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UTHR calls for international HR monitoring mission
Friday, 1 June 2007 - 11:45 AM SL Time
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The University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna) Sri Lanka (UTHR), founded by two award winning human rights defenders, Rajan Hoole and Kopalasingham Sritharan, in its latest report impresses on the need for an international human rights monitoring mission.
On a broader political front, UTHR believes that the conditions described in this report are evidence that, in their current state, Government institutions are not capable of dealing with the continuing social and economic strains without cracking. `The need for international (UN) monitoring is inescapable,` the report says.
The UTHR report also refers to the aggressive attitude of the Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, towards the Daily Mirror saying `the President`s brother Gotabhaya Rajapakse, according to well-placed journalistic sources, used filthy language threatening the editor with some misfortune from the Karuna group and Uditha Jayasinghe with a scarier prospect.`
The report examines conditions in Vavuniya, and, particularly, the pattern of recent Claymore mine attacks in the area. It concludes that local mechanisms are incapable of making any impact on investigating and checking this sort of violence, and that a UN monitoring mechanism may be the most promising means of arresting the slide into anarchy and war, hold all sides to account, and ensure that civilian existence remains possible in the North-East.`International pressure that includes a UN Human Rights Field Operation that includes monitoring and technical support for local institutions and parallel efforts to get the Government to put into effect a workable federal arrangement may be the only means to get Sri Lanka to work,` says the report.
However, it also notes that before such intervention, there is a need for some rigorous heart searching, as the international community and the UN were also a part of what went wrong under the CFA, with their `naïve illusions` about working with the LTTE, which resulted in a heavy price being exacted from the Tamils.
UTHR also says the ruling SLFP`s package for a political settlement runs in gross defiance of the minimum considered adequate by Tamils and world opinion. It leaves the Government with little room to manoeuvre, virtually dooming it to a course of total war.
`Equally, the LTTE`s record of crimes and its very ugly methods of conscription enjoy, by default, a semblance of legitimacy. It is simply the way war is fought in Sri Lanka.`
UTHR is also particularly concerned about evidence of interference with magistrates, through executive control of the Judicial Services Commission, to suppress effective investigation of human rights violations.
The report deals with, in detail, two instances of removal of magistrates and interference with the judicial process, in cases where gross violations of human rights have been alleged: the case of the killing of 17 Action Contre La Faim aid workers in Mutur, and the `disappearance` of Fr. Jim Brown in Allaipiddy -- both of which occurred in August 2006.
UTHR says an effective system of governance, capable of checking human rights abuses and preventing humanitarian debacles, requires that the judiciary and parliament function independently of the executive branch and also requires independent law enforcement agencies.
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Joseph
Joined: Dec 2006
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1 Jun 2007 22:21:20 GMT Report for Abuse
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Good idea!
First restore all the rights of the tamils
WHO OPEN MOUTH ONLY TO EAT
Then restore the rights of kids
WHO ARE KIDNAPPED AMID SCEEMS OF PARENTS
Then save the lives of the kids
WHO ARE SHOT FROM BEHIND IF THEY DON'T GO FORWARD
And then save the lives of weak, infirm, old, women etc
FROM BEING DELIBERATELY SACRIFICED AS HUMAN SHIELDS
and finally save tamils from the liberators
FROM ANHILIATION |
saliya
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1 Jun 2007 23:17:14 GMT Report for Abuse
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| What is the purpose of having international HR monitoring mission in north when escalating violence. Do you think SLMM, which comprises monitors from scandinavian countries, monitored the ceasefire correctly?. You can bring these monitors by giving large sum of money but their work is insignificant to the country. |
aritha_spice
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2 Jun 2007 00:35:00 GMT Report for Abuse
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Saliya,
The SLMM is not funded by the Sri Lankan government but by the main co-chairs of what onces was the Sri Lankan peace process.
What we need to understand is that at the moment Sri Lanka is facing a large humanitarian crisis. We have almost 700,000 internally displaced persons. This is a population the size of the city of Colombo. People living largely in massive refugee camps whose survival is being funded largely by the United Nations and Red Cross. You don't get to see these pictures in mainstream Sri Lankan media because journalists are not given access into the refugee camps - but if you've seen refugee camps in Darfur Sudan on your tv screen - then you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.
Secondly, this whole rhetoric on national sovereignty is what is commonly used by dictatorial regimes who try to find a means away from responsibility for their national crimes. By accepting the sovereignty rhetoric of our corrupt leaders then we are also accepting their argument that our lives are in their hands. The theory of sovereignty gives unlimited control over the citzenry by the state. This principle is fortunately not accepted in the scale it was before. More than States - what is important are PEOPLE. My life is what's important to me and the welfare of my people. I want my life protected against all that is against it's interests - including the Sri Lankan state. The only safeguards we all have are international human rights which protect all individuals irrespective of nationality. Today, we value human life and freedom much more than any commitment to any state or polity.
