ASIA: Sri Lanka at the brink
[Apr 8, 2008, 16:25], [News Weekly]
In the first eight months of 2007, an estimated 1,212 Tamils were murdered or disappeared, according to the Sri Lanka-based Law and Society Trust, which reports that Tamils to have been "overwhelmingly affected". Of these victims, 23 were aid and church workers, eight worked with the media, and 68 were children. Most of the abuses occurred in Jaffna, the historic capital of the Tamil region, which is now "occupied" by over 50,000 Sri Lankan troops. Many of the reported abuses have occurred within "high security zones" under the control of those troops. The International Crisis Group has accused "the army" (of Sri Lanka) of being "engaged in a deliberate policy of extra-judicial killings and abductions of Tamils considered part of LTTE's civilian support network", but also of "often victimising civilians with no connection to the LTTE". The government could, if it chose, bomb the Tamil north-east with impunity. But the Tigers are well entrenched, and it is the civilians who will suffer greatly. Young Sri Lankan troops will inevitably suffer severe casualties should they approach the Tamils' fortified positions. But worse will follow for the Sinhalese population of the south if the Tigers are forced from those lairs to take the war to Colombo. As Israel is determined to fight to survive, so will the Tamil nation. To prevent further bloodshed, the West should use its strength to broker some form of federal accommodation for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority before it is too late.
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War Clouds in Sri Lanka
[Apr 3, 2008, 17:03], [World Sikh News]
General Sundarji, the Indian Commander-in-chief visited Jaffna. He was a Tamil from South India. He made a fatal underestimation, and on his recommendation the IPKF attacked the LTTE, hoping to complete the operation in 72 hours. The offensive was named Operation Pawan. It turned out to be a failure and the fighting dragged on with losses to both Indians and Tamils. Had the Sri Lankan and the Indian governments taken the Tamil fighters into confidence, the situation could have been different and a solution within reach.
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Terror suspect or a prisoner of conscience?
[Apr 1, 2008, 16:10], [Khaleej Times Online]
MY friend Jayaprakash Tissainayagam is in detention. A senior journalist and Tamil, he was arrested on March 7 by the Terrorism Investigations Department (TID) and he does not know why he is being detained. Tissa never condoned terrorism or separatism. Neither do his writings exhort Tamils to take to violence. He only spoke and wrote with the intention of making the Tamils equal citizens of this country. The issue at stake is not only Tissa’s detention but also the hallowed concept of freedom of expression, which is an essential ingredient in a vibrant democracy. If ours is a true democracy, anyone should be able to say that Tamil people have the right to self determination. With emergency laws in force, friends and lawyers can do very little. On the one hand, we admit that the police, which were facing the daunting task of eliminating terrorism from this country, have every right to question him. On the other, we know there are more bad cops than good cops in the police.
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U.N. Human Rights Chief Louise Arbour Announces Resignation
[Mar 28, 2008, 18:11], [Black Information Link]
But she told a small group of reporters that she wanted to spend time with her family after constant travel and long hours. She acknowledged that she found much of the criticism hurtful, but she said she was not quitting because of it. "I tend to distinguish between criticisms that have a certain validity to them, especially those expressed in good faith, and those that often don't have much merit," she said, adding that she was not being forced out. "The criticism she receives is a tribute to the good work that she's been doing," said Amnesty International spokesman Peter Splinter.
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Tamils slam human rights violations in Sri Lanka
[Mar 23, 2008, 21:12], [The Times - SA]
More than 300 people protested outside the Indian consulate in Durban this week over ethnic violence and human rights violations in Sri Lanka. Members of the Tamil Co-ordinating Committee of SA (TCC) voiced their opposition to violence between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). They also called on the Indian government to stop military aid to the Sri Lankan government. TCC convener Richard Govender said the organisation handed a memorandum listing their concerns about “gross human right violations suffered by Tamils in Sri Lanka” to the SA Human Rights Commission’s Jody Kollapen.
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UN: Civilians at risk in Sri Lanka
[Mar 20, 2008, 20:42], [Al Jazeera]
As fighting intensifies in northern Sri Lanka, the UN and advocacy groups say there is grave concern for the state of human rights in the war-torn country. A US State Department report issued on March 11 said that in 2007, "The government's respect for human rights continued to decline." It then cited "numerous reports" that the army, police, and pro-government paramilitary groups had "participated in armed attacks against civilians and practiced torture, kidnapping, hostage-taking, and extortion with impunity." As Bhavani Fonseka of the Colombo based think-tank, the Centre for Policy Alternatives, told Al Jazeera: "There is a growing culture of impunity here, as we haven't had any convictions of serious human rights violators, not for killings or abductions."
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Sri Lanka: ICRC deplores misleading public use of its confidential findings on disappearances
[Mar 19, 2008, 13:37], [ICRC]
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) strongly objects to misleading public references to its confidential findings on disappearances that were included in a recent statement by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ICRC deplores the publication and sharing of confidential reports submitted exclusively to the Sri Lankan authorities, and the Foreign Ministry's misrepresentation of its overall findings and its dialogue with the government. "Extra-judicial killings and disappearances are part of a terrible pattern of abuse in Sri Lanka, which must be stopped," said Jacques de Maio, the ICRC's head of operations for South Asia. "The ICRC strives to bring this about through its confidential and direct dialogue with the authorities concerned. For this reason, we prefer not to enter into a public debate on the number of disappearances in Sri Lanka."
