• Doing the right thing

    Oct 20

    Writing in the Canberra Times, retired Australian diplomat Bruce Haigh called on Australia to reject the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Australia Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe.

    Haigh, who has served as the Australian Deputy High Commissioner in Colombo, wrote as Admiral Samarasinghe, along with Sri Lanka's ambassador to the UN Palita Kohona and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse are being investigated by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for allegations of war crimes.

    Extracts have been reproduced below.

    "Receipt of the submission presents the AFP with something of a dilemma. It currently has a presence in Sri Lanka working with the Sri Lankan navy, army and police in preventing persecuted Tamils from leaving the country by boat for Australia.

    The armed forces of Sri Lanka occupy traditional Tamil lands in the north. There are now emerging credible claims of rape and other abuse by members of the occupying forces against Tamil women and those old people and children that remain who are seeking to eke out a living with what few assets they have left.

    The Sri Lankan police have blood on their hands, having engaged in the extra-judicial killing of Tamils. They have been involved in the murder of Sri Lankan journalists. Press freedom is all but dead in Sri Lanka."

    Over the years the Sri Lankan High Commission in Australia has conducted a campaign of harassment against Sri Lankan Tamils living in Australia. They were assisted by the AFP, who saw nothing wrong in visiting and intimidating Tamils in their homes at odd hours."

    "Samarasinghe, as Chief of Staff of the Sri Lankan navy, oversaw the shelling of Tamil soldiers and civilians trapped in what had been declared a safe zone at the end of the civil war. The navy then blocked attempts by the International Committee of the Red Cross to evacuate the injured, women and children from the safe zone."

    "There are precedents for seeking Samarasinghe's recall. In September of this year General Jaghat Dias, who was Sri Lanka's ambassador to Germany and Switzerland, was recalled to Colombo after the Swiss Government contacted the Sri Lankan Government concerning accusations that Dias ordered troops of the 57th Division, which he commanded, to fire on civilian and hospital targets during the army's final offensive against the separatist Tamils in 2009."

    See the full article here.

    See our earlier posts:

    'Australian police investigate Rajapakse ahead of CHOGM' (Oct 2011)

    'Dias faces arrest if he returns'  (Sep 2011)

  • Jaffna Hospital remembers 1987 massacre by Indian army

    Photograph Tamilnet

    Jaffna Hospital staff held a remembrance event on Friday, in memory of the 68 staff and patients, killed by the Indian Peace Keeping Force troops (IPKF) on 21st October 1987.

    The event, led by Dr Bhavani Pasupathirajah, was attended by families and loved ones of those massacred.

    The Jaffna hospital staff who were massacred, included three then leading medical specialists, Dr.A.Sivapathasuntharam, Dr.K.Parimelalahar and Dr.K.Ganesharatnan.

    According to eye witness reports, the hospital was shelled on the morning of the 21st, before IPKF troops stormed the building and threw grenades and fired indiscriminately at the civilian staff and patients.

    The following morning, staff who tried to surrender were fired upon before further IPKF soldiers stormed the building and ordered ten members of staff out of the building. The bodies of all ten were found later the same day.

  • Protest was organised by Ministry of Defence – Channel 4

    The head of Channel 4 News and Current Affairs has told a Lords communications committee that a protest against the broadcaster earlier this year was arranged by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence.

    Dorothy Byrne told the Lords committee, which is inquiring into the future of investigative journalism, that Sri Lanka had concerted “worldwide PR exercises against us", after the channel’s investigation into war crimes in Sri Lanka.

    See report from the Guardian here.

    Speaking to the committee on Tuesday, Byrne said,

    "They will not just try to threaten us with libel actions, they will launch worldwide PR exercises against us."

    It was revealed last year that Sri Lanka was paying £3 million to British PR firm Bell Pottinger in an attempt to boost its post-war image and combat growing allegations of human rights abuses.

    Byrne slammed the work of PR companies lobbying against investigative journalism, stating that it was something that "not just us but the whole of society needs to be aware of".

    "They will try to make complaints against our bosses, leak stories against us to newspaper diaries, they will go to our regulator [Ofcom] and make potentially scores of complaints against us.

    If we are doing a really big investigation that could take six months to a year … We have to be ready that we could be living with an investigation for a year after it has gone out.

    Stories have appeared, for example, about our Sri Lankan investigation all over the world in a highly organised way.

    They appear to be normal stories and they are not – they are obviously coming from somewhere. Demonstrations have taken place in the street – there was one outside Channel 4 – and this demonstration had been organised by the Sri Lankan ministry of defence."

