Action Alert ArchiveLetter campaign regarding American Red Cross tsunami fundsPlease participate in the letter campaign by personalizing the following letter with your Congress person's name and your name and sending it. January 3, 2007 Dear [Member of Senate/Congress]: I am writing to you with grave concern regarding the unspent American Red Cross tsunami funds and the impact it has on the thousands of civilians living in the Tamil homeland of Northeast Sri Lanka, who are still living in temporary shelters after their homes were destroyed by the tsunami two years ago. It is my understanding that of the $575 million dollars donated by Americans to the American Red Cross, there remains nearly $400 million unspent. If the money is not spent by December 26, 2006, it may be transferred to the American Red Cross general funds. This could be an appalling misuse of funds, considering that none of these funds have reached civilians in NorthEast Sri Lanka. On December 5, the American Red Cross announced it would contribute $10 million toward housing reconstruction that will benefit 3,000 families affected by the tsunami in Sri Lanka. It is worth asking, of the $10 million designated for these families was any of this money spent in the affected areas in NorthEast Sri Lanka? Only one location was mentioned by the American Red Cross in its latest announcement of this project, and that location is in Sri Lanka's South, Walahanduwa, which is near the port city of Galle. I would also like to remind you of additional international aid that has already been denied by the Government of Sri Lanka to Northeast Sri Lanka, the Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS). Of the half a million civilians displaced by the tsunami, the majority of them are living in NorthEast Sri Lanka, and still residing in temporary shelters. The temporary shelters were built specifically for periods of six months or less and are unable to sustain the prolonged inhabitance of civilians. The living conditions have created serious health risks. I kindly and urgently request you to: (1) highlight the issue of unspent American Red Cross tsunami funds, determine the fate of the nearly $400 million and request that the money be allocated to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which is carrying out ongoing tsunami reconstruction. Thank you for your efforts. Sincerely, |
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Jun 20, 2008 - Aftenposten
Peace brokers from around the world will once again gather for the annual Oslo Forum next week, to swap experience in conflict mediation. Participants include Mohammad Khatami, former president of Iran; Jonathan Powell, former chief of staff for ex-British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Gareth Evans, president of the International Crisis Group. Read this article
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Jun 19, 2008 - AP
With civil war raging in Sri Lanka, the journalists trying to cover the conflict find themselves increasingly under siege. They have been hounded by the government, attacked by unknown assailants and accused of aiding the rebels. Many reporters have been arrested or fled the country, while others have resorted to self-censorship, journalists said.Read this article
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Themes raised by member states participating in the review of Sri Lanka under the UPR dialogue included concerns related to the lack of protection of civilians caught in the internal conflict; enforced disappearances, unlawful/extrajudicial killings; torture and other forms of ill treatment, threats to freedom of expression, the need to strengthen national human rights institutions, attacks on dissent and ongoing impunity for human rights violations.
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Press freedom in Sri Lanka continues to deteriorate
Jun 13, 2008 - CPJ
The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by government’s policies toward journalists who write critically about the conflict between Sri Lanka’s military forces and Tamil secessionists. We have seen an increase in harassment, intimidation, and detention of reporters, many of whom are columnists in senior positions with well-established careers.
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S.Lanka says peace brokers can't visit rebel area
Jun 12, 2008 - Reuters
Sri Lanka has refused requests by Norwegian peace mediators to visit rebel territory, and said fresh peace talks hinged on Tamil Tiger guarantees to lay down arms and stick to a negotiation timetable. Nordic ceasefire monitors quit the country this year after the six-year Norway brokered truce disintegrated.
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