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Socialists across the world declare solidarity with Sri Lanka's Tamils
[Mar 17, 2008, 21:49], [Workers' Liberty]
We have a collective duty of solidarity with peoples subjugated by oppressive regimes. That is why we defend the just cause of the Tamil people and demand justice and peace for them in their homeland where they have lived for centuries. The permanent risk to human life and the absence of productive life are condemning hundreds of thousands of Tamils to be refugees in their own homeland, without shelter, suffering from shortages of food, fuel, medical supplies and electricity. This brings untold suffering to the sick and needy, especially affecting women and children. Since 1974 our comrades of the NSSP/Left Front have been campaigning for the recognition of the Tamil nationality, autonomy for their homeland and their right to self-determination. This constitutes the basis for the resolution of the chronic and deteriorating conflict in Sri Lanka. In the present crucial moment we appeal to left and progressive organisations, trade unions, intellectuals and the progressive media all over the world to give their support to a solution based on the recognition of Tamil nationhood, their homeland, autonomy and the right to self-determination.
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Sri Lanka's recurring fever
[Mar 17, 2008, 08:38], [Boston Globe - Editorial]
Asian powers China and India, competing for influence in Sri Lanka, do not help its government by withholding criticism. At bottom, Sri Lanka's conflict is political, and it must be resolved by political means. A lasting solution will require that the central government grant meaningful self-rule to the Tamil region, perhaps in a confederal structure that maintains the unity of the country. Continuing attempts to resolve the conflict militarily can only produce more suffering and more war.
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Same, Same
[Mar 15, 2008, 14:47], [Tamil Guardian Editorial]
In the past few weeks Sri Lanka has come in for considerable criticism for the widespread human rights abuses by its security forces. Human Rights Watch published a detailed attack on the campaign of 'disappearances' being conducted against the Tamils (mainly). The United States’ State Department published its 2007 Country report slamming the government of President Mahinda Rajapakse for a range of ongoing abuses. The international panel observing Sri Lanka's 'investigations' into a select handful of extra-judicial killings stormed off, protesting obstruction by the government. Over the past two years, numerous Tamil actors have taken up the plight of their people with the international community, especially the Western states. Yet there has been no substantive effort to crack down on the Sri Lankan state.
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Tendulkar and Praveen inspire India to series triumph
[Mar 4, 2008, 14:23], [Crickinfo]
In the final installment of its 29-year existence, a series that has become a nostalgic part of Australia's summer culture came to a climactic end with a fitting humdinger at the Gabba.
Twenty three years on from India's last significant limited-overs title in Australia, Sachin Tendulkar helped script another memorable chapter with an innings of skill and determination. There was to be no repeat of his twin centuries against Australia in 1998, but his 91 set up a total which, backed by Praveen Kumar's subtle-swinging accuracy, proved nine runs too much for Australia.
In a game that ebbed and flowed wonderfully
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Opinion: Tamil victims in Sri Lanka
[Feb 25, 2008, 21:44], [The Washington Times ]
The Tamil struggle for independence is not driven by ideologies, nor it is about re-establishing past glories. On the contrary, it is about survival. Whether the ambassador admits it or not, there is ample evidence why the Tamils cannot continue to coexist with the Sinhalese. No one in his right mind could expect Tamils to remain sitting ducks at the mercy of the Sri Lankan state. Secession was the last resort for Tamils and the reasons only become stronger by the day.
Living Proof
[Feb 22, 2008, 18:24], [Tamil Guardian]
Kosovo's declaration of independence on Sunday and the ensuing international recognition from many powerful states is a powerful shot in the arm to peoples resisting and seeking independence from tyrannical regimes everywhere. Whilst every situation and every circumstance is unique, there are important lessons from the Kosovan march to independence for liberation struggles everywhere. These include the oft denied but evident brittleness of 'sovereignty' and the necessity amongst those struggling for freedom for unity, clarity of purpose and indomitable resilience against their oppressors' worst excesses. All of these played a part in the Kosovars' final victory on Sunday.
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The independence of Kosovo will bring an old Balkan story full circle
[Feb 16, 2008, 07:13], [BBC]
The independence of Kosovo will bring an old Balkan story full circle.
This is where the bloody disintegration of Yugoslavia began.
A few miles from here, 19 years ago, the then Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic addressed a million-strong rally of Serbs and told them they faced genocidal enemies on all sides.
He led them into wars in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo. Serbian public opinion walked hand in hand with him.
Bearded men in World War II uniforms unfurled strange new maps promising a new Serbia that stretched to the glittering Adriatic.
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Flag’s terrorism links under question
[Feb 7, 2008, 18:35], [Excalibur - York University]
The York University Tamil Students’ Association (YUTSA) has passed a motion to use the Tamil Eelam flag to represent the organization in the future and during the university’s Multicultural Week. “We have checked with our legal advisors and security services and found that the flag is not illegal to fly [ . . . ] You can even fly a Tamil Tigers flag and it [would] not be illegal.”
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