• IMF arrives as rupee slips and slides

    Jun 03

    Cartoon in the Island entitled 'Dollar punches rupee'

    An International Monetary Fund is expected in Colombo today as the Central Bank, again, promised not to intervene in the currency markets to support the value of the Sri Lankan rupee.

    The rupee settled this week at a level of about 131 / 132 to the US dollar, having steadily fallen from a level of about 109/ 110 late last year. (See chart here for rupee’s decline). The Central Bank had attempted to halt this decline by selling off its reserves of dollars, spending US $ 2.6 billion in the five months from August last year.

    It was eventually forced to abandon this policy because the money ran out and the IMF refused to release a US $ 400 million loan instalment until Sri Lanka allowed the rupee to fall to its natural level. Sri Lanka is now seeking the final US $ 420 million of an IMF loan agreed in June 2009.

    The rising price of essential commodities, caused by the falling value of the rupee, has led to protests by consumers and strikes by public sector workers demanding higher wages. The Central Bank sought to calm fears this week that the Rupee would not slide further.

    See: Prices rise as Mahinda Economics unwinds (16 Feb 2012)

    The Central Bank’s chief economist, Swarna Gunaratna, was quoted by Reuters as stating this week,

    "Even without intervening, the exchange rate has stabilised around 130-131. We don't think that it will go to the 140 or 150 level. It will remain at these levels even without intervening."

    However, reports in the Sunday Times this week suggested that the Central Bank was still covertly selling dollars through the state owned People’s Bank.

    See our earlier discussion on the increasing politicisation of the banking sector here.

  • Military says check points reduced in Colombo

    The Sri Lankan military has announced that soldiers were removed from "most" of the army check-points in Colombo on Saturday, reports Xinhua.

    The army spokesperson, Ruwan Wanigasooriya, said,

    "We removed most of the army checkposts in the city on Saturday and handed it over to the police. This is as a result of the continuing improvements we see in the security of the city,"

    According to Xinhua, the sri Lankan army headquarters is due to be relocated outside of Colombo to make room for 5-star hotels.

    Meanwhile the government has rebuked any calls to de-militarise the North-East.

    See here and here for comments by Mahinda Rajapaksa and here for comments by Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

    See also:

    Military marks 4000 acres for construction in Mullaitheevu (02 Jun 2012)

    Heavy military presence around Jaffna University (30 May 2012)

    Jaffna students speak on military intimidation (30 May 2012)

    TNA calls for reduction of military camps (22 May 2012)

    Army boasts of increased militarisation (17 May 2012)

  • Pillay's invitation cannot be a fact finding mission - Mohan Peiris

    Confirming that the UN High Commissioner for human rights, Navi Pillay has been invited to Sri Lanka to "observe its post-war development and reconciliation efforts", former attorney general, Mohan Peiris, asserted that "he government has not extended any invitation to any fact finding mission".

    According to the official website of the Ministry of Defence (see here), Peiris said,

    "The government of Sri Lanka has extended an invitation to United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Navaneethan Pillay to visit Sri Lanka to observe its post-war development and reconciliation efforts. The government has not extended any invitation to any fact finding mission,"

    "The government had extended this invitation to Pillay last year. It has no bearing whatsoever with the US resolution,"

    "If Mrs Pillay sends these officers for her logistical support and for her security concerns, it could be taken into consideration."

    "If they wish to offer technical assistance they can do so in consultation and with the concurrence of the government,"

    "Nobody can send teams to investigate affairs of another country for it interferes with that country's sovereignty,"

    "But if she is going to be the judge of Sri Lanka's human rights situation, one must not forget that she is also a complainant against Sri Lanka's human rights situation,"

    "How can a complainant be allowed to be the judge of the same complaint?"

  • Torture would not stop' - President's counsel

    Commenting on a bill proposed by the Ministry of Justice which seeks to extend the time that police are allowed to detain a suspect from 24 to 48 hours, the President's Counsel, MP Wijedasa Rajapaksha, asserted that “even if the amendments were not brought and the law stayed as it is the torture would not stop."

    Wijedasa Rajapaksha made those comments responding to queries stating that the extra time under police custody would increase the torture of suspects.

    Wijedasa Rajapaksha went on to state:

    "To this end the BASL has done everything possible to ensure that lawyers and suspects rights are safeguarded by the Police so that they could have access to suspects within Police custody.The amendment has also allowed relatives and family members to visit suspects held in custody"

    Asserting that the rights of lawyers would be safeguarded within police stations and they would be given access to suspects, Wijedasa Rajapaksha claimed,

    “This settlement was agreed in the Supreme Court and the IGP agreed to issue directives to the Police which guarantee free access of lawyers and compels the Police to treat lawyers in a dignified manner".

