• Ruki Fernando and Father Praveen released

    Mar 18

    Two of the three activists detained in Kilinochchi, Ruki Fernando and Father Praveen were reportedly released late last night.

    Whilst government reports have alleged the two were released on bail, the prominent Sri Lankan human rights activist, Ruki Fernando accused the government of spreading false information in order to prevent them from traveling abroad.

    Speaking to the Uthayan on his release, Mr. Fernando said,

    "Although we were released unconditionally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims we are released on bail. This is false information. The Foreign Affairs Ministry released such info to prevent us from traveling abroad and telling the truth. Although we are released, a veiled threat continues against us."

  • US Senate Foreign Relations Chair calls for international investigation in Sri Lanka
    The Chair of the US Senate Foreign Relations called for an international investigation into crimes committed during the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.

    In a letter addressed to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, dated March 19th, Chairman Sen. Menendez said that he wished to "express my support for a resolution at the current session of the UN Human Rights Council that includes an international investigation in Sri Lanka for crimes committed during that country's civil war."

    Stating that the Sri Lankan government's efforts to address these issues had "proven inadequate to date", Sen. Menendez said, "a more active and urgent response by the international community" was required.

    "We must be united in our message to the government of Sri Lanka: the international community will remain vigilant until we see concrete and credible accountability and genuine political reconciliation," he wrote.

    Highlighting the "deteriorating environment for the democratic process and human rights in Sri Lanka", he said that the North was particularly acutely affected.

    See full letter here. Extracts reproduced below:
  • Residents report being forced out by govt officials - Puthukudiyiruppu
    Residents in Puthukudiyiruppu have reported being forced out out of their homes by local government land officials, whom locals say carried fake deeds and documents of ownership.

    Speaking to the Uthayan, residents said that officers arrived instructing them to vacate, stating "these lands do not belong to you".
  • 24 global South civil society orgs urge stronger resolution with international investigative mechanism
    A coalition of 24 civil society organisations from the global South, including Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand and Uganda, called on the UN Human Rights Council to strengthen the current draft text of the a resolution on Sri Lanka, by including "adequate provisions for the establishment of an independent international investigative mechanism."

    In an open letter to the Council dated March 19th, civil society groups called on states in South America, Africa and Asia, to support the establishment of such a mechanism, stating,
    "From our experience we know that no amount of time will allow truth, justice and accountability to be established domestically so long as rule of law is subverted and an environment of human rights abuse and impunity prevails. In such circumstances, pursuant to its mandate to address violations of human rights, including gross and systematic violations, the Council must lose no time in instituting an international mechanism to independently investigate allegations of serious violations in Sri Lanka."

  • Urgency of international investigation discussed at HRC event on Sri Lanka

     

     Picture: Tamil Guardian

    A side-event at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva saw first-hand testimony from Dr Varatharajah Thurairajah, one of the doctors active in the No Fire Zone, in the last phase of the armed conflict.

    The event, moderated by Julie de Rivero of Human Rights Watch, had Dr Varatharajah, the director of the No Fire Zone movie Callum Macrae, Edward Santow of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and Charu Lata Hogg of Child Soldiers International.

    Callum Macrae presented a short extract of the No Fire Zone movie, which included footage of Dr Varatharajah in the aftermath of attacks on hospitals in 2009.

    Varatharajah detailed the incidents of government attacks on the hospital, which intensified once coordinates were passed to the government through the Red Cross. The doctor said that they were then scared to pass on GPS coordinates to the Red Cross as the shells landed very soon after the details were passed on.

  • 9 bodies found in Mullaitivu identified
    The nine bodies, found wrapped in plastic sheets last month, have been identified by relatives of the deceased, as belonging to three families from Poonakari.

    According to the Uthayan, identity cards found with the bodies, together with information from relatives have identified the bodies as that of Thiruchelvam Rameswaran from Korakkattu, Paranthan and his wife Rameswaran Kousalya; their relatives from Selvapuram Poonakari: Kanthasami Pavalarani and her children Kasthuri and Rajeevganth, as well as members of another family: Thuraiyappa Pooranalingam, his wife Pooranalingam Pusbavathi, and their daughter Kalavathani, Menaka and Gajeepan.

  • Video emerges of beating, humiliation of SL Army female recruits
    A video has emerged depicting male Sri Lankan army soldiers beating and humiliating female recruits.

