US rights report adds to Colombo's woes over war-crime accusations
[Mar 13, 2010, 08:57], [TN]
The "2009 Human Rights Report" on Sri Lanka released by the United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, criticized the Sri Lanka Government, paramilitaries working with the Government, and the Liberation Tigers for gross human rights violations. On torture, the report said, "reports of secret government facilities where suspected LTTE sympathizers were taken, tortured, and often killed." The report adds fuel to the recent accusations by high-level officials of the United Nations that Sri Lanka is balking on investigating allegations of war-crimes, and calling for an international investigations.
Noting that "[o]utside of the conflict zone, the overwhelming majority of victims of human rights violations, such as extrajudicial killings and disappearances, were young male Tamils," the report said, "observers linked the government closely to paramilitary groups believed responsible for serious human rights violations."
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Internet restrictions curtail human rights, says US
[Mar 13, 2010, 04:02], [BBC]
Many governments have used the internet to curtail freedom of expression at home, the US state department says in its latest annual human rights report.
In many cases new forms of electronic communications are restricted to control domestic dissent, it says.
The wide-ranging report also highlights continuing human rights violations in China against the Uighurs and extra-judicial killings in North Korea.
Iran, Sri Lanka, Burma and Switzerland also come in for criticism.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described the annual country reports - legally required by Congress - as "an important tool in the development of practical and effective human rights strategy by the United States government".
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TNA releases election manifesto
[Mar 13, 2010, 04:01], [TN]
Federal solution based on shared sovereignty and right to self-determination in a contiguous north and east of Sri Lanka was the highlight of the TNA manifesto released Friday. While irreversibly committing on federal solution, the manifesto is ambiguous on the nature of the sovereignty of Eezham Tamils and their right to self determination, said Tamil political circles in their immediate responses. The term shared sovereignty is used to describe structures such as the European Union as well as federal structures with or without the right to secession. The manifesto refrains from either asserting to Tamils exercising their right to self determination to decide the national question in an internationally monitored arrangement or including the unavoidable diaspora in the political process of reaching a solution, the political circles commented further.
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Tamil Refugee Suicidal After Police Attempts Rape in TN
[Mar 13, 2010, 04:00], [Outlook India]
The Madras High Court has directed a Judicial Magistrate to record a fresh statement of a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee, admitted to hospital in a serious condition after trying to commit suicide following an alleged attempt recently by police to rape her.
"The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Karur, is directed to record a statement under section 164 Cr.PC from Padmadevi", Justice C T Selvam said in his order on a petition filed by M Pari, an advocate and social rights activist seeking a direction for recording a fresh statement from the victim.
Observing that if the allegations of police atrocities were true, 'the matter would be of serious concern'. The Judge, however, made it clear that the order permitting recording of a fresh statement would not in any manner prejudice the rights of any persons, who may be subsequently arraigned as accused.
He said 'though the Assistant Public Prosecutor objected to the very maintainability of the petition on the ground that the affidavit is filed by an advocate and on the strength of information gathered from another advocate, this court is of the view that technicalities should not stand in the way of considering the petition.'
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UNHCR refugee guidelines could deny asylum claims in Australia
[Mar 13, 2010, 03:59], [heraldsun.com.au]
THE United Nations is reviewing its refugee guidelines for Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in a move that could see the Federal Government deny protection claims for the majority of asylum seekers heading to Australia.
As authorities confirmed a second boat of asylum seekers had been rescued off Australia's northwest coast in less than 24 hours, it emerged the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) was "actively reviewing" its assessment of the two war-torn countries.
Navy personnel boarded a boat carrying eight passengers and four crew about 10pm (AEDT) last night, about 370 kilometres west of the Tiwi Islands. The boat - the 23rd illegal entry vessel intercepted in Australian waters this year - was initially sighted by air before HMAS Glenelg was called in.
HMAS Glenelg rescued another boat carrying 24 asylum seekers and three crew about 220km northwest of the Tiwi Islands yesterday morning.
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Tamils say lives at risk if sent home
[Mar 13, 2010, 03:58], [ABC]
Tamil groups say the Australian Government is putting lives at risk by starting to send some asylum seekers back to Sri Lanka.
The Government says three Tamils were recently sent home and another 38 may be returned shortly as the situation improves following the end of the civil war last year.
The decision has been made ahead of new refugee guidelines from the United Nations, which are expected to reflect the improvements in Sri Lanka.
But Dr Victor Rajakulendran from the Australasian Federation of Tamil Associations says the Tamils are likely to be arrested as soon as they return home.
"Even the opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka is under arrest and under investigation and all kinds of things are happening even for the powerful people like that," he said.
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Thanks For Your Concerns Canada But Sri Lanka Is A Sovereignity With Compassionate Intelligent Administrators!
[Mar 13, 2010, 03:56], [Lanka Web]
Is this another surge of concern and sympathy by the Canadian Administration about Sri Lankan Tamils and their needs, lending credence to behind the scene lobbying by the Tamil separatist idealogists amongst others? one might ask! It was assumed to a greater part that the Harper Administration would not be misled by the Tamil Lobby in Canada and hopefully it isnt!
Does Canada not give any credibility to what the world is seeing visibly as a genuine effort by the Rajapaksha Administration to attend to the needs of Sri Lankan Tamils or is Canada deliberately attempting to bypass this in order to appease the screeches and hoots of some Canadian Tamils inasmuch as previous administrations did in order to hold onto captive votes in various constituencies where Tamil votes were considered important towards retainig certain parliamentary seats relative to power in Ottawa!
