Running out of sight
It was after 7, after the Kfirs left that we climbed out of the bunker. It was after we listened to the news that we knew they dropped their bombs on Sencholai and 61 people died. I was scared after I heard all this. I didn’t know what to do. There wasn’t anyone to take me with them and go. Then later Myooran anna came and carried me to the bunker. Even now when I hear the Kfir noise I get scared. In class if I hear the noise I excuse myself to the teacher and run...
Another day the Kfirs came and dropped bombs closeby and we thought they were going to drop their bombs on our Iniya Vaazhvu Illam hostel... Now with Kfir planes we can’t study peacefully because we’re afraid. In our free country we will be able to peacefully study and grow. We can do work and study... But only with struggle can we get our country. We can get our country through peacetalks, but they will be jealous of this and so they will set claymore mines to take our country back... -Arjun Maheswaran, 9 years Read more stories from Sri Lanka
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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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