TAMIL CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - TCHR/CTDH
CENTRE TAMOUL POUR LES DROITS DE L'HOMME
(Established in 1990)
(UN accredited NGO to the World Summit on Information Society and the Warsaw Conference)
www.tchr.net
Ref : EH037/PR/2007 22 February 2007
Massive Human Rights violations but very few complaints!
A person is abducted every five hours!
"ÉÉIt has been reported by local and international human rights organisations that a person is abducted every five hours. Kidnapping, abductions, killings have now become common incidents. No matter who does it, as a government we are responsible for it." – Letter written on 23 January 2007, by Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Port and Aviation Minister.
"Sri Lanka faces international isolation for failing to pay close heed to human rights issues", former foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera warned. AFP, 15 February 2007 - Mangala Samaraweera and two other Ministers were sacked by the Executive President Mahinda Rajapaksa on 9 February 2007.
Now it is apparent to the International Community that the Tamils will never get either political rights or justice regarding the systematic human rights violations that they have been undergoing for decades. The Sri Lankan security forces enjoy maximum impunity. The military commanders and Police officers who were responsible for torture and thousands of killings, disappearances, rapes and looted assets and properties have become Political leaders, Ambassadors and Defence Secretary. In Sri Lanka, it is the practice that those who violate human rights have been promoted and court martials have no place.
Except one case on High Security Zone in Sri Lanka, all other cases have not received judgement based on law, rather than ethnic identity. The law in Sri Lanka doesnÕt meet the minimum international human rights standards. In many cases where security personnel were found guilty in the High court, judgements have been reversed by Sinhala judges in the Supreme Court.
There is an obvious problem! Massive human rights violations are taking place in the North East – more than 79,000 killed or ÒdisappearedÓ; more than 12,500 women raped and killed; more than 2500 buildings of religious places of worship (Churches and Temples) have been destroyed in aerial bombings and artillery shelling and billions of rupees worth of material damage done. But until today only very few individual complaints have been made to the UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies – Human Rights Committee (HRC) and Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Woman (CEDAW), to which Sri Lanka is a signatory. Human Rights Treaty bodies examine individual complaints which have not found fair justice in the member states which are signatory to relevant Human Rights instruments. These complaints could be made either by the victim or by relatives.
Therefore we encourage those who have been tortured and raped, and the relatives of those who have been disappeared, killed or faced any other violations, to make use of this available UN mechanism. Victims who never had a fair trial can lodge their individual complaint to these Treaty bodies. The main requirement for this individual complaint to be made is that, "The individual has exhausted all available domestic remedies. This shall not be the rule where the application of the remedies is unreasonably prolonged." In Sri Lanka, there are thousands of cases which have not even had an inquiry for years and the victims have no other judicial organ where they can file an appeal. Therefore any case that is older than a considerable period (a year), has no available domestic remedy. Also the Prevention and Terrorism Act – PTA and the Emergency Regulations – ER do not permit any remedies. Since 12 December last, it has been even worse. The elements of the PTA were incorporated into new provisions known as Ó Prevention and Prohibition of Terrorism and Specified Terrorist Activities Regulations (PPTSTAR)
In the North East, Colombo and Up- country there are thousands of victims who have never received justice for what they have suffered and continue to suffer. They all should send their complaints to the following address with details (Full name; Address; Date of birth; Nationality; Sex; Description of the incident with dates and place of incident; Include information about the alleged perpetrators their names (if known), and an explanation of the reasons why you believe they are the perpetrators. Include information about the steps taken by the victims or their families to obtain remedies, including complaints filed with the police, other officials or independent national human rights institutions; Date, signature and contact details of the author of the communication. Also enclose copies of all relevant documentation.) If possible, this can be done through a Lawyer.
The Name of the Treaty Body
(either HRC or CEDAW)
OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Fax : + 41 – 22 – 917 9006
5th year of the Ceasefire Agreement - CFA
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) mediated by the Royal Norwegian government and signed by the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), on 22 February 2002, includes the terms for the Ceasefire Agreement – CFA. This CFA came after twenty years of bloody conflict in the North East. Under the MoU, the Sri Lanka government accepts the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as an equal partner. Today this CFA has reached its fifth year.
Since the signing of the CFA, the economy took a turn for the better in the South. The concept and hope for peace, entailing a physical peace, was fulfilled. Physical peace still prevails in the South.
In the North East where high hopes for peace were held, a very different situation is experienced. It is true that for a while after the signing of the CFA, the aerial bombing stopped and the systematic arbitrary arrests, rapes, torture and disappearances of Tamil people decreased. The economic embargo was lifted and many including diplomats were able to visit the devastated areas in the North East.
However, except in the LTTE administrated areas, there was absolutely no amelioration in living conditions. Furthermore the constant threat to the people by the Sri Lankan armed police and soldiers in parts of the North East continued.
The situation of the people who had been Internally Displaced (IDPs) for nearly fifteen years did not change at all. It remained the same during the CFA period as it had been during the war-time. Hundreds of thousands of displaced people still remain in temporary shelters. Sri Lankan armed forces in the High Security Zones (HSZs) continue to oppress and intimidate the Tamil population. Under the pretext of HSZs, which occupy many residential areas, IDPs are prevented from returning to their villages and towns to resettle.
Since President Mahinda Rajapaksa came to power in November 2005, the situation has dramatically changed. Rajapaksa openly declared war on 25 April 2006 ordering deliberate military attacks by Air, Sea, and Land on the Tamil population in Trincomalee. He completely ignored the articles – 1.2 & 4.4 of the CFA.
Under article 2.12 of the CFA, carrying out search and arrests under the PTA were to cease. But since 6 December 2006, the Rajapaksa government re-instated the PTA.
Under article 1.8 of the CFA, the Tamil paramilitary forces (mercenaries) should have been disarmed. But various high profile evidence shows that the paramilitary forces continue to be armed and funded by the Sri Lankan government.
These three serious breaches of the CFA made it crystal clear, that the government of Sri Lanka has withdrawn from the CFA – tantamount to an official declaration of Eelam War IV.
The massive military onslaught on the Tamil people since Mahinda Rajapaksa came to power; the arrests, torture, rapes, abductions, disappearances, killings and displacements starting all over again, leaves no doubt that the Sri Lankan government is taking the option of a military solution to the ethnic conflict.
Presently thousands of Tamils have been arrested, detained and tortured in various detention centres and prisons in Colombo, Trincomalee, Amparai, Batticaloa, Vavuniya, Mannar and Jaffna.
Within the last fifteen months, nearly three thousand Tamils including humanitarian workers, journalists, parliamentarians, academics and others have been abducted and killed in the North East and the other parts of the Island.
Presently there is an economic embargo to the North East and its impact on the people in those areas, especially in Jaffna and various other places in the East is devastating, causing starvation and death.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been made homeless and displaced in the recent months. The killings of innocents, including children and women still continue under the leadership of President Rajapaksa.
In Sri Lanka, there is an Ethnic conflict which resulted in twenty years of bloody war. This still continues, even though there is a Cease-fire Agreement – (CFA). Despite the fact that the cease-fire has been in place for the last five years, many of the clauses have not been implemented. Disturbingly, no proper peace negotiations have taken place and the governmentÕs chosen option of a military solution prevails.
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TAMIL CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - TCHR/CTDH
CENTRE TAMOUL POUR LES DROITS DE L'HOMME
(Established in 1990)
(UN accredited NGO to the World Summit on Information Society)
www.tchr.net
Ref : GJ098/PR/2006 25 May 2006
Obvious discrimination by the International Community
"It would seem to International Educational Development that the Tamil people are not viewed as worthy of attention and this must be viewed as rank and despicable discrimination. What other conclusion is possible when in the face of this long and protracted war, neither the Commission nor the Sub-Commission has issued a resolution since 1987? Have these bodies not paid any attention to the reports of the Commission's Working Groups and Rapporteurs? Are these bodies unaware that Sri Lanka is just behind Iraq in disappearances and that almost all the disappeared are Tamils? "
"Are the Tamil people not as fashionable as the Bosnians? Is the fact that the Tamil people are historically Hindu a problem, seeing that so few other countries are Hindu? Is it because certain foreign powers have such an interest in Trincomalee harbour (in the Tamil areas) for their geo political control of the region? Why is it that the international community imposes sanctions on the Republic of Yugoslavia because of the practically identical situation in Kosovo and says not a word about Sri Lanka?" (In a Statement by Karen Parker – The chief delegate of the International Educational Development/Humanitarian Law Project in the 50th session of the UN Sub Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities - 5 August 1998)
This was said by Karen Parker in 1998 in the United Nations Sub-Commission on Human rights, after working for more than a decade with international bodies on raising concerns regarding the human rights of Tamils, including the right to self-determination. These comments came purely from what she has witnessed happening in world bodies including in the United Nations. Karen Parker is an international lawyer, specialised in international humanitarian law. During her many years experience of the workings of international human rights mechanisms, she has raised concerns regarding many situations of armed conflict around the world.
Are there any further reasons for the international community to take a biased position on the conflict in Sri Lanka? Obviously, since 1983 the Sri Lanka government has been running a multi-million dollar propaganda project. But how long can lies and deceptions be acceptable to a group, society or institute of sensible people?
Consider a few recent conflicts (eg. Bosnia, Kosovo and others) in which the numbers of lives lost and of people displaced were comparatively lower than those of the Tamils in Sri Lanka. International bodies placed the conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo squarely on their agenda. During that time, Tamils were told that the Bosnia and Kosovo conflicts were in their backyard and Tamils are geographically very far away from western countries. In addition, it has been said that there are no economic interests in the Tamil area. These are not genuine reasons for ignoring the plight of the Tamils. The conflict may be taking place far away from them but the killing and destroying of the Tamils is done with arms and ammunition given by western countries to Sri Lanka. Furthermore 500,000 Tamils sought asylum in western countries.
We frequently talk about the actions of the international community. First of all let us see who this international community is? There is no actual definition for "International Community". It cannot be presumed that all nations or countries other than the country in conflict under discussion could be considered as the "international community". At the moment Tamils can presume that "anyone who is ignoring the Sri Lankan atrocities and blindly blaming the Tamils" is the international community, mostly western countries.
