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Human rights: US criticizes Govt., LTTE
Thursday, 8 March 2007 - 5:16 AM SL Time
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The United States yesterday came down hard on both the Government and the LTTE for large scale human rights abuses last year most notably since the breakdown of the ceasefire agreement and the failed assassination attempt on Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
A 15 page country report on Human Rights Practices in Sri Lanka released by the US Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour said human rights violations, including unlawful killings by Government agents, high profile killings by unknown perpetrators, politically motivated killings by paramilitary forces associated with the Government and the LTTE, and disappearances.
The report said human rights monitors had also reported arbitrary arrests and detention, poor prison conditions, denial of fair public trial, government corruption and lack of transparency, infringement of religious freedom, infringement of freedom of movement and discrimination against minorities.
As reported in the Daily Mirror yesterday the human rights situation in Sri Lanka had drastically deteriorated to the extent that leading rights groups including the New York based Human Rights Watch are to discuss the setting up of an international human rights monitoring mission in the country under UN auspices at the fourth UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session starting next week.
In reference to the activities of the Karuna faction the US report said there were numerous reports that armed paramilitary groups linked to Government security forces participated in armed attacks, some against civilians.
`Following the December 1 LTTE attempt to assassinate Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the Government strengthened emergency regulations that broadened security forces` powers in the arrest without warrant and non-accountable detention of civilians for up to 12 months,` the report said.
The US report said the LTTE continued to control large sections of the north and east and engaged in politically motivated killings, suicide attacks, disappearances, torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, denial of fair public trial, arbitrary interference with privacy, denial of freedom of speech, press, and of assembly and association and recruitment of child soldiers.
The report documents several incidents which took place last year including the attack on the `Uthayan` newspaper, the killing of civilians in Kayts Island, the Pesalai attack as well as the aerial bombardment of LTTE-controlled Trincomalee which left 50 civilians dead and 200 wounded.
During last year the LTTE, among other violent acts, was implicated in attacks on high-profile political opponents and civilians including the April 17 suicide attack at the Army Headquarters, the killing of General Kulatunga, the assassination of Ketheswaran Loganathan and the attempt on the Pakistani High Commissioner.
The Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SLHRC) reported 345 instances countrywide of politically motivated disappearances at the hands of the security forces or by paramilitary forces allegedly tied to the Government, or the LTTE, in 2006.
At year`s end the HRC continued to investigate 16,305 past cases of disappearance by security forces, some of which had been pending for over a decade. There were no indictments, investigations or prosecution of security force personnel for past disappearances.
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Bose
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 185
Member Profile
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8 Mar 2007 11:50:21 GMT Report for Abuse
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It's time to bring in the human rights monitors. This govt is is the main culprit in human rights violation let alone protecting it.
Edited By - Bose - 8 Mar 2007 11:51:20 GMT |
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