Human rights in Sri Lanka

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Major human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as well as the United States Department of State[1] and the European Union,[2] have expressed concern about the state of human rights in Sri Lanka. British colonial rulers,[3] the government of Sri Lanka and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are accused of violating human rights. Amnesty International stated in 2003 that there was a considerable improvement in the human rights situation attributed to the peaceful context of a ceasefire and peace talks between the government and the LTTE. In their 2006 report, however, Amnesty International stated that "escalating political killings, child recruitment, abductions and armed clashes created a climate of fear in the east, spreading to the north by the end of the year," while also outlining concerns with violence against women, the death penalty, and "numerous reports of torture in police custody."[4] Although Sri Lanka has not officially practiced the death penalty since 1976,[5] well-documented cases of state-sponsored 'disappearances' and murders[6] by non-partisan humanitarian organizations, notably Human Rights Watch, contradict official statements. In 2012, the UK charity Freedom from Torture reported that it had received 233 referrals of torture survivors from Sri Lanka for clinical treatment or other services provided by the charity.[7]

Background

Sri Lanka was embroiled in a civil war for more than two decades. More than 64,000 people have been killed and more than one million have been displaced since 1983. In July 1983, the most savage anti-minority pogrom in Sri Lanka's history, known as the Black July riots, erupted. Government appointed commission's estimates put the death toll at nearly 1,000.,[8] mostly minority Sri Lankan Tamils.[9] died or 'disappeared'. At least 150,000 Tamils fled the island. Another major event was the repression of a revolution in the South of Sri Lanka by government forces.Up to 60,000 Sinhalese people including many students died as a result of this insurgency led by the factions of the Marxist JVP.

Abuses by the government

1990

The Eastern province of Sri Lanka was taken over by Sri Lankan Forces after heavy fighting in 1990. Even after government forces moved in early 1990 large number of disappearance and extrajudicial execution were continued. By October 1990, 3,000 people were estimated to have been killed or to have disappeared in Amparai district. Further Many of the disappeared people were believed to have been killed as a result of extrajudicial execution. Likewise in Batticaloa another 1,500 people were reported to have disappeared.[10] The LTTE terrorists continued to kill innocent people in the Eastern Province. They killed Muslims gathered in two mosques, for Friday prayers. Also more than 700 unarmed policemen were murdered, cold blood. A bus full of Buddhist monks were killed at Aranthalawa. However, the true perpetrators of the disappearances are yet to be determined, with the Sri Lankan government and the rebels both accusing each other.

2000

The European Union also condemned Sri Lankan security forces in the year 2000 concerning human rights, after fighting displaced 12,000 civilians.[11]

The US State Department stated that "The civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, although some members of the security forces committed serious human right abuses".[12]

Shooting of Tamil media workers

Sahathevan Nilakshan, also spelt Sahadevan Nilakshan was a minority Sri Lankan Tamil student journalist and the head of the Chaalaram magazine. Sahadevan was shot dead inside his house during nighttime curfew in an area heavily guarded by the Sri Lankan Army.[13] Sahadevan was part of a series of killing of Tamil media workers particularly those seen supporting the Tamil nationalist cause as Chaalaram magazine for which he worked was linked to the Federation of Jaffna District Students was seen supporting Tamil nationalism. It was seen as part of the intimidation of Tamil media.[14][15]

Post-war

People who were previously in, or who assisted, the Tamil Tigers have alleged that the government has been continuing to torture them after the formal end of hostilities. Human Rights Watch has said that 62 cases of sexual violence have been documented since the end of the civil war, though the government says that there have only been 5. Similarly, the government asserts that these are isolated cases, while those making the allegations believe that this is a part of an organized government campaign. One specific link to a formal government program investigated by the BBC found numerous people who say they were tortured at government rehabilitation camps, run for suspected former rebels. Several of those involved have medical documentation of torture along with documentation of having attended these programmes. Two UN reports have stated that the programme does not met international standards and that there was a possibility of torture occurring. The government claimed to the BBC that they did not agree with the claims, and asserted that those anonymous people making the reports may have been paid by the Tamil Tigers or tortured by the Tigers themselves.[16]

Abuses by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have repeatedly been accused of attacks on civilians during their separatist guerrilla campaign. The US State Department reported several human rights abuses in 2005, but it specifically states that there were no confirmed reports of politically motivated killings by the government. The report states that, "they [LTTE] continued to control large sections of the north and east and engaged in politically motivated killings, disappearances, torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, denial of fair public trial, arbitrary interference with privacy, denial of freedom of speech, press, of assembly and association, and the recruitment of child soldiers". The report further accused the LTTE of extrajudicial killings in the North and East.[17]