As Karen Parker said in the UN in 1998, Tamil people do not appear to be viewed as worthy of attention by this international community, which completely ignores many important reports by independent experts of the UN, produced only after visiting Sri Lanka. As also stated, is the fact that Tamil people are historically Hindu a problem? Or could it be presumed that the international community is caught up with Singhalese myths and misconceptions which claim that their roots are of "Aryan race". Is this the reason why the International community is so totally biased?
Otherwise, how is this so-called "international community" unable to see what has been happening to the Tamils since 1948 and so willing to support an aggressor which oppresses another ethnic group mercilessly like the regime of Saddam Hussain or Milosevic. Did this International community ever think of supporting the HutusÕ who carried out genocide against Tutsis in Rwanda? Why only in Sri Lanka are they supporting the merciless Sri Lankan regime?
At the moment, whatever is said by the Sri Lanka government are golden words for the international community and whatever happens to the Tamils is not even considered a violation. Within the last two months the Tamils have seen the true colours of the international community.
On 19 November 2005, Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in as Sri Lanka's fifth executive President. Within the five months since then, he has been responsible for the killing of more than 300 innocent Tamils - Academics, educationalists, parliamentarians, journalists, businessmen and others. This was no different to what Saddam Hussain has done to the Kurdish people in Iraq
Mahinda Rajapaksa has breached the four years old Cease-fire agreement signed in February 2002, between the Sri Lankan government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam – LTTE, especially articles – 1.2, 1.8 & 4.4. He openly declared war on 25 April 2006, ordering deliberate military attacks by Air, Sea, and Land on the Tamil population. In this operation - innocent people including children were killed and many seriously wounded. More than 40,000 people were made homeless and displaced. The killings of innocent civilians including children still continue under his leadership.
WHERE IS THE CONDEMNATION OR EVEN A STATEMENT BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ON SRI LANKAÕS VIOLATIONS OF THE CEASE-FIRE BY ORDERING AERIAL BOMBING, ARTILLERY SHELLING, FIRING FROM GUN BOATS ON TAMIL RESIDENTIAL AREAS? In the eyes of the International community, are these not cease-fire violations?
In order to justify Sri Lankan atrocities against the Tamils in the island, the so called international community is looking at only a few issues, purely based on the Sri Lankan propaganda led by paid lobbyists in the western countries.
International institutions which are very vocal about Child soldiers and children in armed conflict, have kept silent on the killings of Tamil children within the last two months. Does the international community permit the killing of Tamil children and civilians by the Sri Lankan government?
The international community paid no attention to the General election which took place in July 1977, in which the Tamil people in the North East overwhelmingly voted to establish and exercise their ÒRight to Self-determinationÓ in the North East. This democratic mandate was deliberately ignored by the international community.
Again the international community purposely ignored another democratic mandate, that of the last General election in Sri Lanka (April 2004). In this election, the political party "Tamil National Alliance (TNA)" won overwhelmingly in 22 electorates in the North East. The TNA election manifesto stated, "Accepting LTTEÕs leadership as the national leadership of the Tamil Eelam Tamils and the Liberation Tigers as the sole and authentic representatives of the Tamil people, let us devote our full cooperation for the ideals of the Liberation TigersÕ struggle with honesty and steadfastness".
WHAT WAS THE REACTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO THESE DEMOCRATIC MANDATES OF THE TAMIL PEOPLE? A biased response. The international community which completely ignored those democratic mandates given by the Tamils, should understand why Tamil people have lost confidence in voting and did not vote in the last Presidential election. It was the international community which made the Tamils lose confidence in voting and is now pushing them to an even worse situation!
Very recently we have seen how the international community has taken action on the situation in Sudan. We do not think any sensible person will find many differences between the happenings in Sudan and in Sri Lanka. Yet what has been the reaction of the international community to Sri Lanka? Nothing.
Even while Sri Lanka ranks the second highest number of disappearances in 1998, just behind Iraq – the United Nations never took any appropriate action on Sri Lanka. We see countries which do not have half as many atrocities as Sri Lanka, assigned country rapporteurs, special representatives of the Secretary General etc. Why is this discrimination practiced by these world bodies?
In 1997, between 24 August to 5 September, Mr. Bacre Waly Ndiaye, United Nations Special Rapporteur, on Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions visited Sri Lanka and submitted a comprehensive report (E/CN.4/1998/68/Add.2 - 12 March 1998) on extrajudicial killings in Sri Lanka to the 54th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights. This report was deliberately ignored by the then High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson who did excellent work on certain other country situations. It should be noted that it was Mr. Bacre Waly Ndiaye who visited Rwanda before the genocide took place in that country, and raised an early warning predicting the impending genocide.
Tamils have been continuously massacred since 1983 by the security forces. Detail of nearly a hundred massacres have been well published with evidence. None of the culprits have been brought to justice. This impunity is also well supported by the international community. If the international community had scrutinised Sri Lanka's human rights record then Sri Lanka may have been forced to stop these killings long ago.
What has been the reaction of the international community to Sri LankaÕs human rights violations? Sri Lanka has been rewarded with membership in the UN Human Rights Council, is waiting for membership in the UN Human Rights Committee and is also waiting for its candidate to be voted for the post of the UN Secretary General. This is one way, the international community has found a method of encouraging state terrorism in Sri Lanka.
Now we are able to witness an apparent conspiracy against the Tamils in the international arena. Otherwise why does the international community punish only one party to the conflict and let the other party enjoy impunity.
During the 55th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights (7 April 1999) Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations stated: "É.No government has the right to hide behind national sovereignty in order to violate the human rights or fundamental freedoms of its peoples. Whether a person belongs to the minority or the majority, that person's human rights and fundamental freedoms are sacred". We hope that all the Western governments will seriously consider this statement when they make their decisions regarding the situation in Sri Lanka.
The Singhalese leaders, whether of the JVP, JHU, SLFP or UNP never wanted the international community to help them find a peaceful solution to the island's long and bloody conflict of many years. They need the International community only for arms and ammunition and for making statements condemning the activities of their opponents. The international community goes along with this agenda and fully supports Sri Lanka.
Our experience with Western countries is that reports with many pages, produced by Tamils on the violations by the Sri Lanka government, go unnoticed by western governments. In the meantime, a few lines of statement containing lies and fictions against Tamils, produced by the Sri Lankan government and its propagandists are accepted without any reservation. Then the documents with lies and fiction are the ones taken for discussion by Ministry personnel in Western countries.
Sri Lanka government representatives and propagandists can very easily meet with all the Western officials and brief them periodically. On the other hand any Tamil or Tamil organisations are not entertained by most of the Western governments. Whenever any Tamil other than the Sri Lankan government propagandists want to meet the Western government officials, they refuse to meet them and keep them at a distance. This is pure discrimination practiced by the western governments and they are not ready to listen to anything against the Sri Lankan government. This is one of the reasons the Western governments do not understand the opinion and ground realities of the Tamils.
Already there are 500,000 Tamil asylum seekers in western countries. The biased attitude of the western countries is going to bring another 500,000 or more asylum seekers to the west in the near future. We hope, those countries who are supporting a military solution in Sri Lanka, will be prepared to welcome the refugees as well.
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TAMIL CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - TCHR/CTDH
CENTRE TAMOUL POUR LES DROITS DE L'HOMME
(Established in 1990)
(UN accredited NGO to the World Summit on Information Society)
www.tchr.net
Ref : EH074/PR/2006 10 May 2006
ÒÉ.. I do not want to hide the fact that I am a Buddhist and remind them the Buddha taught us tolerance of persons of other religious viewsÓ
said Sri Lanka's former Prime Minister and present President Mahinda Rajapaksa. (www.mahindarajapaksa.com - 1 October 2005)
Is it necessary for any President or even the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to identify themselves in public or to the media as being a Buddhist? From historical evidence the world knows that only a Buddhist can be President or Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. The Late Minister of Foreign Affairs Lakshman Kathirgamar, a Tamil who dedicated his life to strengthening the Sinhala nation was shocked and disappointed in April 2004, when his candidacy for the Premiership was opposed by the present President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Today in the absence of Lakshman Kathirgamar, to gain political mileage, the Sinhala nation praises him as a National Hero and has created a Kathirgamar Charity. All this is political hypocrisy.
On 19 November 2005, Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in as Sri Lanka's fifth executive President. Now, after almost five months in office, what has been achieved by Rajapaksa in the name of Peace and Peace negotiations to end the islandÕs twenty years of bloody conflict? It is well known that Mahinda Rajapaksa frequently impresses the international community with the importance of Buddhism and tolerance.
"ÉÉI am a Buddhist. I believe in the importance of toleranceÉÉ" (President Mahinda Rajapaksa in an interview with 'TIME'– 12 February 2006)
"President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said no other leader in the world in the recent past would have displayed the degree of patience that he was exercising in the face of the highest level of provocations". (http://www.peaceinsrilanka.org - 25 April 2006).
Are the international community and countries practising Buddhism duped by these sweet words of President Rajapaksa? The events which have taken place within the last five months have proved that Rajapaksa Òdoes not practice what he preachesÓ. Being an Executive President, claiming to have a high degree of patience and tolerance, he has been responsible for the killing of more than 300 innocent Tamils. Academics, educationalists, parliamentarians, journalists, businessmen and others have been killed by security forces and the paramilitary forces for which President Rajapaksa is the Commander in Chief? Do Buddhism and tolerance permit these killings? (Detailed list of killings of innocent people from 19 November 2006 is given below)
If Rajapaksa were genuinely committed to patience and tolerance, then this would have to be taken seriously by members of the international community and civil society. The sweet words of a person who is responsible for more than 300 killings and various other serious violations within five months of being in office, cannot be trusted in future.
A man who claims to have a high degree of patience and tolerance has breached the four years old Cease-fire agreement signed in February 2002, between the Sri Lankan government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam - LTTE. He completely ignored the articles – 1.2 & 4.4 of the Cease-fire agreement and openly declared war on 25 April 2006, ordering deliberate military attacks by Air, Sea, and Land on the Tamil population in Trincomalee. In this operation - several innocent people including children were killed and many seriously wounded. More than 40,000 people were made homeless and displaced. The killings of innocents still continue under his leadership.