    At present Sri Lanka's Criminal Procedure Code stipulates that police may only detain a suspect for 24 hours before presenting them before a magistrate. Of course none of this has any bearing on Tamils detained indefinitely and illegally.

    See: Amnesty releases report of ongoing abuses, calls for international investigation (14 Mar 2012)    

  • Rajapaksa's 'words of wisdom'

    Addressing United Nations Day of Vesak celebrations in Bangkok on Saturday, Sri Lanka's president Mahinda Rajapaksa said:

    “The superiority of one individual or a group of people or community, therefore, is not through a particular divine right or by virtue of their birth, but by their actions.  The manner in which one group conducts itself will determine whether it is worthy of a higher or lower label. "

    "Such words of wisdom are of paramount value in today’s context, where certain nations and groups have endeavoured to preach and lord over others by virtue of their given labels -- super power, regional power, economic power etc.  It is by the conduct of these nations that they must be judged and be determined whether they are superior to another,”

    “Justice and the rule of law are not alien concepts for those of us who from our childhood are nurtured by the doctrine of Buddha. These are, therefore not concepts that need to be preached to the converted,”

  • Body found by Bambalapiti Hindu College

    The mutilated body of a male was found by Bambalapiti Hindu College on Friday morning, reported Uthayan.

    The Sri Lankan police believe he was believe he was murdered the night before.

    According to Uthayan, the victim is from Batticoloa.

  • Buddhist monk convicted of child abuse

    A senior Buddhist monk from south London has been jailed for sexually assaulting an underage girl.

    Pahalagama Somartana, 65, of the Thames Buddhist temple in Selsdon, was sentenced to seven years in jail after being found guilty of carrying out four sexual attacks on a girl aged between 8 and 9 at the time of the attacks. The court heard how Somaratana, a Sinhalese originally from Sri Lanka, enticed his victim to his room with sweets before touching her.

    He had denied attacks at a temple in Chiswick between 1977 and 1978, and a second string of attacks at the Croydon temple in the mid 80's, reported The Guardian. He was cleared of the attacks in Croydon, but found guilty of the first attacks.

    The monk was arrested in September 2011 at Heathrow Airport.

    He is one of the few Buddhist monks to be found guilty, though there have been numerous complaints of abuse by monks, and at monasteries in Sri Lanka. But child abuse in Buddhist monasteries in Sri Lanka could be rampant, according to a BBC report.

  • Military marks 4000 acres for construction in Mullaitheevu

    Sri Lankan Army has been constructing houses in Thirumurukandi, Mullaitheevu district, after seizing 4,000 acres of land reports Uthayan.

    Project “War Heroes Housing Scheme” started last year intending to establish one thousand houses, fully equipped with modern facilities, for 'disabled' Sri Lankan soldiers. It has recruited over 2000 Sinhala construction workers from the southern part of Sri Lanka.

    Meanwhile the 126 families from Thirumurukandi who had long lived in the area and owned land, remain internally displaced, living in welfare centres or at the good-will of their friends and families.

  • To go back to the IMF for more

    Sri Lanka is to request a further US$500 million after the completion of the Standby Arrangement (SBA) of US$2.6 billion next month, the International Monetary Cooperation Senior Minister, Sarath Amunugama, revealed on Wednesday.

    Amunugama said,

    “This will be an important policy support for the government as it faces some critical issues like rising prices in fuel and other commodities in the global market,”

    “The SBA with the IMF will end with the release of the final tranche of some US$ 500 million. The IMF programme with Sri Lanka for the release of US$2.6 billion has been judged to be a confidence booster on Sri Lanka by the global lending agencies.”

    He also asserted,

    “What is most important is that Sri Lanka has never defaulted on its repayment obligations and is reputed to be a country that fulfills it loan agreements with international donor agencies,”

    Meanwhile the UNP MP Eran Wickremaratne criticised the move, forewarning further economic decline:

    “It is not surprising that the government is requesting for another loan. The government’s policy is very much IMF driven. The Central Bank always paints a pretty picture but the reality is that the situation in the country is further deteriorating,”

  • More evidence of Tamils facing torture - TAG

    A report by the Tamil rights group, Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), provides primary evidence supporting the claims of torture against failed asylum seekers, and Tamils deemed to be political active.

    Find report here.

    See TamilNet article here.

    One signed witness statement, which we should warn is extremely distressing, said:

    "... about 5 CID officers beat me. And pushed me roughly and tightly. They hit my head against the wall and tore my T shirt off. Then one person untied the knots in my hand and ordered me to undress. They forced me to undress and then beat me left and right with their booted legs..."

