|
|
Expulsions `a disgrace to humanity` - NGOs
Friday, 8 June 2007 - 8:56 AM SL Time
|
|
|
As several hundred Tamils were forcibly expelled from Colombo Thursday, a group of civil society organizations appealed to President Mahinda Rajapakse `to call an immediate halt to this practice and to offer facilities of return to anyone who has been forcibly removed.` An open letter from several Colombo-based NGOs said: `while we are full cognizant of the current security situation and the need to maintain close surveillance of the city and its environs ? we are convinced [this] process is NOT capable of guaranteeing security and rather creates further polarization between the different ethnic communities.`
`We reaffirm the principle enshrined in the Constitution of Sri Lanka guarantees all Sri Lankans the right to choose their own residence (temporary or permanent), and freedom of movement and maintain that what has taken place in Colombo today is a flagrant violation of this principle, and a disgrace to humanity,` the open letter said.
The organizations that signed the petition are: Center for Human Rights and Development (CHRD), Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA), Free Media Movement (FMM), INFORM Human Rights Documentation Center, Institute of Human Rights (IHR), International Movement against All forms of Racial Discrimination (IMADR), Law & Society Trust (LST) and Rights Now (RN)
The full text of their letter follows:
Honorable Mahinda Rajapakse,
President of Sri Lanka
On receiving reports of the expulsion of Tamils from various locations in Colombo this morning, June 7 2007, members of our organizations visited the Wellawatte, Pettah and Peliyagoda areas and spoke to various persons who had been affected by the process and the police in the area. This move is directly attributed to the statement made by the IGP on the 1st of June, claiming that Tamil people cannot remain in Colombo without a valid reason. On May 31 Tamils from the North and East residing in lodges in Pettah were forced to leave, as lodge owners were reportedly instructed by the police to not to shelter people from the North and East who had no `valid reasons` for being in Colombo.
According to the information we have received, in an operation that commenced in the early hours of the morning, police and army officers visited various lodges occupied predominantly by Tamils in Colombo and forcibly removed Tamils from these guesthouses. In several instances, eyewitnesses reported that these were not from the local police stations.
Hundreds of Tamils from the Northern and Eastern Provinces, who had been staying in Colombo for a range of reasons were forcibly loaded onto buses and taken to Peliyagoda. A Police Officer at the Peliyagoda Police reported that at least 8 buses with approximately 50 people in a bus left Peliyagoda. Later today, we heard that the IGP had clarified to the party leaders meeting in the parliament that 6 buses had left for Vavuniya, 1 bus to Batticaloa and 1 bus to Trincomalee. At 8.30am in the morning, an officer at the Wellawatte Police reported that 3 buses with approximately 60 people left for Trincomalee and that they would be sent to Jaffna by ship. Later on in the day, the Wellawatte Police reported a figure of 83. However, as of now, there is no confirmation of the numbers of people who were put on the buses, nor of their names.
Many of the lodge managers, and remaining inmates, complained to us that people were given less than half an hour to pack all their belongings and board the CTB buses that were parked outside these lodges. They were also not told their exact destination, only that the return to their homes was being `arranged`.
The criteria for their expulsion seemed to be determined arbitrarily by the police and army. Even in some cases where lodgers were able to explain their presence in Colombo to establish their bona fides, they were told that Tamils who were not permanent residents of Colombo had no right to be in Colombo and had to leave. According to a senior official at the Wellawatte Police, the criteria for determining return was: those who wished to return but did not have the funds to do so; those who had no rationale for remaining in Colombo; and those who said they were remaining in Colombo out of fear.
The Police claimed that they were simply assisting Tamils return to their home towns, and that they had come to know about these desires during checking carried out. The reports from residents, owners and staff of lodges, eye witnesses to the expulsion however are in complete contrast to these accounts. People were forced to leave, even those who were in Colombo for health reasons and were not fit to travel.
While we are full cognizant of the current security situation and the need to maintain close surveillance of the city and its environs, in terms of the human rights principles that guide us in our work as human rights defenders, we are convinced that the above process is NOT capable of guaranteeing security and rather creates further polarization between the different ethnic communities that share this island, and heightens the sense of marginalization and alienation of Tamil people of this country.