Here, the LTTE must be given credit for respecting the Cease-fire Agreement, and not retaliating after the deliberate military attacks on 25 April 2006. Otherwise, the result would have been an all out war – the beginning of Eelam War IV.
Why did Rajapaksa order Air, Sea, and Land attacks especially in the Trincomalee district? What is the strategic importance of Trincomalee? Has the illegally erected Buddha statue in Trincomalee in May last year, any connection with these attacks?
The simple answer to all these questions is, under the guidance of President Rajapaksa, well-planned ETHNIC CLEANSING OF TAMILS is in progress in the East, especially in Trincomalee.
Below we give the official statistics until 1981 to show, how the Singhalese have conquered parts of the Tamil homeland, the Eastern province – Batticaloa and Trincomalee. Since the armed conflict started, there have been no official statistics available for the North East. However it is certain that the Sinhala population has increased massively in the Eastern province.
The statistics are for the kind consideration of UN institutions, Experts in the field of human rights, members of civil society and others. Tables are shown on language basis.
Tamil and Sinhala populations in Trincomalee District, Batticaloa District* (Until 1963 it includes Amparai within Batticaloa district) & Amparai District (created in 1963)
YEAR |
Trincomalee District |
Batticaloa District |
Amparai District |
|||
Tamil |
Sinhala |
Tamil |
Sinhala |
Tamil |
Sinhala |
|
1827 |
98.45% |
1.53% |
99.62% |
0.00% |
--- |
--- |
1881 |
90.72% |
4.21% |
93.27% |
4.75% |
--- |
--- |
1891 |
91.44% |
4.3% |
93.2% |
5.21% |
--- |
--- |
1901 |
89.04% |
4.22% |
92.34% |
5.21% |
--- |
--- |
1911 |
90.54% |
3.82% |
92.95% |
3.74% |
--- |
--- |
1921 |
92.13% |
4.38% |
93.12% |
4.56% |
--- |
--- |
1946 |
75.09% |
20.68% |
92.55% |
5.83% |
--- |
--- |
1953 |
78.8% |
18.22% |
87.64% |
11.52% |
--- |
--- |
1963 |
79.25% |
19.9% |
95.6%* |
3.35% |
70.22% |
29.34% |
1971 |
70.2% |
28.8% |
94.49% |
4.49% |
69.47% |
30.18% |
1981 |
65.38% |
33.62% |
95.95% |
3.21% |
62.03% |
37.64 |
In UN terms, ethnic cleansing is defined as, "a purposeful policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the civilian population of another ethnic or religious group from certain geographic areas". (UN Doc S/1994/674, para. 130)
According to the think tank of the United Nations, ethnic cleansing constitutes to crime against humanity which could be compared to certain war crimes. These acts also fall within the ambit of the Genocide Convention. Ethnic cleansing has similar features to Apartheid and Nazism. The ethnic cleansing of Tamils from the Eastern part of Sri Lanka is well documented and in the recent past has been witnessed extensively by the International community.
(http://www.tchr.net/colanization.htm)
Therefore the United Nations, which has the mandate and authority to investigate, prosecute and punish those who are criminally responsible for the ethnic cleansing, should start the process of investigating the ethnic cleansing of Tamils, in the East and especially in Trincomalee. This should be done at the earliest to bring to justice the higher authorities who ordered the ethnic cleansing and in the meantime to compensate the victims.
We hope this appeal will be considered at the earliest by those responsible for this mandate in the United Nations.
Tamil Centre for Human Rights (TCHR) - France
Killing of Tamils since Mahinda Rajapaksa became the President of Sri Lanka
(Paramilitary forces are working closely with the security forces. They are part of Sri Lankan military structure)
(The list is in date sequence – from 20 Nov 06 to 30 Apr 06)
Name |
Date |
Incident |
Place of incident |
Ahammed Lebbe |
20 Nov 05 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Miravodai, Batticalo |
Fowziya Lebbay |
20 Nov 05 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Miravodai, Batticalo |
A woman |
20 Nov 05 |
Strangled to dead by Sri Lankan Army |
Point Pedro |
V Kandasamy |
25 Nov 05 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Koolavady, Batticaloa |
Sinnaiah Sivakaran |
01 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by SL military intelligence |
Neerveli, Jaffna |
K Krishnakumar |
01 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by SL military intelligence |
Neerveli, Jaffna |
Ilanko |
03 Dec 05 |
Hacked to dead by Paramilitary |
Thoppor, Trincomalee |
One person |
03 Dec 05 |
Hacked to dead by Paramilitary |
Thoppor, Trincomalee |
Three persons |
03 Dec 05 |
Hacked to dead - Body found |
Muttur, Trincomalee |
Two persons |
05 Dec 05 |
Hacked to dead - Body found |
Muttur, Trincomalee |
Nizwan |
05 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Maruthamunai, Batticaloa |
Rizwan |
05 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Maruthamunai, Batticaloa |
S Yogaputhiran |
07 Dec 05 |
Killed in a grenade explosion |
Vavuniya Town |
Two sisters |
07 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Palacholai, Batticaloa |
S. Samusdeen |
08 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Punnaikudah, Batticaloa |
J Chandrasegaran |
08 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Kiran, Batticaloa |
Sasikumar Krishnapillai |
08 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Kiran, Batticaloa |
T Thambymuthu |
12 Dec 05 |
Abducted and shot dead |
Kiran, Batticaloa |
Chandran Kandasamy |
12 Dec 05 |
Abducted and shot dead |
Kiran, Batticaloa |
One person |
15 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Welikandai, Batticaloa |
A woman |
15 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Nasivanthivu, Batticaloa |
Ilayathambi Tharsini |
16 Dec 05 |
Gang-raped, and killed by SL Navy |
Punkuduthivu, Jaffna |
K. Navaratnam |
22 Dec 05 |
News paper distributer shot dead |
Jaffna Town |
V Thambirajah |
22 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Chenkaladdy, Batticaloa |
Joseph Christurajah |
22 Dec 05 |
Fisherman – killed by SL Navy |
Gurunagar coast, Mannar |
Xaverian Sreesilvester |
22 Dec 05 |
Fisherman – killed by SL Navy |
Gurunagar coast, Mannar |
Gajanbert Konglan |
22 Dec 05 |
Fisherman – killed by SL Navy |
Gurunagar coast, Mannar |
Nadarajah Yogeswaran |
23 Dec 05 |
Fisherman abducted by masked men |
Mannar |
M Pushpamalar |
23 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Chavakachcheri, Jaffna |
P Somasundaram |
24 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Jaffna Town |
T Jeyakanthan |
24 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Jaffna Town |
R Kunasegar |
24 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Jaffna Town |
K Vimaleswaran |
24 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Jaffna Town |
S Balasingham |
24 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Jaffna Town |
J Pararajasingham |
25 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Batticaloa |
Jude A Fernando |
25 Dec 05 |
Killed in an arson attack SL Navy |
Pesalai, Batticaloa |
Jude S C Fernando |
25 Dec 05 |
Killed in an arson attack SL Navy |
Pesalai, Batticaloa |
Emmanuel Cruz |
25 Dec 05 |
Killed in an arson attack SL Navy |
Pesalai, Batticaloa |
Anthonikkam Cruz |
25 Dec 05 |
Killed in an arson attack SL Navy |
Pesalai, Batticaloa |
Two people |
25 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Near Palaly Camp, Jaffna |
A Kanagarasa |
25 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Punalaikadduvan, Jaffna |
Wijeseelen |
25 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by unidentified gunmen |
Trincomalee |
Ramanan |
25 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by unidentified gunmen |
Trincomalee |
M Theeparooban |
25 Dec 05 |
Arrested by SL Army – Disappeared |
Nunavil, Jaffna |
J Prasanth |
25 Dec 05 |
Arrested by SL Army – Disappeared |
Uduvil, Jaffna |
Joseph Sutharan |
25 Dec 05 |
Arrested by SL Army – Disappeared |
Sandilipay, Jaffna |
N T Vasanthakumar |
26 Dec 05 |
Abducted by masked men |
Thalaimannar, Mannar |
Two youths |
26 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Erravur, Batticaloa |
Jeyaraj Terrance |
28 Dec 05 |
Fisherman – killed by SL Navy |
Pesalai, Mannar |
Shanmugam Govindan |
28 Dec 05 |
Fisherman – killed by SL Navy |
Pesalai, Mannar |
(Page 1 of 5)
Tamil Centre for Human Rights (TCHR) - France
Killing of Tamils since Mahinda Rajapaksa became the President of Sri Lanka
(Paramilitary forces are working closely with the security forces. They are part of Sri Lankan military structure)
(The list is in date sequence – from 20 Nov 06 to 30 Apr 06)
Name |
Date |
Incident |
Place of incident |
Yogarajah Gajendran |
28 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Army Check point-Nallur |
Paranchothy Theepan |
28 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Army Check point-Nallur |
T Arulajanthan |
28 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Kodikamam, Jaffna |
J Yogalingam |
31 Dec 05 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Chunnakam, Jaffna |
P Veerasingham |
02 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Eravur, Batticaloa |
Manoharan Rajeehar |
02 Jan 06 |
Student – shot dead by SL forces |
Trincomalee |
Y Hemachandra |
02 Jan 06 |
Student – shot dead by SL forces |
Trincomalee |
T Sivanantha |
02 Jan 06 |
Student – shot dead by SL forces |
Trincomalee |
L Rohan |
02 Jan 06 |
Student – shot dead by SL forces |
Trincomalee |
S Sajeenthiran |
02 Jan 06 |
Student – shot dead by SL forces |
Trincomalee |
S Visagaratnam |
02 Jan 06 |
Priest shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Alaiyadicholai, Batticaloa |
Jeyanthan |
03 Jan 06 |
Killed in a Sri Lankan army explosion |
Mannar |
Vinotharan Thevarasa |
03 Jan 06 |
Killed in a Sri Lankan army explosion |
Mannar |
Balenthiran |
03 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Wellawatta, Colombo |
Victoria Sepamalai |
03 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Sethukuddu, Batticaloa |
K Sivanesan |
03 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Kayts, Jaffna |
R Thevachandran |
03 Jan 06 |
Fisherman – killed by SL Navy |
Nelliaddy, Point Pedro |
R Kuganenthiran |
05 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka army |
Korakalimadhu,Batticaloa |
Kunam Thanus |
05 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Valaichenai, Batticaloa |
One person |
05 Jan 06 |
Hacked to dead |
Vadamarachi, Jaffna |
T Predeeshkumar |
05 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Uduvil, Jaffna |
Mahenthiran Kumutha |
06 Jan 06 |
Hacked to dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Batticaloa |
Iyathurai Baskaran |
06 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Army intelligence |
