Sovereignty and Sri Lanka’s ‘tent’ people
The internally displaced people in Sri Lanka are outside the legal jurisdiction of the country, said Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva on Thursday, addressing a gathering on the occasion of the opening of court premises. He further said that the conditions under which these people are living will bring a curse on the authorities.
Sri Lanka government should start process of devolution: US lawmaker
An influential US lawmaker has said that the Sri Lankan government should move towards “devolution of power” to provinces in the war-ravaged north and east of the country aimed at addressing the longstanding and legitimate grievances of the Tamil population.
“This and other steps are needed to demonstrate that all Sri Lankans can live without fear and participate freely in the political process,” Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, said in his speech on the situation in Sri Lanka in the Senate.
Money utilized for victory celebrations should be spent for welfare of Vanni people – UNP
United National Party (UNP) has said the money spent for the celebrations of military victories achieved against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) could be utilized for the welfare of displaced people.
The UNP National Organizer S.P. Dissanayake said this money could be spent for the welfare of the families of soldiers who have sacrificed their lives as well as people of Vanni.
International Community has obligation to act when genocide occurs – Obama
US President Barack Obama, during his visit to Germany on Friday, said the international community has an obligation to stop genocide, even when it’s inconvenient.
Associated Press reported that Obama was asked how the Holocaust mantra of “never again” might apply to current crises in the Darfur region of Sudan or in Sri Lanka, where the government is accused of shelling has shelling hospitals and innocent civilians.
Independent countries need not to provide unlimited access: Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe
Those who are engaged in various activities in Sri Lanka should work according to guidelines provided by the government. If not, we will become their subordinates. We cannot let them come to our country and engage in their own activities in a way they want, says Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights.
Tamil Nation working under a common and united policy is the need of the moment – Selvarasa Pathmanathan
”We need to think of everything related to our nation and our people from today’s pragmatic position. This is the correct and honest position, said S. Pathmanathan, (KP) LTTE’s Head of International Relations.
In his statement today he said that there are many urgent issues that confront the Tamil civilians and cadres who are held in detention camps of the Sri Lankan Government.
Avoid a Postwar Witch Hunt: Government Threats, ‘Disappearances’ After Past Military Victories Are Cause for Concern
The Sri Lankan government should ensure that military defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam does not result in new “disappearances,” unlawful killings or the jailing of government critics, Human Rights Watch said today.
Sri Lanka team targeted by protests over government’s Tamil policies
Not for the first time, Lord’s has become the scene of a political protest. Sri Lankan protesters have been picketing the ground, calling for the country’s cricket team to return home and for other nations to boycott matches against the side.
About 50 London-based Sri Lankans gathered outside the Wellington Road entrance, armed with placards condemning the Sri Lankan government’s “human rights abuses”. One read, “Sri Lanka’s latest score: 20,000 dead, 300,000 displaced”.
UN’s Legal Threats to Press
“It even sets a precedent for other humanitarian disasters like Darfur. If the government of Sri Lanka can strong arm the UN to hide causality figures that’s what the next government that wants to wipe out civilians is going to do,” Matthew Russell Lee told in an interview to Indian media.
“The UN’s withholding of casualty figures and satellite photos, and now its enabling of internment camps in Vanuniya, troubles me,” Lee writes to Human Right’s Chief.
13,130 IDPs, UN says ‘not missing, just double counting’
Asked about a discrepancy of some 13,000 people between a previous UN estimate of the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in camps in Sri Lanka and the present estimate, the Spokeswoman Michèle noted that the registration process in the camps is ongoing and in the course of that, some double counting has shown up. This is not unusual in such a situation when there is such massive influx of people in a short time.