    Channel 4’s coverage of Sri Lanka, culminating in a documentary entitled “Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields”, has led to it winning Amnesty International’s Media award for two years in a row.

  • Release of Commonwealth report blocked by Sri Lanka

    An internal report by a panel on the Commonwealth, due to be presented at the summit in Perth next week, has slammed the ‘failure’ of the 54-member organisation to address human rights issues of its members and said only prompt action will save the Commonwealth from irrelevance and its eventual demise.

    Several Commonwealth members have blocked the publication of the report, titled ‘Time for Urgent Reform’, with Sri Lanka signalling it will reject the recommendation by the report to appoint a ‘Commissioner for Democracy’ who would recommend ‘remedial action’ against persistent human rights violating members.

    The report further says the organisation "fails to stand up for the values that it has declared as fundamental to its existence"

    More excerpts form the report:

    “Now is the time for the Perth CHOGM to authorise the urgent reform this report recommends and to mandate a concrete implementation plan.

    "Reform has never been more necessary. There may not be another chance to renew, reinvigorate and revitalise the commonwealth to make it relevant to its times and people in the future.

    "There is a growing perception that the commonwealth has become indifferent because it fails to stand up for the values that it has declared as fundamental to its existence. These values have been violated by some member countries without an appropriate commonwealth response except in the event of the unconstitutional overthrow of a government.

    "Fresh attention has to be focused by the Commonwealth on violations of human, political and civil rights if the association is to continue to command attention on behalf of its member states and if it is to retain the respect of its own people."

    The eventual publication of the report will increase recent pressure on the Commonwealth’s apathy in dealing with member states accused of war crimes.

    Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has called member states to join him on a boycott of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be held in Sri Lanka in 2013 and the International Commission of Jurists in Australia have called for a full suspension of Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth.

  • TNA outlines basic requirements for future talks

    The TNA (Tamil National Alliance) called on the government to stop all registration of lands in the North-East, reverse the inclusion of the Sinhala region of Welioya into Mullaitivu District and stop the deployment of a Sinhala government agent to Mannar, during talks with government delegates on Thursday.

    TNA MP Suresh Premachandran, stated that such measures, were the very basic requirement in order for future talks with the Sri Lankan government to take place.

    “If the President is willing, he can stop these moves within a matter of a few hours,” Premachandran added.

    The meeting on Thursday was the first after weeks of stalling by the Sri Lankan government.

    TNA delegates consisted of TNA leader, R. Sampanthan and MPs, M.A. Sumanthiran, Mr. Premachandran, Mavai Senathirajah and President’s Counsel Kanag Iswaran.

    Government delegates included, External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris and MP Sajin Vaas Gunawardane.

  • Status: Not Free
    In their annual report entitled “Freedom of the Press” released this week, advocacy group Freedom House have declared that media freedom in Sri Lanka is severely restricted with journalists facing constant harassment and intimidation.

    The Washington-based group have ranked Sri Lanka one place above Afghanistan in their Asia rankings and behind countries such as Pakistan, Côte d’Ivoire and Iraq in the Global rankings.

    Sri Lanka has also been designated a country where the level of press freedom is “Not Free”, joining states such as North Korea, Iran and Somalia.

    See the full table here.

    The report cites laws such as the Prevention of Terrorism Act and the government’s “Media Development Authority” as means that Sri Lanka employs in order to reign in any criticism and limit freedom of expression.
    “Journalists throughout Sri Lanka, particularly those who cover human rights or military issues, face regular intimidation and pressure from government officials at all levels. Official rhetoric is markedly hostile toward critical or "unpatriotic" journalists and media outlets, with prominent leaders, including Defense Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa, often making statements that equate any form of criticism with treason.”
    “In addition to verbal and physical attacks from official sources, journalists and press advocacy groups perceived as supportive of Tamil interests have drawn the ire of Sinhalese nationalist vigilante groups. On a number of occasions, reporters attempting to cover sensitive news stories were roughed up by police during the course of their duties.”
    Read the full report here.
  • Indigenous Vedda protest in Trinco over land grabs

    A group of Vedda, indigenous people on the island of Sri Lanka, have protested outside the residence of the Trincomalee governor, the BBC Sinhala service reports.

    The group, hailing from a remote village in the district, claimed their ancestral land was being appropriated by a Buddhist monk, with government officials in the district ignoring their plight.