Point Pedro, Jaffna |
K Shanmuganathan |
08 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka army |
Vantharumulai, Batticaloa |
Sinnarasa Rasaiah |
08 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Point Pedro, Jaffna |
Two persons |
08 Jan 06 |
Abducted and shot dead |
Skanthapuram, Vavuniya |
Two persons |
08 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Muttur, Trincomalee |
P Pranavan |
09 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Adiyapatham Rd, Jaffna |
B Rajeevmohan |
09 Jan 06 |
Abducted by masked men |
Ilavalai, Jaffna |
P. Sivasankar |
10 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Army intelligence |
Dutch Rd, Jaffna |
Thambu Nadesu |
10 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Army intelligence |
Puthur East, Puthur |
P Kanapathipillai |
11 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Jaffna |
Pasupathy Palani |
11 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Kokuvil, Jaffna |
Thanabalasingham |
11 Jan 06 |
Beaten to death by Sri Lanka Army |
Lingapuram, Trincomalee |
Thambiah Tharmasiri |
11 Jan 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary |
Point Pedro, Jaffna |
N Kandeepan |
11 Jan 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary |
Point Pedro, Jaffna |
Kanapathy Murugesu |
12 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Point Pedro, Jaffna |
Sulaimanlebbai Esmail |
12 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Kalmunai, Amparai |
One person |
13 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Kallady, Batticaloa |
One person |
14 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Batticaloa |
T Tharmaseelan |
15 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Kayts, Jaffna |
Sellathurai Yogarajah |
15 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Thenmarachi, Jaffna |
Bojan Renuka |
15 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Manipay, Jaffna |
Bojan Shanuka |
15 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Manipay, Jaffna |
B Arthanageswary |
15 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Manipay, Jaffna |
One person |
15 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Kodikamam Rd, Jaffna |
Suppiah Murugan |
16 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Urumpiray, Jaffna |
C Sasikumar |
16 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Akkaraipatu, Amparai |
Gopalakrishnan Suresh |
16 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Akkaraipatu, Amparai |
Sellathurai Selvarajah |
17 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Uppuveli, Trincomalee |
Wilson C George |
17 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Uppuveli, Trincomalee |
Ahmedlebby A Bahir |
18 Jan 06 |
Beaten to dead by Paramilitary |
Akkaraipatu, Amparai |
(Page 2 of 5)
Tamil Centre for Human Rights (TCHR) - France
Killing of Tamils since Mahinda Rajapaksa became the President of Sri Lanka
(Paramilitary forces are working closely with the security forces. They are part of Sri Lankan military structure)
(The list is in date sequence – from 20 Nov 06 to 30 Apr 06)
Name |
Date |
Incident |
Place of incident |
Thivakaran Kathamuthu |
19 Jan 06 |
Killed in a bomb explosion |
Thandavanveli, Batticaloa |
T Ravichandran |
20 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Kayts, Jaffna |
Two person |
21 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Police |
Chettikulam, Mannar |
N Yogeswararajah |
21 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Puttur, Jaffna |
Subramaniam Kishore |
21 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Mamangam, Batticaloa |
I Radakrishnan |
21 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Tharmaraikulam, Jaffna |
C Krishnagobi |
23 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Army intelligence |
Chavakachcheri, Jaffna |
K. Kamalachandran |
23 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Goodshed Rd, Vavuniya |
S. Suhirtharajan |
24 Jan 06 |
Journalist shot dead by SL Army |
Trincomalee |
R Suntheralingam |
24 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Muttur, Trincomalee |
K Vaikunthan |
24 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Meesalai, Jaffna |
Thambipillai Selvarajah |
25 Jan 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Muttur, Trincomalee |
Thambiah Jeyarajah |
28 Jan 06 |
Farmer shot dead |
Lingapuram, Trincomalee |
K Geneshalingam |
29 Jan 06 |
TRO staff - Abducted by Paramilitary |
Welikanda SL Checkpoint |
K Thangarasa |
29 Jan 06 |
TRO staff - Abducted by Paramilitary |
Welikanda SL Checkpoint |
Thanuskody Premini |
30 Jan 06 |
TRO staff - Abducted by Paramilitary |
Welikanda SL Checkpoint |
S. Shanmuganathan |
30 Jan 06 |
TRO staff - Abducted by Paramilitary |
Welikanda SL Checkpoint |
T Vasantharajan |
30 Jan 06 |
TRO staff - Abducted by Paramilitary |
Welikanda SL Checkpoint |
K Ravinthran |
30 Jan 06 |
TRO staff - Abducted by Paramilitary |
Welikanda SL Checkpoint |
A Satheesharan |
30 Jan 06 |
TRO staff - Abducted by Paramilitary |
Welikanda SL Checkpoint |
R Ratheeskumar |
30 Jan 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary |
Chulipuram, Jaffna |
Four persons |
11 Feb 06 |
Killed by Sri Lanka Navy |
Pesalai, Mannar |
James Julie Peiris |
20 Feb 06 |
Body of fisherman washed ashore |
Thalaimannar, Mannar |
Mohanathu M Jarool |
22 Feb 06 |
Shot dead by Muslim armed group |
Eravur, Batticaloa |
Navarasan |
22 Feb 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Kiran, Batticaloa |
Vadivel Perinparajah |
27 Feb 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary |
Batticaloa |
P Thushyanthan |
04 Mar 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary |
Jaffna |
Mohamed Navas |
05 Mar 06 |
Shot by dead by Paramilitary |
Valaichenai, Batticaloa |
M Jawfar |
06 Mar 06 |
Shot by dead by Paramilitary |
Eravur-1 Batticaloa |
Kovinthan Vijeyarasa |
09 Mar 06 |
Shot by dead by Paramilitary |
Vellaikutty, Batticaloa |
S Kangeswaran |
12 Mar 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary |
Batticaloa |
S Vaneswaran |
12 Mar 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary |
Batticaloa |
S Rameswaran |
12 Mar 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary |
Batticaloa |
Siniah Rameswaran |
12 Mar 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary |
Batticaloa |
K Illaiyarajah |
12 Mar 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary |
Batticaloa |
S Thangaraja |
12 Mar 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary |
Batticaloa |
V Arulpragasam |
20 Mar 06 |
Dead body found |
Pillaiyarady Batticaloa |
One civilian |
20 Mar 06 |
Dead body found |
Manresa Centre, Batticaloa |
Siththiravel Selvam |
20 Mar 06 |
Shot by dead by Paramilitary |
Iyankerny,EravurBatticaloa |
V Arulpragasam |
20 Mar 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary – Body found |
Batticaloa |
One civilian |
20 Mar 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary – Body found |
Batticaloa |
Jude |
22 Mar 06 |
Shot by dead by Paramilitary |
Kurumankadu Vavuniya |
M. Gunaratnam |
22 Mar 06 |
Shot by dead by Paramilitary |
Kurumankadu Vavuniya |
Ponniah Murugesu |
24 Mar 06 |
Shot by dead by Paramilitary |
Sasthrikulankula |
Kulathunga Regikanth |
25 Mar 06 |
Stabbed by dead by Paramilitary |
Valaichenai Batticaloa |
T. Thankarajah |
28 Mar 06 |
Stabbed by dead by Paramilitary |
Onthachimada,Batticaloa |
V Vigneswaran |
07 Apr 06 |
Shot by dead by Paramilitary |
Habour Rd, Trincomalee |
R Sutharshan |
07 Apr 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary |
Jaffna |
P Shanmugaratnam |
10 Apr 06 |
Killed in a clymore attack |
A9 Road, Mirusuvil |
S. Pradeepkumar |
10 Apr 06 |
Killed in a clymore attack |
A9 Road, Mirusuvil |
S Thivyathas |
10 Apr 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary |
Uduvil, Jaffna |
T Gopalasingham |
12 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Army |
Paruthiyaddaippu, Kayts |
D.M.Kasun Samantha |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
Thavarajah Mahaluxmy |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
(Page 3 of 5)
Tamil Centre for Human Rights (TCHR) - France
Killing of Tamils since Mahinda Rajapaksa became the President of Sri Lanka
(Paramilitary forces are working closely with the security forces. They are part of Sri Lankan military structure)
(The list is in date sequence – from 20 Nov 06 to 30 Apr 06)
Name |
Date |
Incident |
Place of incident |
Antonyraj Geethanadani 12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
|
Thavarajah Selvakumari 12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
|
Kandasamy Thiraviam |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
A.M.Sudubanda |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
T.H.Rashmi Dilrangi |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
Myoora PedigeSivamani |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
Velu Nantheswaran |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
M.S.M.Rilvan |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
S.M.Farook |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
L.H.Ashanka Milan |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
L.H.Susantha |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
Chandra Mathiwus |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
M.Selvarajah |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
1 civilian |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
Nissanka |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
V. Venkatraman |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
T. Namasivarajah |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
S. Maheswary |
12 Apr 06 |
Killed in an anti-Tamil riot |
Trincomalee |
S. Vijeyakumar |
12 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Mirusivil, Chavakachcheri |
N Sorooban |
12 Apr 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary |
Neervely, Jaffna |
Reginald Enselas Melvin |
12 Apr 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary |
Neervely,Jaffna |
One civilian |
13 Apr 06 |
Killed in a clymore attack |
Mullikulam,Vavuniya |
Lakshmi |
13 Apr 06 |
Killed in a clymore attack |
Mullikulam,Vavuniya |
S Nishanthan |
13 Apr 06 |
Killed in a clymore attack |
Semamadu, Vavuniya |
P Kirupakaran |
13 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Chavakachcheri |
T Thayaparan |
13 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Chavakachcheri |
T Ratnasabapathy |
13 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Meesalai North Jaffna |
Kuhaneswaran |
13 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Army |
Puliyankulam, Vavuniya |
Nagulendrarasa |
13 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Army |
Puliyankulam, Vavuniya |