At this moment, millions of Sri Lankans away from Southern Sri Lanka are going through numerous hardships and complete disrespect for their human rights. At the same time hundreds of Southern Sri Lankans have been victims of kidnappings, murders and detentions that are due to political reasons. The Sri Lankan state has interfered into the rights of her citizenry over and beyond it's prescribed right to. When this happens, international safeguard mechanisms come in to protect the citizenry. To be a true patriot you must be patriotic to your people. Not to your government. If our people are suffering, getting kidnapped, being tortured - then it's time we do something to protect them and ourselves. It could be you or me next. |
kiwikanga
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2 Jun 2007 12:56:34 GMT Report for Abuse
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Aritha_spice
Fantastic! I fully agree with you but the problem is effective implementation of such a monitoring mission as mentioned by Saliya.
If it is to be done through the GoSL then the outcome would be any ones' guess.ie SLMM. If such a monitoring mission is given autonomous powers to independantly carry out their monitoring then it will be effective.ie. go about anywhere, any time with no restrictions such as obtaining GoSL clearence etc etc. I doubt it happening that way unless overwhelming international preassure is brought on the GoSL to see that it works that way.
Edited By - kiwikanga - 2 Jun 2007 13:09:36 GMT |
j2k6
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3 Jun 2007 06:13:24 GMT Report for Abuse
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UTHR is like EPDP: talking a lot of hot air about things it cant get any support for from the tamils living in sri lanka. the UTHR should seriously think about who it represents. at the moment the LTTE has put a warrant on Hoole and co.
i bet hoole and his commy comrades were all for the LTTE back in the day the 'boys' were winning. now that the dog has turned to bite their behinds its another story. the govt and no self respecting sri lankan, tamil or sinhala, should listen to these HR espousing hypocrites.
i hope hoole gets a bullet to the head. that goes for all the other peace loving hypocrites out there.
Edited By - j2k6 - 3 Jun 2007 06:15:36 GMT |
aritha_spice
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4 Jun 2007 01:05:14 GMT Report for Abuse
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Thank you Kiwikanga
Yes I completely agree with you! An international human rights mission to Sri Lanka should be governed by International and United Nations Laws and not by the Government of Sri Lanka.
If such a mechanism is to be established, it could only result out of a United Nations Resolution in favour of setting up such a mechanism. Once the United Nations General Assembly or Security Council agrees to setting up of such a mechanism, international law would take precedence over national law and the Government of Sri Lanka would be obliged to accept the mission or else face sanctions.
As for members like j2k6 who clearly espouse violence, it is sad that we continue to have a citizenry deeply obssessed by guns and other violent means of living. Of course, most of these citzenry live well and peacefully in Southern Sri Lanka whilst dictating violent terms to the Northern part irrespective of the large numbers of what should be their own people that would die as a result. This it self shows the hypocrisy of the people that espouse violence and that of j2k6. If you want the North East so badly, why propose policies that will likely result in the killing and displacing of hundreds of thousands of your own people? Is it the plants, trees and sand of the North East you want so badly or the people that truly make it a country?
Clearly your lack of self respect has resulted in you posting such a vile and debased message. |
nirupam
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4 Jun 2007 08:37:31 GMT Report for Abuse
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Institutionalised Racism
UTHR is also particularly concerned about evidence of interference with magistrates, through executive control of the Judicial Services Commission, to suppress effective investigation of human rights violations.
In civilised countries the judges are the custodians of justice and the rights of individuals.
In Sri Lanka Supreme Court judges with no Tamil represetation (Tamils are comprised of 18% of the population) justifies Sinhala extremism and protect those kill Tamils (Bindunuwewa massacre). |
kiwikanga
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4 Jun 2007 09:34:29 GMT Report for Abuse
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Nirupam,
There have been tamils in the Supreme Court the last being Justice Wigneswaran, At the moment there is Justice Siripavan and Justice Sri Skandaraja in the Court of Appeal. Do not forget there are so many judges in the MC,DC and HC who are tamils at the moment. There have been Chief Justices who have been tamils. The former Attorney General was also a Tamil and ranked equal to a Supreme Court Judge. It's not that tamils are discriminated being not allowed into the higher ranks in the judiciary. That is wrong.
Edited By - kiwikanga - 4 Jun 2007 09:46:08 GMT |
nirupam
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4 Jun 2007 12:57:03 GMT Report for Abuse
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Kiwikanga,
Biologists say that once dinosaurs inhabited this globe.
Tamils are removed from all sorts of professions and gradually pushed to the North and East. There too Sinhalese army/ Navy are stationed to keep control on the minorities. In the Security Forces there is only 0.01% of Tamils. There are many explanations that depend on the spinning skill of the spokesmen but not on the facts.
Ther is also expalnations on why the first PM preferred to colonise the East and North (dry Zones) in preferance to the fertile and natural Wet Zones of the supreme race. Minorities see it as a well organised and planned scheme ie to implement the honest agenda of the JHU, that this country is only for Sinhala Buddhists..
Edited By - nirupam - 4 Jun 2007 12:59:58 GMT |
kiwikanga
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4 Jun 2007 13:35:40 GMT Report for Abuse
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Nirupam,
My response to you concerned your baseless allegation against purported racism in the judiciary. |
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