on Tuesday, reported Tamilnet.

  • 89,000 war widows in North-East

    An organisation campaigning for women's rights in Sri Lanka has revealed there are 89,000 war widows in the north-east of the island.

    Committee member for Women for Rights, Dr. Sarojini Savithri, said 12,000 of those widows were under the age of 40.

  • Can't investigate; won't investigate

    Addressing parliament on Wednesday, Foreign Minister GL Peiris asserted Sri Lanka will not allow an international investigation into allegations of war crimes.

    The Sri Lankan government "is firmly for solving the country’s internal issues by itself,” he reiterated.

  • Human rights groups, activists and journalists discuss 'Where now'?

    Sri Lanka panel discussion hosted by Freedom from Torture from Freedom from Torture on Vimeo.

    Amnesty International, Tamils Against Genocide and the director of 'Sri Lanka's Killing Fields' documentary, Callum Macrae joined others in a discussion on 'Where now after Sri Lanka's Killing Fields' on 25th November.

    The event, organised by Freedom from Torture, the medical foundation for the care of victims of torture, who released a damning report into the widespread and ongoing practice of torture by Sri Lanka's security forces, was fully booked.

    Yolande Foster from Amnesty International, Jan Jananayagam from TAG, the shadow minister for international development, Rushanara Ali and the journalist and director, Callum Macrae were invited to share their thoughts the allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Sri Lanka, prior to the public discussion.

  • Sri Lanka thanks China for assisting war against Tamils

    China’s General Xiaotian was warmly welcomed to Sri Lanka by army chief Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya.

    General Xiaotian arrived at the army headquarters on Tuesday morning, where a guard of honour was awaiting him.

  • Army on standby to sell and distribute vegetables

    Reports have emerged that the Sri Lankan Army is ready to distribute and sell fruits and vegetables, as thousands of farmer protested against a new law requiring plastic crates to be used in their transportation.

  • Tamil protest against disappearances in Colombo

    Defying the heavy Sri Lankan security presence,Tamil civilians staged yet another protest against the ongoing disappearances and arbitary arrests of Tamil youths on Monday, in Colombo. 

    The relatives of missing Tamils shouted and carried placards demanding: "Release the prisoners of war immediately!", "Where are our missing relatives?", "Stop the discrimination of Tamils immediately!" and "Sri Lankan government, release our children!".

    One father tearfully recalled his son's abduction four years ago,

    “My son was abducted in 2007 in Jaffna. Unknown members came into my house and took our gold jewellery and motor bike and also took my son away. I have complaint to the police and human rights organisation but they haven’t taken any actions till date.

    We have no clues of his whereabouts and we are unsure if he’s still alive or not. This is causing me great agony. My wife passed away with the worries of our missing son. My other children and I are still suffering being without any knowledge of my eldest son.”

    The protest in Colombo, comes immediately after Tamils who had lost their loved ones staged a protest in Jaffna to coincide with International Human Rights Day.

    See video:

  • Resurgence of ‘white van’ abductions

    The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has called for investigations into the disappearances of two activists, who helped organise a protest in Jaffna drawing attention to the plights of missing people on the island.

    The disappearances are just the latest in a string of abductions, which have seen a marked rise in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

  • Chinese military delegation arrives in Sri Lanka
    A high-level delegation of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has arrived in Sri Lanka for talks.
    The group, led by General Hixiaotian, the Deputy Chief-of-Staff of the PLA, will meet with Army Commander and war crimes accused Jagath Jayasuriya to discuss training, exercises and further provision of military assistance to Sri Lanka.
  • Grateful subjects

    Mahinda Rajapaksa's ears must have been burning yesterday, as ministers took turns to confess their gratitude to the President during the parliamentary session.

    "We must be grateful to him" urged UPFA member VK Indika, lauding the "numerous benefits" Rajapaksa is said to have been bestowed upon the fisheries sector.

Subscribe to Tamil Affairs