    "They tied my hands back again, spoke something in Sinhala, switched off the lights and locked me inside. The light switch was outside the room. I was locked alone in a small room. I was not given any food that day. I did not know what will happen to me ever after."

    "After some time, they came in switched on the lights and opened the door. It should have been the following day. I wouldn't gage the time. I was lying naked on the floor. They came and kicked me with the boots. One of them spoke in broken Tamil. He said that I was a member of the LTTE because my family member was an important person in the LTTE."

    "They beat me all over (my head, back and legs). I replied that I didn't know anything at all already screaming with pain. One of them spoke very bad Tamil and beat me with a big stick. He didn't want to my pleas and then they hit my genitals with their booted legs. I couldn't bear the pain and I fainted. I did not know what happened thereafter."

    Speaking to TamilNet, Jan Jananayagam of TAG said,

    "TAG's report presents these sources of evidence showing how failed asylum seekers may face risks either simply by virtue of their status as failed asylum seekers, or due to imputed political opinion regarding LTTE involvement or support especially when returning from places such as the UK that traditionally have very active Tamil diaspora communities."

  • 36 deported asylum seekers arrive in Sri Lanka
    A group of 36 asylum seekers have arrived in Colombo after being deported from Britain on Thursday.

    The group, which includes 22 Tamils, were amongst those who did not receive a last-minute reprieve after a British judge ruled there was evidence “ill treatment” could occur following the release of a Human Rights Watch report earlier this week.

    The chartered flight was originally scheduled to remove an estimated 80 people to Sri Lanka,  before around 40 Tamils had their deportation halted in a widely welcomed move.

    See our earlier posts:

    Deportation halt widely welcomed     (31 May 2012)

    British judge orders halt in deportation of Tamil asylum seeker     (31 May 2012)

    Also see a special report on the deportation of Tamil asylum seekrs by The Independent here.
  • Mervyn Silva cleared at ‘disciplinary hearing’

    Sri Lankan Minister Mervyn Silva has been cleared by a party ‘disciplinary hearing’, following comments made by the Minister threatening journalists and human rights activists after the 19th UN Human Rights Council session.

    According to the Sri Lankan Mirror, the ruling Sri Lankan Freedom Party’s central committee cleared Silva, with Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi noting that they could not punish the minister based on reports in the media, which may not be true.

    Silva was reported to have said,

    “If you get caught to me in Sri Lanka, I will break your limbs in public. I say this responsibly. No matter who conspires against me.”

    He also said, “I am the one who chased Poddala Jayantha from Sri Lanka,” he said, referring to the journalist who fled the country due to threats issued against him for criticising the government.

    See a video of Mervyn Silva making these comments below.

    See our earlier post: “I will break your limbs in public!” – Minister threat to human rights activists (23 Mar 2012)

  • TAG calls for arrest of Rajapaksa
    Tamils Against Genocide (TAG) have submitted a formal complaint to the UK’s Metropolitan Police Service, over Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapksa visit for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations next week, and called for criminal proceedings to commence against him.

    In a complaint sent to the Metropolitan Police on Friday, the organisation noted that Rajapaksa stands accused of involvement in war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, stating,
    “In light of the UK’s obligations under universal jurisdiction provisions, we invite the Metropolitan Police to investigate these allegations and arrest Rajapaksa in order to commence criminal proceedings.”
    Speaking to the Tamil Guardian a TAG spokesperson said,
    “TAG has submitted a formal complaint with the aim of bringing justice to the victims of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity by the Sri Lankan state.

    While TAG appreciates that there are immunity issues involved, it is our understanding that this will not prevent the Metropolitan Police from opening a case file and commencing investigations.”
    Sending a copy of the recent case submission in the United States against Rajapaksa, TAG highlighted the case of Dr Kasipillai Manoharan, father of one of the ‘Trinco 5’ students killed by Sri Lankan security forces in 2005, and a UK resident.

    The group went on to cite sections of the UN Panel of Experts report, commenting
    “the report characterizes the systematic shelling of civilians and intentional deprivation of access to food and medicine as “calculated to bring about the destruction of a significant part of the civilian population”. This characterization is identical to the definition of genocide in Article 2(c) of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide.”
    Noting that the Sri Lankan President is also “Commander-in-chief” of the armed forces and bears command responsibility, the complaint concluded,
    “The strength of these credible allegations clearly meets the threshold for an arrest to be made and charges to be brought. TAG urges the Metropolitan Police to take necessary steps in accordance with the UK’s universal jurisdiction and international law obligations to arrest Rajapaksa and bring him to justice.”
    Read the full text of the formally submitted complaint below.