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'Harassed' by cops, Lankan woman attempts suicide
[Mar 13, 2010, 03:54], [TOI]
Shantidevi (name changed), a Sri Lankan refugee, committed self-immolation after a S-I allegedly outraged her modesty inside the police station in Karur on March 7.
She is battling for her life in a government hospital. The 27-year-old was staying in a refugee camp near Chennai.
According to lawyers, police tried to prevent her from giving a "dying declaration" to a magistrate, and that what had been recorded was a watered down version obtained under duress and coercion.
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Australian Immigration Minister Chris Evans says the government is sending more Tamil asylum seekers back to their country as the situation improves in Sri Lanka.
[Mar 12, 2010, 18:16], [radioaustralianews]
Australian Immigration Minister Chris Evans says the government is sending more Tamil asylum seekers back to their country as the situation improves in Sri Lanka.
The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) is looking at changing its international protection guidelines for Sri Lankan and Afghan asylum seekers as those countries become safer.
The changes would pave the way for more detainees in Australia's Christmas Island holding camps to be returned to their country.
Senator Evans says conditions in Sri Lanka are more positive.
He said: "What we will do is look at both the UN information but also other information.
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India and China to Finance New Infrastructure in Sri Lanka
[Mar 12, 2010, 18:13], [2point6billion.com]
Mar. 12 – The governments of India and China plan to loan more than US$400 million to develop infrastructure on the South Asian island of Sri Lanka in separate deals inked over the past week.
Sri Lanka’s government signed a US$290 million deal with China to construct the Mattala Airport and upgrade the Sri Lankan Railway in the country’s Southern Province. Upon completion, the airport will become one of only two operational international airports in the country. The Chinese lending arm, Export-Import Bank, is also helping to construct a modern sea port in Hambantota.
China has been the island nation’s largest source of foreign funding in recent years, contributing US$1.2 billion in 2009. Sri Lankan officials said last week that funding from China accounts for more than half of the country’s construction and development loans.
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Canada asks Sri Lanka to start talks with Tamil groups
[Mar 12, 2010, 17:05], [IE]
Canada has asked Sri Lanka to start talks and the reconciliation process with the Tamil groups, saying such a step is crucial for lasting peace in the country.
"After 30 years of war, reconciliation is crucial for lasting peace in Sri Lanka. Canada awaits to see what steps the Government of Sri Lanka will take towards this reconciliation," Deepak Obhrai, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, told Sri Lanka's new High Commissioner Chitranganee Wagiswara during a meeting.
"Canada urges the government of Sri Lanka for an early safe return and resettlement of the approximately 100,000 individuals who remain displaced," Obhrai said.
He said: "Canada is encouraged by the return of close to 160,000 internally displaced persons to their homes."
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Internet restrictions curtail human rights, says US
[Mar 12, 2010, 07:39], [BBC]
Many governments have used the internet to curtail freedom of expression at home, the US state department says in its latest annual human rights report.
In many cases new forms of electronic communications are restricted to control domestic dissent, it says.
The wide-ranging report also highlights continuing human rights violations in China against the Uighurs and extra-judicial killings in North Korea.
Iran, Sri Lanka, Burma and Switzerland also come in for criticism.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described the annual country reports - legally required by Congress - as "an important tool in the development of practical and effective human rights strategy by the United States government".
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Sri Lanka urged to end witch hunt against the media and NGOs
[Mar 12, 2010, 07:37], [AI]
The Sri Lankan government should end its harassment of journalists and activists and take steps against those making threats, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said in a joint statement.
Since the January 2010 presidential election, the government has engaged in a campaign to silence and discredit journalists and nongovernmental organizations. A recently leaked document, which appears to be a government surveillance list of more than 30 journalists and activists, significantly raises concerns about the safety of the people on the list, the organizations said.
â??The Sri Lankan government is conducting a carefully coordinated witch hunt aimed at discrediting critics of the government,â?? said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. â??This is extremely dangerous and irresponsible in a country where journalists and activists have often been threatened and killed.â??
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US reports rights violations in Sri Lanka
[Mar 12, 2010, 07:25], [Sfy.com]
Sri Lanka violated human rights last year as it dealt a final blow to Tamil Tiger insurgents and clamped down on media freedom, the US State Department said Thursday.
But in an annual report, the State Department also reported some signs of progress since May when Sri Lankan forces defeated the Tigers who had waged a 37-year war for a separate Tamil homeland.
"The government's respect for human rights declined as armed conflict reached its conclusion," the State Department said.
It said that young Tamil men accounted for an "overwhelming majority" of victims of human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, even though Tamils only make up some 16 percent of the population.
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US slams rights abuses in China, Iran
[Mar 12, 2010, 07:22], [The Age]
The United States has accused China and Iran of increasing human rights abuses as it raised the alarm about growing anti-Semitism worldwide and discrimination against Muslims in Europe.
In its annual report on human rights for 194 countries, the US State Department also denounced North Korea's "deplorable" record, "egregious" abuses in Burma as well as "numerous and serious" violations in Cuba.
In China, the report said, the authorities continued the repression of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, the western region where China's Han majority engaged last year in deadly clashes with local Uighurs.
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