We reaffirm the principle enshrined in the Constitution of Sri Lanka guarantees all Sri Lankans the right to choose their own residence (temporary or permanent), and freedom of movement and maintain that what has taken place in Colombo today is a flagrant violation of this principle, and a disgrace to humanity.
We call on you, as our head of State, to take all steps available to call an immediate halt to this practice, and to offer facilities of return to Colombo to anyone who has been forcibly removed from Colombo in this process.
|
|
|
Roshan2007
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 204
Member Profile
|
8 Jun 2007 09:44:49 GMT Report for Abuse
|
MR did the first step towards the Eelam seperation by this act.
VP must be jumping up and down in his bunker.
LTTE had scored so much points these days, this is their finest.
Probably this is another treacherous deal between MR & LTTE for Eelam.
(We all thought Rs 200million payout to LTTE for vote ban is onlyan allegation, untill Sripathy opened his mouth.) |
BABA
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2630
Member Profile
|
8 Jun 2007 09:57:32 GMT Report for Abuse
|
These NGOs cannot kill innocents without the killers staying in Colombo Lodges who are waiting for the signal from LTTE.This is desgracefull.
|
KURAL
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4526
Member Profile
|
8 Jun 2007 12:02:18 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Sri lanka is simply a failed, corrupted and racist country !
Acts tell Truth ! |
nirupam
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2154
Member Profile
|
8 Jun 2007 12:32:31 GMT Report for Abuse
|
a disgrace to humanity - The act of Sri Lankan President
Hyena is incapable of knowing its beastly behaviour. SL ilitist rulers are barbarians who tell ties and propagate hatred. Nazis and white South Africans never knew they were committing the most cruel crimes against humanity. Only the NGOs and other civilised nations must make the barbarians realise that there is a limit to their atrocities.
700 civilians are listed as missing in the Northeast but the leader of this country simply claimed they have gone to 'Germany and UK' without substanciating his statement. Such is the caliber of low grade leader SLanaka is cursed with.
Edited By - nirupam - 8 Jun 2007 12:33:11 GMT |
BABA
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2630
Member Profile
|
8 Jun 2007 15:35:18 GMT Report for Abuse
|
This all cos of Prabhas terror.
Don't forget him.Give him the credit.
|
rswkv
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 699
Member Profile
|
8 Jun 2007 15:58:07 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Hyena is incapable of knowing its beastly behaviour.
Nirupam, You obviously refering to VP the Bunker Rat for making MR president? |
samanj
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1553
Member Profile
|
8 Jun 2007 17:04:13 GMT Report for Abuse
|
These are mere words not really meant to be.......
This disgrace must be hoisted upon the NGOs as the Muslims who were evicted from the East / North & North-West yet languish in refugee camps in Puttalam.
What do they have to say or what did they say then ?
All said & done, what did they do ?
These NGO types are like hyneas waiting for their prey and all want to get into the act cash in by joining hands with opposition political goons. So many will get rich overnight.
Nirupam - those missing people have taken the boats to vanish.... You find some of these illegals in Italy and some in Indonesia. Go visit them. |
Joseph
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 102
Member Profile
|
8 Jun 2007 23:34:00 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Expulsions human disgrace - yes
but
40,000 tamils as human shiels by LTTE- Unbelievable
7000 kids sacrificed- Human carnage
14000 kids scarred,amputated- human tragedy
Tamils open mouth only to eat- Human humiliation
40,000 tamils killed so far and planning to sacrifice atleast another 30,000- Tamil human anhiliation
by
LTTE! |
vamp4
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 649
Member Profile
|
10 Jun 2007 03:08:36 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Expulsion 'a disgrace to humanity' ? NGOs
Another load of crap by damn NGOs.
Pack up and get out of Sri Lanka you idiots we do not need you. |
Abdulsalaam
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 854
Member Profile
|
10 Jun 2007 03:22:26 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Well said samanj.
Does asking less than 500 Tamils from the North & East who could not explain their presence to leave Colombo amount to expulsion of a community?
What about the tens of thousands of Tamils from the North & East with legitimate business who continue to stay in Colombo with a freedom that cannot even be dreamed of in tiger land?
Wonder what these NGOs will say if one or more of their top officials get caught in a terrorist bomb. |
|
Search All News and Discussions