Married to a Tiger
If someone got sick, generally the husband would be there to help and take me to medicine. But here I have to do everything myself. For example, when my son got very sick for three days, I couldn’t leave his side and I didn’t even bathe. I had to do everything myself. I couldn’t even get time to change my clothes. Others saw me and asked if my husband had left me and we were separated because it was so difficult for me. If I had married a civilian, I would have had a lot of help in the home. But I can’t ask him to stay, because he should go. That is his duty... Once I read his diary and it said if he was killed, to take care of the kids and be careful. He wrote about how we can’t live without getting our country... The international community calls LTTE cadres terrorists without knowledge, they can’t say that...if they came and stayed with us they’d know he’s not a terrorist...We need a separate country. Eelam needs recognition... But sometimes we are very sad that he’s not at home, but we can’t change anything... My younger son asks when he comes home, immediately when he is again leaving. He must have learned that from me. My husband used to say that without a state, what’s a house. Now my older son has learned that...I think he’s growing up in his father’s path. -Nadeswary Ratnalingam, 25 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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