Thiraviyan |
13 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Army |
Puliyankulam, Vavuniya |
Junai Mohammed Aziz |
14 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Thenmaradchi |
Naguleswaran |
15 Apr 06 |
Killed in a clymore attack |
Mannar |
T Mariyathas |
15 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Vadamaradchy |
R Sakilan |
17 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Thenmaradchchi |
A Sureshkumar |
17 Apr 06 |
Killed in a clymore attack |
Chavakachcheri |
K Koneswaran |
17 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Valaichenai, Batticaloa |
Kunapal Suresh |
17 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Valaichenai Batticaloa |
Easan |
17 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Santhiveli, Batticaloa |
T Thaskumar |
17 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Mavadivembu,Batticaloa |
One civilian |
18 Apr 06 |
Hacked to dead |
Vavuniya |
B Reginald Rosan |
18 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Koyathottam, Jaffna |
Kandasamy Gowribalan |
18 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lankan Army |
Puthur East, Puthur |
B Kannathasan |
18 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lankan Army |
Puthur East, Puthur |
S Kamalathasan |
18 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lankan Army |
Puthur East, Puthur |
M Kishokumar |
18 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lankan Army |
Puthur East, Puthur |
T Raveendran |
18 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lankan Army |
Puthur East, Puthur |
One Civilian |
19 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by SL Airforce personnel |
Barathipuram,Trincomalee |
A Thambapillai |
19 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Kondavil, Jaffna |
K Vilvarasa |
20 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
|
T Thavachandran, |
20 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Chulipuram, Jaffna |
Sivarajah Sivakumar |
20 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lankan Army |
Kanniya, Trincomalee |
S Rameshkumar |
20 Apr 06 |
Reported missing |
Trincomalee |
Ilum Nizar |
20 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Vavuniya |
One civilian |
20 Apr 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary – Body found |
Irambaikulam, Vavuniya |
One civilian |
20 Apr 06 |
Abducted by Paramilitary – Body found |
Irambaikulam, Vavuniya |
(Page 4 of 5)
Tamil Centre for Human Rights (TCHR) - France
Killing of Tamils since Mahinda Rajapaksa became the President of Sri Lanka
(Paramilitary forces are working closely with the security forces. They are part of Sri Lankan military structure)
(The list is in date sequence – from 20 Nov 06 to 30 Apr 06)
Name |
Date |
Incident |
Place of incident |
Chandran |
21 Apr 06 |
Hacked to dead by Sinhala thugs |
Seruvila, Trincomalee |
K Nallammah |
21 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Trincomalee |
Chandrasekaran |
21 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Menakam, Trincomalee |
S Rajapathman |
22 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Veppamkulam, Vavuniya |
Pakkiaraja Baskaran |
22 Apr 06 |
Tortured to dead by SL Army |
Trincomalee |
Rathinam Rasinthan |
22 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Nelliady,Vadamarachchi |
S Vaseekaran |
22 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Nelliady, Vadamarachchi |
T Gunanayagam |
22 Apr 06 |
Killed in a clymore attack |
Mannar |
L Chandra Perumal |
22 Apr 06 |
Killed in a clymore attack |
Mannar |
Three Civilian |
23 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lankan Airforce |
Kantalai, Trincomalee |
Kurunathan Janarthan |
23 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Irupalai, Jaffna |
Rasanayagam Jegan |
24 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Vavuniya |
Manickam Rajeevan |
24 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lankan Army |
Kanakampuliyady |
One Civilian |
24 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lankan Army |
Kanakampuliyady |
Two youths |
24 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lankan Army |
18th Mile Post,Batticaloa |
K Lingeswaran |
24 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Valaichenai Batticaloa |
A. Nagalingam |
24 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Valaichenai Batticaloa |
S. K. Raveendran |
25 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lankan Army |
Omanthai Vavuniya |
B Pathinathan |
25 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Urumpirai, Jaffna |
Kulathunga Regikanth |
25 Mar 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Valaichenai, Batticaloa |
Meiyan Kishanthan |
25 Apr 06 |
Killed in aerial bombing and shelling |
Trincomalee |
K. Meiyan M |
25 Apr 06 |
Killed in aerial bombing and shelling |
Trincomalee |
K. Selvarani |
25 Apr 06 |
Killed in aerial bombing and shelling |
Trincomalee |
Nagiah Rukmani |
25 Apr 06 |
Killed in aerial bombing and shelling |
Trincomalee |
Pathiniyan Nagamma |
25 Apr 06 |
Killed in aerial bombing and shelling |
Trincomalee |
V Pagavathipillai |
25 Apr 06 |
Killed in aerial bombing and shelling |
Trincomalee |
N Ranjithamalar |
25 Apr 06 |
Killed in aerial bombing and shelling |
Trincomalee |
Thuraiappa Ratheesh |
25 Apr 06 |
Killed in aerial bombing and shelling |
Trincomalee |
Varathan Rajkumar |
25 Apr 06 |
Killed in aerial bombing and shelling |
Trincomalee |
Vilirasa Mayooran |
25 Apr 06 |
Killed in aerial bombing and shelling |
Trincomalee |
T Sureshrooban |
25 Apr 06 |
Killed in aerial bombing and shelling |
Trincomalee |
G Renukaran |
25 Apr 06 |
Killed in aerial bombing and shelling |
Trincomalee |
Unidentified bodies(3) |
25 Apr 06 |
Killed in aerial bombing and shelling |
Trincomalee |
V Pathmanathan |
26 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Seruvila, Trincomalee |
Rasiah Sivalingam |
26 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Seruvila, Trincomalee |
K Jeevarajah |
26 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Seruvila, Trincomalee |
Dr. S. Arulanantham |
26 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by unknown gunmen |
Colombo |
A Senthilnathan |
26 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Vavuniya |
Zeinudeen |
26 Apr 06 |
Killed in aerial bombing and shelling |
Trincomalee |
Agra Malbeeka |
26 Apr 06 |
Killed in aerial bombing and shelling |
Trincomalee |
Munita Zeinudeen |
26 Apr 06 |
Killed in aerial bombing and shelling |
Trincomalee |
Five bodies |
27 Apr 06 |
Decapitated bodies of Tamils found |
Kaduwela, Avisawela |
Two civilians |
27 Apr 06 |
Missing while bathing in a tank |
Mannar |
Gunaratnam Horton |
28 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by unidentified gunmen |
Mannar |
Auto-rikshaw driver |
28 Apr 06 |
Shot dead |
Kayts, Jaffna |
Vinayagam Kamalan |
28 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Valaichenai,Batticaloa |
Selvam Piraba |
28 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Valaichenai,Batticaloa |
Sellathurai Asokan |
28 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Sri Lanka Army |
Batticaloa |
M Suthaharan |
29 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Army intelligence |
Urelu, Jaffna |
M.Prakash |
30 Apr 06 |
Shot dead by Paramilitary |
Jaffna Town |
(Many more to be included)
(Page 5 of 5)
Tamil Centre for Human Rights (TCHR) - France
TAMIL CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - TCHR/CTDH
CENTRE TAMOUL POUR LES DROITS DE L'HOMME
(Established in 1990)
(UN accredited NGO to the World Summit on Information Society)
Ref : DF009/PR/2006 13 April 2006
An Appeal to the Member States in the United Nations
How can UN member states vote for SRI LANKAÕs
membership in the newly created UN Human Rights Council?
The UN General Assembly resolution adopted on 3 April 2006, in the 60th session – agenda item 46 and 120, paragraph eight (8) says :
"Decides that the membership in the Council shall be open to all States Members of the United Nations; when electing members of the Council, Member States shall take into account the contribution of candidates to the promotion and protection of human rights and their voluntary pledges and commitments made thereto; the General Assembly, by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, may suspend the rights of membership in the Council of a member of the Council that commits gross and systematic violations of human rights".
We learned from various media that Sri Lanka is one of the candidates for membership in the newly created UN Human Rights Council and has submitted its pledge to stand for this election.
á In fact, the Sri Lanka has submitted a pledge which is a long way from addressing the deteriorating human rights record in Sri Lanka. If it were really committed to human rights, it would pledge to sign and ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court – (ICC).
It is crystal clear that Sri Lanka wants to be in the Human Rights Council to defend its deteriorating human rights record rather than to strengthen the UN Human Rights Council.
á High Security Zones still cruelly prevent civilians returning to their homes in breach of the Cease Fire Agreement – CFA
á More Sri Lanka army personnel are now occupying the Jaffna Peninsula than before the CFA.
Status of ratification of International Law by SRI LANKA
Date signed Date ratified
Instrument of International Law by Sri Lanka by Sri Lanka
25 May 2000 (CRC-OPSC)
Optional Protocol to the CRC of the Child on the
sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography 08 May 2002 Not ratified
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Optional Protocol II (Abolition of death penalty) Not signed Not ratified
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (1998) Not signed Not ratified
Ottawa Landmines Treaty Not signed Not ratified
In the recent past, Sri LankaÕs attitude towards the United Nations, its Secretary Generals and some International NGOs has been disturbing. We would like to quote a few incidents here which cannot easily be brushed under the carpet in a civilised world.
1 - After the bombing of St Peter & St Paul's church on 9 July 1995, in which 165 people were massacred, the ICRC which had personnel on the spot issued a news release deploring the loss of life. The Minister of Foreign Affairs summoned the ICRC chief and warned him not to interfere.
2 - In September 1995, ÒMedecins sans Frontiers - MSFÓ, the international NGO which works with the war-injured, issued a press release on the bombing of a school which killed 71 children and injured 100. When UNESCO took up this matter with the government based on MSF reporting, Sri Lanka castigated UNESCO.