    Re: War Crimes Complaint Against Visiting Sri Lankan President Percy Mahinda Rajapaksa

    Dear Sir/Madam,

    Tamils Against Genocide Inc (TAG). is a non-profit litigation advocacy organization incorporated in the United States. We are involved in evidence gathering and in bringing litigations on behalf of victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide against perpetrators from Sri Lanka under universal jurisdiction provisions in countries including the United States and in submissions to international bodies such as the International Criminal Court. Further details of our work may be found under the litigation section of our web site http://www.tamilsagainstgenocide.org

    We are writing to make a formal complaint against the Sri Lankan President Percy Mahendra Rajapaksa regarding alleged involvement in war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Rajapaksa is due to visit the United Kingdom (UK) imminently in conjunction with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. In light of the UK’s obligations under universal jurisdiction provisions, we invite the Metropolitan Police to investigate these allegations and arrest Rajapaksa in order to commence criminal proceedings.

    TAG is involved with ongoing litigations and investigations into war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Sri Lanka. Of particular relevance is Manoharan, Lavan & Aiyathurai v Rajapaksa [case 1:11-CV-00235] which was filed against Rajapaksa in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in January 2011 by attorney Bruce Fein acting under instructions from TAG. The complaint against Rajapaksa alleges that ‘the defendant’s Presidency has been earmarked by gross violations of internationally recognized human rights including war crimes, rape, torture, inhumane or degrading treatment and prolonged detention without charges.’ Please find the case submission attached.

    In particular, one of the claimants in the US case, Dr Kasipillai Manoharan, is a resident of the UK. His son, Ragihar Manoharan, was “beaten and killed extra-judicially by Sri Lankan security forces under the command responsibility and control of the Defendant [Rajapaksa]” (page 2 of the submission). Mr Manoharan’s son was one of five students who were killed extra-judicially by Sri Lankan security forces in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka in January 2006 under Rajapaksa’s presidency. Please find attached the evidence submitted to The People’s Tribunal on Sri Lanka - Dublin, Ireland (Janunary 14-15, 2010) regarding this incident.

    Furthermore, Rajapaksa was the incumbent head of state during the final stages of the civil war in Sri Lanka. Article 30 of the Sri Lankan Constitution vests power over the armed forces in the hands of the Sri Lankan President as “Commander-in-chief”. Rajapaksa therefore had command responsibility over the Sri Lankan armed forces that allegedly committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war according to the Report of the Secretary-General’s Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka (the UN Report) published by the United Nations on 31 March 2011.

    At pages 68-69 the report characterizes the systematic shelling of civilians and intentional deprivation of access to food and medicine as “calculated to bring about the destruction of a significant part of the civilian population”. This characterization is identical to the definition of genocide in Article 2(c) of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide. At paragraphs 104 and 109, the UN Report describes the shelling of hospitals.

    The UN Report further cites The International Crisis Group’s (ICG) report entitled ‘War Crimes in Sri Lanka’ published on 17 May 2010. At page (i) of its report, the ICG alleges ‘the intentional shelling of hospitals’ and ‘the intentional infliction of suffering on civilians’. At pages 15 to 18 of the report, the ICG alleges a series of attacks on hospitals including government hospitals, staffed by government doctors within the LTTE controlled, so-called ‘No Fire Zones’.

    The evidence presented in these reports has been further corroborated by the critically acclaimed Channel 4 documentary, Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields, which provides graphic footage of the Sri Lankan army’s shell attacks whose frequency was deliberately timed in order to maximize casualties and to exterminate rescuers who came to the rescue of patients wounded by the initial shelling.

    The strength of these credible allegations clearly meets the threshold for an arrest to be made and charges to be brought. TAG urges the Metropolitan Police to take necessary steps in accordance with the UK’s universal jurisdiction and international law obligations to arrest Rajapaksa and bring him to justice.

    Yours Sincerely,

    Tamils Against Genocide
  • Protest at Commonwealth Secretariat over Rajapaksa visit

    British Tamils protested outside the Commonwealth Secretariat in London on Friday afternoon, objecting to the presence of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations due to be held next week.

    [ more]
  • Ruling coalition partner calls for British HC deportation

    The National Freedom Front (NFF), a constituent party of the ruling coalition in Sri Lanka, has called for the deportation of the British High Commissioner John Rankin, after he criticised the disproportionate military presence in the Northeast of the island.

    At a press briefing, Piyasiri Wijenayake of the NFF, said it was not up to the British High Commissioner to decide on the withdrawal of military camps in the country, ColomboPage reported on Wednesday.

    Wijenayake said that the High Commissioner should be deported for interfering in the defence matters of Sri Lanka for the comments made on a video made by the British High Commission.

    Mr Rankin had already been summoned by the Sri Lankan External Affairs Ministry for the comments made by him.

Subscribe to Tamil Affairs