    “Uppuveli Hamuduruvo (the monk) grabbed an agricultural tank earlier and we kept quiet but now he is going to go for another one. This can not be allowed” said P.M. Appuhamy, the president of the village’s farmers association.

    The Tamil-speaking Vedda in the east of the island, also known as Coast Vedda, are thought to be descended from Tamils and Vedda from the interior of the island.

    See report on Sandeshaya here.

  • Fox to face further investigation

    The parliamentary standards watchdog will be conducted a fresh investigation into the Fox's dealings with Werritty, the watchdog's commissioner announced today.

    The watchdog was asked by the Labour MP, John Mann, to investigate allegations that Fox allowed Werritty to live rent-free in his London flat, paid for by parliamentary allowances.

    The police are also considering a criminal investigation.

  • A cunning evasion of admission of guilt

    Carefully skirting around a direct admission of guilt, the British former defence secretary, Liam Fox, whilst addressing parliament on Wednesday, said,

    "The ministerial code has been found to be breached. For this I am sorry."

    "I accept it is not only the substance but [also] perception that matters. That is why I chose to resign. I accept the consequences for me without bitterness or rancour. I do not blame anyone else, and I believe that you do not turn your back on your friends or family in times of trouble."

    "With hindsight, I should have been more willing to listen to concerns of those around me."

    Criticising parts of the media for 'hounding' both himself and members of his family, Fox added,

     "It is difficult to operate in the modern environment, as we know, where every bit of information, however irrelevant or immaterial, is sensationalised, and where opinions or even accusations are treated as fact.

    "I would like to thank my family and friends for their love and support."

    "It is not easy to watch someone you care about being attacked in a very aggressive and prolonged way."

  • Cross-party Tamil outrage at Sinhala colonisation in Vavuniya

    Tamil politicians across the political spectrum protested in Vavuniya on Monday, against the on-going settlement of Sinhala citizens into Tamil areas, whilst Tamil refugees remain homeless and face increasing obstacle to land registration.

    The protest included TNA parliamentarians Mavai Senathirajah, Suresh Premachandran, S. Adaikalanathan, E. Sarawanabawan, MP Sivasakthi Anandan, TULF Leader V. Anandasangaree, PLOT Leader S. Siddharthan and TELO Political Wing leader M. K. Sivajilingam.

    See here for photographs.

     

  • TNA invited to US for talks with Clinton
    The Tamil National Alliance will be sending a four-member delegation to Washington on October 25th to meet with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other State Department officials for talks, following an invitation from the US government, according to the Sunday Times.

    The Tamil delegation has also reportedly planned to meet with US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake, who visited Sri Lanka and met with the TNA last month. During his visit Blake reiterated the “need for a credible process of accountability” and expressed concern about human rights and paramilitary forces on the island.

    Reported to be discussed during the meetings with the US officials is the issue of the TNA’s talks with the government, which were stalled after government officials were reported to be too busy with campaigning for local elections.

    Suresh Premachandran of the TNA said,
    “We are disappointed that the talks are getting delayed.”
    “They (government) postponed the talks after a date had been set but they have not yet given us a new date so we are still waiting,”
    Premachandran also stated that this was the first time that the United States government had invited a Tamil political party from Sri Lanka to visit Washington for talks.
  • Why Sri Lanka should not host CHOGM
    The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, an independent organisation created to support human rights in Commonwealth countries, have released a press statement detailing why the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting should not be held in Sri Lanka.

    The press release answers “Frequently Asked Questions” on Sri Lanka’s planned CHOGM and argues that allowing the meeting to be held there would infringe on the Commonwealth’s fundamental principles.

    Extracts have been reproduced below:

    Q: Sri Lanka has already formed a domestic inquiry into allegations; why not wait for the outcomes of that process before acting on Sri Lanka?

    A: Sri Lanka’s domestic mechanism, the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) has been found by international and UN experts (such as the Panel of Experts) as well as civil society groups to lack both an adequate mandate and the impartiality necessary for credible investigations. The mechanism will submit its report in November 2011. CHOGM venues are usually decided at the preceding CHOGM and CHOGM 2011 in October is the last chance to decide against Sri Lanka hosting the event. By November when the LLRC report comes out, it will be too late to prevent Sri Lanka from hosting CHOGM. Pinning hopes on an internationally discredited mechanism at the risk of losing the Commonwealth’s legitimacy is dangerous.

    Q: Why target Sri Lanka when all countries within the Commonwealth are not perfect. Why block a developing island state’s first chance to host CHOGM when a large and developed Western player like Australia has held CHOGM thrice?