    The video, which appears to be filmed by one of the soldiers, shows female soldiers beaten repeatedly with a stick by a male soldier whilst being forced to crawl on the ground.


  • Sri Lanka Navy arrests 75 Tamil Nadu fishermen
    The Sri Lankan Navy arrested 75 along with 18 vessels on Wednesday, reports Colombo Page.

    The arrest comes days after the Navy released over 140 Tamil Nadu fishermen.
  • Army steps up recruitment in Jaffna district, reports of coercion
    The Sri Lankan Army has stepped up its recruitment of Tamil men in Jaffna district over recent days, in what has been described as coercion, reported the Uthayan.

    Whilst the Army claims all recruitment was voluntary, according to the Uthayan, a number of Tamils youths reported being forced to sign forms or being offered significant financial incentives.
  • Army: will not allow reemergence of LTTE as Tamil diaspora wants
    Sri Lanka's Army Commander in Jaffna, Major General Udaya Perera, said that the government and its security forces would not allow the reemergence of the LTTE as the Tamil diaspora wants, reports Daily Mirror.

    Making these comments to the Canadian High Commissioner Shelley Whiting, Major General Perera added,
  • Navi Pillay, UNHRC, other foreign ministers 'biased' - Sri Lanka's GL. Peiris
    Sri Lanka's Minister for External Affairs, GL Peiris accused the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights of being "biased", and that she "will not approach the inquiry with an open mind", reports the Daily Mirror.

    Speaking at an event organised by the National Intellectual Council, Mr. Peiris accused 'powerful nations' of 'behaving as if there were two governments in Sri Lanka'.

    “One government of Sri Lanka convenes at the parliament in Jayawardenapura while the other operates in Geneva," he explained, adding, "these forced interventions into Sri Lanka’s internal processes are a violation of the constitution as well."

  • 34y man abducted by white van in Puthukudiyiruppu - Uthayan
    13:32 GMT

    A man has been abducted in Puthukudiyirippu, Mullaitivu district, in a 'white van' incident, reports Uthayan.

    According to the Jaffna based daily, Mayilvakanam Yaseekaran, a 34 year old disabled man who worked in a bakery, was abducted at 12:30pm on Tuesday.

    The abduction comes amidst a number of arrests of prominent activists in Kilinochchi over recent days and house to house search operations by armed Sri Lankan troops.

  • Sri Lanka rejects international concerns over activists arrests, accuses Ananthy Sasitharan of 'affinity to LTTE cause'
    13:52 GMT, last updated 14:05 GMT

    In a statement issued yesterday by the Sri Lanka's Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva, the government rejected international concerns over the detention of three activists - Balendran Jeyakumari, Ruki Fernando and Father Praveen, as well as Ms. Jeyakumari's 13 year old daughter, Vipoosika.

    Reiterating its claims that the detained activists were detained over suspicions that they were working with individuals allegedly associated with the LTTE, the Sri Lankan government drew particular attention to the statements made by the NPC Councillor Ananthy Sasitharan, at the UN Human Rights Council.

    Accusing Ms. Sasitharan of "misrepresenting" fact, the government alleged that her statements made to the UNHRC "demonstrate affinity with the cause of the LTTE".

  • NGOs slam Sri Lanka over arrests, impunity and genocide at UNHRC General Debate
    16:16 CET, second lead 19:28 CET - further details

    Addressing the UN Human Rights Council's General Debate currently underway, an unprecedented number of NGOs condemned what they described as the past and on-going genocide of Tamils by the Sri Lankan state, which included disappearances, sexual violence and murder.

    Pointing to the recent arrests of activists, NGOs called for the immediate release of      Balendran Jeyakumari, Ruki Fernando, and Father Praveen Mahesan detained in Kilinochchi by Sri Lankan security forces.

    Follow @TamilGuardian for live coverage.

  • Sri Lanka is a genocidal state, it cannot conduct an inquiry itself - Ananthy Sasitharan tells UNHRC
    17:29 CET

    Photograph Tamil Guardian


    The Northern Province Councillor, Ananthy Sasitharan, a    ddressed the UNHRC General Debate, under two NGOs today, calling for an international investigation into the past, and on-going genocide taking place against the Tamil people, by the Sri Lankan state.

    "The Sri Lankan state is incapable of investigating itself, it's a genocidal state, it cannot conduct an inquiry itself. " said Ms. Sasitharan.
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