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| Muslims write to UN over threats |
| 2013-03-09 |
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Muslims in Sri Lanka have written to the United Nations over the threats faced by them as a result of the recent campaign carried out by the Bodu Bala Sena.
The Muslim Tamil National Alliance, in a letter sent to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, said that what’s disturbing is that radical members of the Buddhist clergy are allowed to take the law into their hands, with the enforcers of the law watching from the sidelines.
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| Pro-Tamil outfits hurl stones at airline office |
| 2013-03-08 |
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With the atmosphere remaining surcharged in Tamil Nadu over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, members of some pro-Tamil outfits today hurled stones here at the office of Mihin Lanka, a low cost airline based in Colombo, police said.
Activists belonging to pro-Tamil organisations including Aathi Thamizhar Peravai and Naam Tamizhar Iyakkam earlier blocked the road demanding that the Union Government vote against Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council ( UNHRC) meeting in Geneva, officials said.
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| Wording of resolution against Sri Lanka will decide India's stand, says PM |
| 2013-03-08 |
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The Prime Minister today said that whether India votes against Sri Lanka when the top human rights body of the UN meets this month in Geneva will depend on the wording of the resolution that the United States plans to introduce.
Dr Manmohan Singh is under pressure from his ally, the DMK, to support the resolution which will focus on alleged war crimes by Sri Lankan defence forces as they defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels after a lengthy civil war.
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| No formal complaints on most disappearances |
| 2013-03-08 |
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The government informed the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) today that there have not been formal complaints for over disappeared in the country.
In a statement issued during the interactive dialogue with the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, the government said that during the past year the Ministry of Defence has created a database to clarify cases referred by the working group.
The government told the Council it has transmitted clarifications to 264 cases
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| Third UNHRC Resolution And India’s Dilemma – Analysis |
| 2013-03-08 |
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As Sri Lanka faces its third resolution at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), India is once again caught in a dilemma. On the one hand, New Delhi does not wish to support an ‘intrusive’ resolution against Colombo. At the same time, it wants Sri Lanka to take reconciliation and devolution seriously. Pressures from Tamil Nadu, in this regard, are difficult to ignore.
Exactly a year ago, at the 19th session of the UNHRC, a US-sponsored resolution was passed against the island state. Backed by 24 countries, including
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| Sri Lanka 'disappeared': Families stage Colombo protest |
| 2013-03-08 |
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The families of people who disappeared in Sri Lanka during and after the country's long civil war have staged a demonstration in the capital Colombo.
The rally was mostly on behalf of Tamil people.
Many protesters were prevented by the authorities from attending, but a big pro-government demonstration was allowed to go ahead.
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| Int'l Bar to begin remote probe |
| 2013-03-08 |
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With the deadline given by the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) to the Sri Lankan Government, to grant visas for a three-member fact finding mission coming to an end at midnight yesterday, the IBAHRI is expected to go ahead with the appointment of a remote fact finding mission to probe the state of Sri Lanka's judicial system. The International Bar Association recently expressed 'serious concern' over the withdrawal of visas for lawyers from its Human Rights Institute and cautioned about the
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| 22nd Session of the HRC: Statement by Sri Lanka – Item 3: ID with the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders |
| 2013-03-08 |
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Sri Lanka notes the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders (A/HRC/22/47), and welcomes her emphasis on the role played by national human rights institutions in the promotion and protection of human rights. We take particular note of the acknowledgement in her Report of the national human rights institution of Sri Lanka having maintained regular contact and meetings with human rights defenders and civil society networks.
Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Commission was established under Act No.
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| US Embassy expresses concern about reports on protest |
| 2013-03-08 |
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Issuing a statement, the United States Embassy in Colombo states that the Embassy is concerned about the reports that have emerged on a protest organised by a group of family members of the disappeared in Vavuniya.
The Embassy calls upon the Sri Lankan authorities to allow free movement of these citizens.
The statement adds that the US government will continue to urge the government of Sri Lanka to follow through its own commitments to its people by implementing recommendations made in the Lessons Learnt and Reconci
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| Tamil Rights: Still Not Addressed |
| 2013-03-08 |
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Opposition member politicians claim that Tamil rights have not been addressed in the aftermath of the war.
With reports of strong objections emerging from the ongoing UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions in Geneva, where Special Human Rights Envoy, Mahinda Samarasinghe, spoke of a campaign of disinformation and even accused UN High Commissioner, Navanethem ‘Navi’ Pillay, of being biased – but this came amidst reports that the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) would be travelling to Geneva to campaign against S
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