3 - In November 1995, when the UN Secretary General at that time, Dr. Boutros Boutros Ghali, called for aid on a significant scale to help 800,000 Tamil refugees, then Minister of Foreign Affairs discredited Boutros Ghali saying that the Secretary General did not know the facts, and that there were only 100,000 refugees - as if even those 100,000 refugees did not deserve help.
4 - In September 1999 criticism and denigration were heaped upon the United Nations for condemning the killing of civilians. The BBC reported:
ÒThe Minister of Foreign Affairs was quoted by the state-run Daily News as saying the UN should be concerned with malaria and mosquitoes and should not try to expand its mandate.Ó
5 - On 7th January 2005, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan made a humanitarian visit to Sri Lanka - a country severely affected by the devastating Tsunami on 26 December 2004. Kofi Annan requested to visit the North East, the areas in the island most affected by the tsunami. The Sri Lankan authorities prevented the UN Secretary-General from making this humanitarian visit. This is a serious violation of the UN Charter, Chapter XV Article 100.
6 - BBC Sinhala news of 22 November 2004 reported, ÒÉ..Amnesty International wrote to the President in April 1999 saying that resumption of executions after 23 years of being a de facto abolitionist country would be blight on Sri Lanka's reputation and seriously undermine international confidence in the government's commitment to human rights and reform." (Excerpt)
We consider it appropriate here to mention an incident when Sri Lanka used the UN forum for its own propaganda purposes.
In 1998, Mr. Rajendra Kalidas Wimala Goonesekere and his alternate Ms Deepika Udagama from Sri Lanka were elected as members – Òindependent experts" - to the then UN Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. Since 1999 this body was known as the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.
When the Sub-Commission began its 50th session in 1998 in Geneva, on the very first day, the Sri Lankan mission in Geneva organised a party for all the members of the Sub-Commission. Out of twenty six experts only a few attended this party. In fact, it was considered by non attendees to be a government lobby exercise carried out by R.K.W. Gunesakara and his alternate Deepika Udagama. Those who attended the Sub-Commission between 1998 and 2001 knew how R.K.W. Gunesakara and his alternate were using the Sub-Commission to justify the government position on its bloody war – arbitrary arrests, torture, killings, 'disappearances', rape, displacement, ethnic cleansing and economic embargo.
We would like to ask the United Nations Member States whether you want a country with this sort of human rights record to be in the Human Rights Council that you all have worked so hard to bring into being?
Let all who are truly for human rights and democracy, wake-up and work on preventing Sri Lanka, with its bad record from becoming a member of the newly created Human Rights Council.
Are there at least 96 UN Member States ready to support Sri Lanka with its above given appalling human rights record?
HEAD OFFICE:
Tamil Centre for Human Rights - TCHR/CTDH
9, rue des Peupliers - 95140 Garge les Gonesse - FRANCE
Contact person : S. V. Kirubaharan – General Secretary
Tel/Fax: + 33 1 42 67 54 36 - Email: tchrgs@hotmail.com / tchgs@tchr.net
Tamil Centre for Human Rights - TCHR/CTDH
PO Box 182, Manchester M16 8ED, UNITED KINGDOM
Contact person : Deirdre McConnell – Director International Programme
Fax: + 44 161 860 4609 - Email: tchrdip@hotmail.com / tchrdip@tchr.net
Tamil Centrum voor Mensenrechten- TCHR
Steelingmolen 43
1703 TE Heerhugowaard, THE NETHERLANDS
Contact person : Sinniah Indiran
Fax
: + 31 - 72 - 57 15 801
Email : tchrholland@hotmail.com
Tamilen Zentrum fur Mensenrechten - TCHR
P. o. Box : 319
8172 – Niederglatt, SWITZERLAND
Contact person : Thambirajah Genegatharan
Email : tchrswitzerland@hotmail.com
-------------------
TAMIL CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - TCHR/CTDH
CENTRE TAMOUL POUR LES DROITS DE L'HOMME
(Established in 1990)
www.tchr.net
Press release 16 November 2005
TCHR Officially accredited to the United Nations WSIS
The United Nations World Summit on the Information Society – WSIS is underway in Tunisia, from 16-18 November 2005. All one hundred and ninety one member states of the UN, Inter-governmental organisations, international and regional institutions, ECOSOC as well as other officially accredited NGOs and business sector entities, are participating in this Summit.
Being officially accredited to the WSIS, the Tamil Centre for Human Rights – TCHR is also participating in this Summit.
Today, the representatives of TCHR handed over an appeal and a report to the executives of WSIS and the Secretary General Mr. Yoshio UTSUMI, in Tunisia.
The TCHR appeal called for increased flow of information to all regardless of political affiliation. The report covers the subjects of Cultural and Linguistic Diversity, Social Transformation and Gender Issues in the Information Society. Also the report states how successive Sri Lanka governments have rejected the concept of equality in education with regard to the people in the North East of the Island and the reluctance of the government to develop information and communication technology (ICT) in those areas.
The report gives details of how the right to freedom of expression is treated by the government of Sri Lanka in the field of mass media – newspaper; television and radio. A list of journalists harassed and killed in the recent past is attached to this report and details of an arson attack on newspapers in Sri Lanka.
In September 2001, TCHR participated in the NGO forum of the UN World Conference against Racism – WCAR in Durban, South Africa. In 1993, TCHR held an information stall and a photo exhibition on human rights violations, in the United Nations 2nd World Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna, Austria. Representatives of TCHR have been participating in the UN Commission on Human Rights, the Sub Commission on Human Rights and the Treaty bodies since it was founded in 1990.
TCHR has gone on four fact finding missions to Sri Lanka.
------------------------
(Last Wednesday, this appeal was handed over to Mr. Vladimir Kartashkin, the Chairperson of the UN Sub-Commission Human Rights by Ms. Deirdre McConnell, Director International Programs)
The Chairperson and Members of the Sub-Commission
on Promotion and Protection of Human Rights
57th Session
Honoured Sir / Madame,
After twenty years of armed conflict, hopes for permanent peace in the island of Sri Lanka flourished with the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) signed by then Prime Minister, Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Mr V Pirabakaran, on February 22nd 2002.
It is with great concern that we note despite more than three years of the ceasefire holding, permanent peace does not look any closer. On the contrary, there are several serious indications of the possible breakdown of the Ceasefire Agreement and the start of impending war.
In the wake of the devastating tsunami which struck the island on December 26 last year, taking tens of thousands of lives, the majority in the NorthEast, eyes were focussed on the situation in Sri Lanka, waiting to see if the tragedy would bring together the parties to the conflict, in joint relief and rehabilitation work. It was hoped that such co-operation would lead to the stalled peace process starting up again.
The international community poured generously into tsunami relief funds, and rightly insisted that there should be a joint mechanism to distribute relief and funds for reconstruction. Hopes seemed to be fulfilled when eventually on June 24th the Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) MOU was signed by the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE. Mr Kofi Annan, said that he “hopes the agreement will help place Sri Lanka on the road to full recovery from this unparalleled tragedy."
However, hopes of imminent joint working were soon dashed. The Supreme Court on 15th July 2005 issued a stay order suspending four key provisions of the newly agreed P-TOMS, upholding a petition filed by Sinhala extremists in which they claimed that their fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution were infringed, and that they wanted the P-TOMS declared null and void.
The blatant and endemic bias in the Sri Lankan judicial system against Tamils, is a well recorded fact. Justice has been denied to Tamils systematically, over several decades, in all aspects of life. They have suffered systematic human rights violations of genocidal proportions, the perpetrators of which have not been brought to book.
Now, justice is denied to the Tamils even in the face of the massive suffering caused by the tsunami disaster last December 26.
Analysts have warned that the failure of P-TOMS will lead to a breakdown in the CFA and possible return to war.
Recently a statue of Buddha was erected illegally in Trincomalee, with political motivation, to cause tension among local communities, and clearly not for worship. The District court ordered the removal of the statue. However the Supreme Court has taken decisions negating the district court decision. Increased Sri Lanka armed forces have been stationed in the town. Local people feel insulted and humiliated by this unwarranted oppression. People are demanding impartial implementation in the enforcement of law and order.
Local people feel the act was part of a calculated plan to destabilize the situation in Trincomalee, and disrupt the implementation of post-tsunami activities that could help in promoting confidence amongst the people in the Northeast. Many believe the ultimate objective of this act is to impede the furtherance of the peace process.
It behoves yourselves as Members of the Sub-Commission, distinguished specialists in the promotion and protection of human rights, to take action, as an integral part of the international community’s duty to pursue peace with dignity.
We continue to believe that this Sub-Commission can be a vehicle to express the noble values and aspirations for humanity that underpin all true efforts to promote and protect Human Rights and thereby make a real and valuable contribution to the creation of conditions in which constructive peace talks can take place, for the good of all the peoples of the island of Sri Lanka.
We appeal to you to take action.
Thanking you.
Deirdre McConnell
Director – International Programme - TCHR
Appeal to the Director General of UNESCO
Paris,
28 June 2005
Dear Sir / Madam,
As the legal judgement, within the National law, is partial and the Sri Lankan state has deliberately ignored the court order issued twice by the district courts in Trincomalee on the illegally erected statue of Buddha, we kindly request the Tamil diaspora and all concerned groups, including members of Civil Society and individuals to send this appeal, or your own appeal to the Director General of UNESCO - requesting him to intervene immediately to remove this statue of Buddha from Trincomalee.
This appeal could be send by fax or post. (Fax n°. + 33 – 1 – 45685555 OR + 33 – 1 – 45685591)
Please send this at your earliest.
Thank you.
Tamil Centre for Human Rights – TCHR
France
* * * * * * * *
(your address)
(date)
Mr. Koïchiro Matsuura
Director General
UNESCO
7, Place de Fontenoy
75352 PARIS 07 SP
Dear Sir,
Appeal to remove the statue of Buddha, erected with political motivation
On 15 May 2005, a statue of Buddha was illegally erected overnight in the Eastern town of Trincomalee in Sri Lanka by so called Buddhists. The unauthorised erection of the statue on land belonging to the Trincomalee Urban Council (UC) was immediately challenged in the courts by the Special Commissioner of the Urban Council and the President of the Trincomalee District Tamil Peoples' Forum (TDTPF). This matter has created tension between the Tamil and Singhalese people in Trincomalee. Several violent incidents have been reported all over the Trincomalee District.
