Action Alert ArchiveUS donates arms to Sri Lanka as human rights crisis escalatesNovember 15, 2007 The human rights crisis in Sri Lanka continues to escalate, prompting calls for international human rights monitors by the U.S. State Department and United Nations officials. Though the United States government continues to call for a negotiated political settlement, it also maintains a supply of arms to the Sri Lankan government, providing material and symbolic support for its human rights violations. Louise Arbour, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights visited Sri Lanka and reported on October 13: In the context of the armed conflict and of the emergency measures taken against terrorism, the weakness of the rule of law and prevalence of impunity is alarming. There is a large number of reported killings, abductions and disappearances which remain unresolved. This is particularly worrying in a country that has had a long, traumatic experience of unresolved disappearances and no shortage of recommendations from past Commissions of Inquiry on how to safeguard against such violations. Following Arbour’s statements, four activists from the Sri Lanka government advisory panel on human rights resigned. One of those who resigned, Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, said the government “is not serious about protecting human rights or eliminating the culture of impunity.” Saravanamuttu and the other three activists were four of the ten members on the Advisory Committee to the Government on Human Rights. They resigned in response to deliberate government inaction regarding the escalating abuses, and advocated international human rights monitors to address that which the government has no interest in mitigating. U.S. Ambassador Robert Blake also expressed concern regarding the continuing human rights violations. In an October 9 statement, he said “Violations in other parts of Sri Lanka remain as serious as ever. The number of extrajudicial killings in Jaffna has risen even higher in recent months.” Unfortunately, despite international condemnations of the escalating human rights crisis and Ambassador Blake’s own concerns, he donated a radar-based maritime surveillance system and several Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) on behalf of the U.S. government to the Sri Lankan Navy on November 8. These weapons and the support from the U.S. will only further contribute to human rights abuses in Sri Lanka. We urge the U.S. government to end its material and symbolic support for the Sri Lanka Armed Forces immediately. |
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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
As Sri Lanka's civil war escalates, so do attacks on its journalists
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
Review of Sri Lanka under the Universal Periodic Review
Jun 14, 2008 - Amnesty International
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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