    A: Sri Lanka’s human rights situation is one of the most acute cases within the Commonwealth. The nature of entrenched impunity and a long history of unaccounted for human rights violations coupled with allegations of egregious human rights violation at the end of Sri Lanka’s long running civil war makes it a special concern. The next CHOGM could be granted to another small developing country such as Mauritius which offered in 2009 to host CHOGM in 2011 as an alternative to Sri Lanka and is to host CHOGM in 2015.

    Q: What will happen if CHOGM 2013 is held in Sri Lanka?

    A: Endorsement of Sri Lanka as the host of 2013 CHOGM and the visit of 54 Heads of governments to the country will potentially amount to political apathy towards the human rights allegations Sri Lanka faces and may result in the condoning of such violations. The political clout Sri Lanka derives from hosting the meeting may be used to fend off all other international calls for accountability at forums such as the UN Human Rights Council. Hosting CHOGM 2013 will also allow Sri Lanka to preside over the Commonwealth as its Chair till 2015. The risks and potential consequences of having a country that has been implicated in gross human rights violations Chair the organisation outweighs bleak possibilities of positive engagement.

    See the full release here.

    Last month, CHRI Executive Director Maja Daruwala also wrote an article contending for the Commonwealth to take a firmer stand on Sri Lanka.

    Extracts have been reproduced below:

    “Unconditionally allowing the hosting of Commonwealth events like its 2018 Games, glittering international conferences, and summits like CHOGM 2013, lends an aid of legitimacy to government stances. This comes at the cost of diluting the measure of human rights values and their long-term worth to the Commonwealth.
    CHRI urges that a final decision on Sri Lanka as the next venue for CHOGM 2013 be made only after a thorough and independent assessment is done of the country’s progress toward: ensuring honest accountability for past actions; providing effective redress to affected population; and assuring the future of human rights compliance in that country.”
    See her article in full here.

     

     

  • Sri Lanka increases military spending

    The Sri Lankan government confirmed on Tuesday it would raise defence spending by over 5% in 2012, over 2 years since the end of the conflict.

    The total expenditure on military expenses in 2012 will be $2.1 billion, up from $1.92 in 2011.

    According to figures released in parliament, nearly half of the defence budget will be spent on maintaining the nearly 300,000 strong forces.

    Sri Lanka, which maintains one of the largest armies in the world, spend over 3.5% of their GDP on their military in 2010, a higher percentage spend than China’s or the United Kingdom’s.

    The Sri Lankan military is mainly deployed in the North-East of the island, where they have been accused of extra-judicial killings, rape and occupying large tracts of civilian land, with the rightful owners still displaced in makeshift camps.

    Sri Lanka’s armed forces are accused of committing horrendous war crimes during the final phase of the armed conflict, with not a single soldier charged with a crime.

  • Report concludes Fox breached ministerial code

    A report into the former defence secretary, Liam Fox's conduct has concluded that he did 'breach the ministerial code' and displayed a 'failure of judgment'.

    The report was undertaken by the cabinet secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell. In it, he writes,

    "Dr Fox's actions clearly constitute a breach of the ministerial code which Dr Fox has already acknowledged. This was a failure of judgment on his part for which he has taken the ultimate responsibility in resigning office."

    Officials at Number 10, have remarked that the report findings would have made Fox's role as secretary of defence untenable, had he not resigned.

    The findings come as it emerged that Fox had prevented civil servants from attending key meetings where Werritty had been present, as well as failing to inform his permanent secretary that he had solicited finances to fund Werritty's trip by his side.

  • Australian police investigate Rajapakse ahead of CHOGM
    The Australian Federal Police have confirmed that they are “urgently reviewing” war crimes allegations made against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, as he prepares to visit Australia for next weeks’ Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

    The investigation will also look at two other Sri Lankan officials; Sri Lanka's former naval chief and current High Commissioner to Australia Thisara Samarasinghe and dual Australian-Sri Lankan citizen Palitha Kohona, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Secretary during the final years of the war.

    The International Commission of Jurists, Australia (ICJA) and the New South Wales Young Lawyers worked for two years to gather evidence, such as witness statements from survivors, and submitted them to Australian Federal Police

    See ABC’s report below.


    The Australian Greens have also written to the Prime Minister demanding that Samarasinghe be recalled from his post. 

    See our earlier post: Growing calls for prosecution of Sri Lankan envoy to Australia (Oct 2011)


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