The lawyers who appeared on behalf of the Special Commissioner of the UC and the President of the TDTPF told the court that they "revered Lord Buddha and are not against the Buddhist religion. But they said they suspected political motives behind the overnight erection of the statue and only a court order for temporary removal of the statute will lead to the restoration of peace in the town".
On 18 May the Trincomalee Magistrate and Additional District Judge instructed the Police to take all possible steps to temporarily remove the controversial statue and pronounced that a long term solution to the matter could be found by the Urban Council taking legal action. On 25 May, the Judge reaffirmed his earlier judgement regarding the temporary removal of this statue. Meanwhile another statue of Buddha was erected in Trincomalee close to the Hindu cemetery in Ehamparam Road in Vijithapura on May 23, 2005.
The court order was ignored by the law enforcement agencies and the statue has remained in the same location for one month, guarded by the Sri Lanka Army, Police and the Buddhist followers.
In the meantime those who erected this Buddha statue wanted to have a permanent building constructed around it. On 13 June, this idea was put on hold on the orders of the Attorney General department . This case was postponed until 3rd August as the respondent of this case has not appeared in the courts.
But this respondent, filed another case (became a petitioner) in the Court of Appeals, challenging the order given by the Trincomalee Magistrate on 18 May for the temporary removal of the statue of Buddha. The petitioner pleaded in his appeal to nullify the order of the Trincomalee Magistrate. On 17 June, his appeal was accepted by a Buddhist Judge in the Court of Appeals, who issued a restraining order on the Trincomalee Police and Trincomalee Urban Council preventing them from temporarily removing the controversial statue of Buddha. The decision of the Court of Appeals on 17 June was a discriminatory decision rather than based on the rule of law.
In Sri Lanka, the culture of impunity prevails in all affairs concerned with the grievances of Tamils. Perpetrators of violence against Tamils are not brought to book. However any judgement against a Tamil is implemented immediately after the judgement. The President who enjoys executive powers has turned a blind eye on the controversial statue of Buddha. With the court's order, being Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan security forces, the President could have easily removed the Buddha statue on 18 May, if she were genuinely for equality and justice.
As the legal judgement, within the National law, is partial and the state has deliberately ignored the court order of the Trincomalee Magistrate, we kindly and urgently request the Director General of UNESCO to intervene immediately to remove the statue of Buddha which was erected with political motivation, to create tension among communities. The court order issued twice by the district courts in Trincomalee should be respected without further delay.
We kindly request you to intervene immediately to prevent bloodshed and war in Sri Lanka.
Thank you
Yours sincerely
(your name & signature)
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TAMIL CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - TCHR/CTDH
CENTRE TAMOUL POUR LES DROITS DE L'HOMME
(Established in 1990)
Ref : DR011A/UA/2004 30 December 2004
North East death toll rises to 21,575
Still no International relief or assistance received
With reference to our Urgent action of 28 December 2004 (Ref DR011/UA/2004) on the human tragedy caused by the tsunami tidal waves, in the North East of the island of Sri Lanka, we hereby give an update on the latest statistics and information on the ground situation in the North East.
TCHR sources in the North East have updated the figures of those killed, missing, displaced and injured by the tsunami tidal waves as follows:
Dead Missing Displaced Injured
Amparai 13,261 6,350 191,163 Not known
Batticaloa 2,000 2,000 208,803 2,100
Trincomalee 844 Not known 137,000 3,400
Mullaitivu 3,370 4,500 97,000 3,800
Vadamarachi East 2,100 59 61,839 1,800
Total 21,575 12,909 695,805 11,100
Despite several urgent appeals made from the North East, assistance rendered to Sri Lanka by nearly twenty countries has still not reached the affected people in the North East. The death toll is increasing as the rescue and recovery operations continue.
News reaching from Sri Lanka indicates that relief trucks have been blocked from reaching the frontier of the Tamil region.
“……………..an official of an international aid agency reported today that Sinhalese mobs were blocking relief trucks from reaching the frontier, diverting the supplies to their own hard-hit communities. At least four trucks were stopped by a low-ranking government official from crossing into the Tamil zone, said the official”. (http://www.breakingnews.ie/2004/12/29/story182380.html)
Doctors and community workers in the North East said yesterday that no help had been given to them by any government official or by any government institutions.
Tamil parliamentarians from the North East have appealed to the donor countries and agencies to help directly the Tamil and Muslim people whose lives have been destroyed by the Tsunami.
There are about 352 Relief Centres working round the clock in the North East without any help from the government.
As the government help failed to reach the North East areas, the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation – TRO, which continues to help the victims is appealing for international help.
TRO contacts :
Telephone : + 94 112 693254 (Colombo)
Telephone : + 94 21 228 3947 (Killinochi)
Website : www.troonline.org
Email : cpara@hotmail.com
www.tchr.net
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TAMIL CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - TCHR/CTDH
CENTRE TAMOUL POUR LES DROITS DE L'HOMME
(Established in 1990)
Ref : DR011/UA/2004 28 December 2004
North East death toll rises to 12,200
No relief or assistance received from government or international community
A massive human tragedy has been caused by the tsunami tidal waves, which devastated much of the coastline of Southern and South East Asia on 26th December 2004. The media has calculated the figure of lives lost as approaching 28,000, and this is said likely to rise steeply. The tidal waves affected Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Somalia and Sri Lanka.
Natural disasters have taken place in many parts of the world and caused massive human tragedies. Wherever these have occurred – the international community, international aid agencies and international NGOs have acted promptly and managed to give support to the victims.
In this latest tragedy, the island of Sri Lanka is one of the countries worst affected. Certain media stated that more than 12,500 people were killed in the island and 800,000 have been displaced.
However TCHR sources have so far confirmed the death toll in the North East as 12,200 and the injured as more than 11,100. The death figure is likely to increase as the rescue and recovery operations are still underway in the affected villages in the North East. Rescue operations continue also in the Southern part of the island.
Seventy foreign nationals who were holidaying on the island also lost their lives in this natural disaster.
In the districts of Colombo, Panadura, Kalutara, Hambantotta, Galle and Matara in the South, 2000 people have died due to the tsunami.
In the North, in the villages of Mullaithivu District, including Thalayadi 1,700 people have been killed; 3,800 are injured; 4,500 are missing and 97,000 people are displaced. In Vadamarachi East 2,000 people have died; 1,800 are injured, however TCHR has not been able to confirm numbers of displaced in this region.
In the East in Amparai, 5,700 people have died; 20,000 are displaced, TCHR is unable to confirm the numbers of those injured. In Batticaloa over 2,000 have died; 2,100 are injured; 2,000 are missing and 118,000 are displaced. In Trincomalee 800 have died; 3,400 have been injured and 137,000 are displaced. More than fifty villages in the North East have been completely devastated by the tsunami tidal waves.
Many of the victims have been women and children. Fifty children in an orphanage in Ninthavur, Batticaloa perished instantly. 133 children in Muttur town alone were killed.
On 27 December 2004 the Sri Lankan government appealed through its embassies for international emergency assistance. Countries in the European Union, the USA, India, Russia, Israel and several other countries and international NGOs responded, sending assessment teams and emergency supplies.
According to TCHR sources in Colombo, the devastation and loss of life caused by the tidal waves in the North East have not received much media coverage. The Colombo media, especially TV and daily newspapers in English and Singhalese have failed to give a breakdown of the casualty and fatality figures, thus in effect putting a news block on the tragic reality as experienced in the North East. They also pointed out that the international help rendered to Sri Lanka has not reached the affected people in the North East.
A doctor in a hospital in the East said that no assistance has been received yet to cope with the disaster. He said the bodies of at least five thousand people from four villages alone, had been buried in the last two days. He urgently appealed for antibiotics, Anti-tetanus, toxides, infant food and all types of clothing. He explained that there is panic among the thousands of wounded, since the hospital is rapidly running out of first aid equipment and medicine, appealing for assistance before time runs out for the seriously injured, particularly children. The doctor further said that putrefaction of hundreds of bodies buried in the sands by the retreating tidal wave is posing a major health hazard.
Many Tamil parliamentarians have openly criticised the way the government is handling the situation in the North East, saying that the government is "callously ignoring the plight of thousands in the North East hit by Tsunami”.
According to TCHR sources in Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Amparai and the North, help from neither the government nor any international NGOs has yet reached those areas where people are in dire need of international assistance.
Mr. Joseph Pararajasingham, Member of Parliament who took part in a conference on Monday 27 December on urgent disaster management convened by Sri Lanka's Prime Minister stated that the nonchalant attitude of the government and Sinhala parties towards the suffering in the Northeast is "appalling".
Mr. Pararajasingham further said that "the devastation and destruction in the northeast was discussed for not more than five minutes during the two hour conference on the Tsunami disaster management for all Parliament parties called by the Prime Minister at his residence.
“In fact the situation in the Northeast was taken up only after I raised the issue. They simply were not bothered about the plight of the people in the North East.
"The Tamil National Alliance - TNA has therefore decided to appeal to donor countries and agencies to help directly the Tamil and Muslim people whose lives have been destroyed by the Tsunami", Mr. Pararajasingham said.
As the government help failed to reach the North East areas, the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation – TRO, which is presently helping the victims round the clock, is appealing for international help.
Their urgent requirements to attend to the immediate phase are : Food items including milk powder, precooked for 80,000 families - 3 meals for two weeks; clothing for women and children; medicine -paracetamol, anti biotics, dressings, suture material, disposable syringes etc; water purification tablets and water containers; 25,000 temporary shelters and 50 medical tents; non food items including kitchen utensils, a hundred thousand mats and portable generators.