The LTTE committed massacres in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka. The number of civilians massacred in a single incident were as high as 144 (Anuradhapura massacre). Some of the major attacks resulting in civilian deaths include the Kebithigollewa massacre, the Gonagala massacre (54 dead), the Dehiwala train bombing (56 dead),[18] the Palliyagodella massacre (109 dead) and the bombing of Sri Lanka's Central Bank (102 dead). Further a Claymore antipersonnel mine attack by the LTTE on June 15, 2006 on a bus carrying 140 civilians killed 68 people including 15 children, and injured 60 others.[19]

Tamil Tigers were also credited by FBI for the invention of suicide bra and suicide belt.[20] Most of the targets of suicide attacks were made on civilians rather than the government forces.

Abuses by other groups

The TamilEela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), an armed organization led by Colonel Karuna, was accused by many human rights and non-governmental organizations of recruiting children, torture, assassinations and engaging in extortion in its war against the LTTE.[21][22][23] The TMVP was also involved in kidnappings for ransom of wealthy, predominantly Tamil, businessmen to raise money in Colombo and other towns. Some businessmen were killed because their family could not pay the ransom.[24][25][26][27]

Aftermath

The legacy of alleged human rights abuses continued to affect Sri Lanka after the end of the war. For example, the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting was held in Sri Lanka in 2013. The prime ministers of India, Canada, and Mauritius refused to attend due to concerns about Sri Lanka's human rights record, including "ongoing allegations of abuse of opposition politicians and journalists".[28]

See also

References and further reading

  1. ↑ Sri Lanka
  2. ↑ The EU's relations with Sri Lanka - Overview
  3. ↑ Keerthisinghe, Lakshman I. (2013). "The British duplicity in protecting human rights in Sri Lanka". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 2013-10-21.
  4. ↑ 2006 Annual Report for Sri Lanka, Amnesty International USA, retrieved 2009-02-12
  5. ↑ Ste's Site - Death penalty in Sri Lanka
  6. ↑ Recurring Nightmare: State Responsibility for "Disappearances" and Abductions in Sri Lanka
  7. ↑ "Sri Lanka - Out of the Silence". Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  8. ↑ "President Kumaratunga's speech on the 21st Anniversary of 'Black July'". Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  9. ↑ Amnesty International Canada || News Release
  10. ↑ "Human Rights Reports - Amnesty International USA". Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  11. ↑ "Sri Lanka rapped over human rights". BBC News. April 3, 2000. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  12. ↑ Line 5 http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61711.htm
  13. ↑ "Sahadevan Nilakshan". Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  14. ↑ "Intimidation of Tamil media". Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  15. ↑ IFJ calls for end to brutal targeting of Lankan media
  16. ↑ Harrison, Francis (9 November 2013). "'Tamils still being raped and tortured' in Sri Lanka". BBC. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  17. ↑ "Sri Lanka". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  18. ↑ Timeline of the Tamil conflict, BBC News, September 4, 2000
  19. ↑ United States Condemns Terrorist Attack on Sri Lankan Bus, US State Department
  20. ↑ "FBI — Taming the Tamil Tigers". FBI. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  21. ↑ "Sri Lanka", Human Rights Watch, August 9, 2007
  22. ↑ "Complicit in Crime: State Collusion in Abductions and Child Recruitment by the Karuna Group", Human Rights Watch 19, January 2007
  23. ↑ "Sri Lanka: Armed groups infiltrating refugee camps", Amnesty International, August 9, 2007
  24. ↑ "Impunity reigns", Human Rights Watch (1(C)), August 9, 2007
  25. ↑ "Sri Lanka: Karuna Group Abducts Children for Combat - Human Rights Watch". Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  26. ↑ "Sri Lanka: Letter to Pope Benedict XVI on the Situation In Sri Lanka - Human Rights Watch". Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  27. ↑ Thomson Reuters Foundation. "Thomson Reuters Foundation". Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  28. ↑ Paramaguru, Kharunya (15 November 2013). "Controversy Over Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Record Overshadows Commonwealth Summit Read more: Sri Lanka Human Rights Questioned at Commonwealth Meeting". Time (magazine)Time. Retrieved 15 November 2013.

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