TRO contacts :
Telephone : + 94 112 693254 (Colombo)
Telephone : + 94 21 228 3947 (Killinochi)
Website : www.troonline.org
Email : cpara@hotmail.com
www.tchr.net
HEAD OFFICE:
Tamil Centre for Human Rights - TCHR/CTDH
9, rue des Peupliers - 95140 Garge les Gonesse - FRANCE
Contact person : S. V. Kirubaharan – General Secretary
Fax: + 33 1 40 38 28 74 - Email: tchrgs@hotmail.com / tchgs@tchr.net
Tamil Centre for Human Rights - TCHR/CTDH
PO Box 182, Manchester M16 8ED, UNITED KINGDOM
Contact person : Deirdre McConnell – Director International Programme
Fax: + 44 161 860 4609 - Email: tchrdip@hotmail.com / tchrdip@tchr.net
Tamil Centrum voor Mensenrechten- TCHR
Steelingmolen 43
1703 TE Heerhugowaard, THE NETHERLANDS
Contact person : Sinniah Indiran
Fax : +
31 - 72 - 57 15 801
Email : tchrholland@hotmail.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAMIL CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - TCHR/CTDH
CENTRE TAMOUL POUR LES DROITS DE L'HOMME
(Established in 1990)
Press release
Ref : A05F/UA/2004 11 February 2004
Hundreds of Christian Churches vandalised in Sri Lanka
Gautama Buddha who at birth was known as Siddharthar, was the founder of Buddhism. He was born in the year 563 B.C. in the village of Lumbini near Kapila Vastu, within the present borders of Nepal.
At the age of 29 Gautama Buddha gave up a life of luxury, renouncing the world after seeing the human suffering around him.
The four noble truths of Gautama Buddha are: “There is suffering and misery in life’’, “The cause of this suffering and misery is desire’’, “Suffering and misery can be removed by removing desire’’ and “Desire can be removed by following the eight fold path’’. The Noble Eight Fold Path consists of: right views, right thoughts, right speech, right actions, right livelihood, right efforts, right mindfulness and right meditation.
Unfortunately in Sri Lanka, a country that prides itself as the custodian of Buddhism, Buddha’s preaching is being abused by some of its followers! Power hungry politicians and Buddhist monks who are the “king-makers” in Sri Lanka, are influencing Buddhist followers to go against the other religions.
Since independence in 1948, the Sinhala numerical majority in (Ceylon) Sri Lanka, has claimed this island as a Buddhist country. In 1972, in Sri Lanka, Buddhism was constitutionally (Chapter II, 6) given a “foremost place”. Accordingly it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster Buddhism’’, even though the constitution, “(assures) to all religions the rights granted by section 18(l) (d)’’.
In the recent past, attacks and vandalism against Christian Churches in Sri Lanka have intensified. Christian Churches have been stoned, burned and vandalised by mobs led by Buddhist monks. Also Pastors’ residences has been attacked and worshippers have been beaten. In one incident in Kotadeniyawa, attackers attempted to rape four women Church workers!
In many parts of Sri Lanka, anti-Christian demonstrations have been organised by Buddhist Monks and handbills against the Christian Churches have been distributed. Demonstrators have issued an ultimatum to the Churches to cease their activities in those areas.
TCHR has collected information on 89 attacks and arson attacks on Christian Churches in Sri Lanka. (List attached) These attacks on Christian Churches and worshippers were well organised by politicised Buddhist Monks. The Police and other government security forces are turning a blind eye. There have been occasions when attacks have even taken place in the presence of Police and Army personnel. There have been very few incidents where the Police have taken action against mobs and Buddhist Monks.
Attacks on Christian Churches and Hindu Temples are nothing new in Sri Lanka. They have been taking place for decades.
According to the statistics collected by TCHR, during the twenty years of bloody war in the North-East, 2076 Hindu Temples and 299 Christian churches in the North (http://www.tchr.net/religion.html) were damaged and destroyed in Aerial bombings and shelling. Also many killings and massacres have taken place in Churches, Temples and Schools.
It is deplorable that these attacks and arson attacks on Christian Churches and Temples have neither been investigated, nor even recorded, in the government books !
In vivid comparison, Buddhism and Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka are expanding with the full backing of the State. New Buddhist temples are being erected not only on government-owned land but also on privately-owned land! In war-ravaged Jaffna for example, which is now under army rule, the only reconstruction done was to renovate the sole Buddhist vihare in the town.
We, the TCHR along with several other international Human rights organisations, strongly condemn the attacks on Christian Churches and other religious shrines in Sri Lanka. We appeal to the Government of Sri Lanka to take action to halt these attacks and to bring the perpetuators to justice.
We appeal to the UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance to take cognisance of the above facts and to take immediate action on this urgent and serious matter.
Please send your protests to the following address:
Thank you.
Geneva 10, SWIZERLAND 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Email : tb-petitions.hchr@unog.ch
www.tchr.net
HEAD OFFICE:
Tamil Centre for Human Rights - TCHR/CTDH
9, rue des Peupliers - 95140 Garge les Gonesse - FRANCE
Contact person : S. V. Kirubaharan – General Secretary
Fax: + 33 1 40 38 28 74 - Email: tchrgs@hotmail.com / tchgs@tchr.net
Tamil Centre for Human Rights - TCHR/CTDH
PO Box 182, Manchester M16 8ED, UNITED KINGDOM
Contact person : Deirdre McConnell – Director International Programme
Fax: + 44 161 860 4609 - Email: tchrdip@hotmail.com / tchrdip@tchr.net
Tamil Centrum voor Mensenrechten- TCHR
Steelingmolen 43
1703 TE Heerhugowaard, THE NETHERLANDS
Contact person : Sinniah Indiran
Fax : + 31 - 72 - 57 15 801 Email : tchrholland@hotmail.com
TAMIL CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - TCHR/CTDH
CENTRE TAMOUL POUR LES DROITS DE L'HOMME
(Established
in 1990)
www.tchr.net
Ref : A030/APP/2003 30 November 2003
TCHR
learns from news paper reports published in Colombo that former Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka Mr Lakshman Kadirgamar will be nominated for the
post of Secretary-General of the Commonwealth by the Sri Lankan government. The
present Secretary-General, Rt. Hon. Donald McKinnon, will complete his term in
three weeks.
TCHR, being
an organisation working on Human rights issues in Sri Lanka, should in normal
circumstances be proud and happy that a Sri Lankan is being nominated for this
post.
Mr Lakshman
Kadirgamar, a product of the University of Oxford and a President’s
Counsel of Sri Lanka would appear to deserve this post.
After
looking at Kadirgamar’s academic and professional career, if one looks at
his political career as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, one sees
another side of Lakshman Kadirgamar ! During his seven years as Minister
of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, Mr Kadirgamar’s unseemly attacks on
world bodies like the United Nations were deplorable. Also he showed little
respect for important humanitarian organisations like the ICRC and other
International NGO ‘s.
When we
analyse his period as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, we can see how
contemptuous he was of the appalling human rights situation of the Tamil people
in the island of Sri Lanka.
In 1995,
“Medecins sans Frontieres - MSF”, the international NGO which works
with the war-injured, issued a press release after the horrific bombing of the
Tamil school at Nagarkovil in the Jaffna peninsula. In this bombing 71 children were killed and 100 injured. MSF
which worked with the victims condemned this bombing which caused such loss of
life and limb to children. When
UNESCO took up this matter with the Sri Lanka government based on MSF
reporting, Mr Kadigamar’s Ministry castigated UNESCO (Daily News 12 October
1995).
After the
bombing of Navaly church on 9th July 1995, in which 165 Tamil people
were massacred, the ICRC which had personnel on the spot issued a news release
deploring the loss of life. Mr Kadirgamar’s reaction was to summon the
ICRC chief and warn him not to interfere. In consequence, Colombo newspapers
published articles tarnishing the ICRC’s image and virtually alleging
that the organisation was lying about the bombing.
Even though
the reports of the United Nations’ Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups
detailed extensive documentation criticising the Human Rights situation in Sri
Lanka, Mr Kadirgamar defended all the atrocities of the Sri Lankan security
forces committed against Tamil civilians.
Thousands
were arbitrarily arrested and tortured, and hundreds were
‘disappeared’ and extra judicially killed. The rape of Tamil women
by Sri Lankan security forces was systematic and horrifying. Also a draconian
economic embargo was imposed which caused suffering to hundreds of thousands of
Tamil people, who were denied food and medicines. All this was happened at the
time when Mr Kadirgamar was officiating as Foreign Minister of the country.
During his
period as Foreign Minister, Sri Lanka was declared to be the country with the
second highest number of Forced Disappearances in the world, by the UN Working
Group on Disappearances.
To think
that a man who had such little concern for human life in his own country could
be entrusted with the responsibility of an organisation that has such a wide spectrum
of humanity, would be an affront to the entire civilised world.
We, the TCHR
appeal to all Heads of Government of the Commonwealth to desist from extending
support to Mr Kadirgamar’s nomination.
We also
request all peace loving citizens of Commonwealth countries to appeal to their
Heads of states as well as to the Commonwealth Secretariat, protesting Mr.
Lakshman Kadirgamar’s nomination to the post of the General-Secretary of
the Commonwealth.
Please send your protests to the following address as well as to the Head of state in your country.
Thank
you.
The
Commonwealth Secretariat,
Marlborough
House, Pall Mall,
Phone:
+44 (0)20 77476500
Fax:
+44 (0)20 7930 0827
www.tchr.net
HEAD OFFICE:
Tamil Centre for Human Rights - TCHR/CTDH
9, rue des Peupliers - 95140 Garge les Gonesse -
FRANCE
Contact person : S. V.
Kirubaharan – General Secretary
Fax: + 33 1 40 38 28 74 - Email: tchrgs@hotmail.com
/ tchgs@tchr.net
Tamil Centre for Human Rights - TCHR/CTDH
PO Box 182, Manchester M16 8ED, UNITED KINGDOM
Contact person : Deirdre
McConnell – Director International Programme
Fax: + 44 161 860 4609 - Email: tchrdip@hotmail.com / tchrdip@tchr.net
Tamil Centrum voor Mensenrechten- TCHR
Steelingmolen 43
1703 TE Heerhugowaard, THE NETHERLANDS
Contact person : Sinniah
Indiran
Fax : + 31 - 72 - 57 15 801
Email : tchrholland@hotmail.com