V. Navaratnam's Last Interview
by TamilNet, December 22, 2006
"The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher's recent reference to the responsibilities of the [Sri Lankan] Government was precisely the same as the substance of a speech I made in the Ceylon Parliament on 11th June 1968," noted the doyen of Tamil politics, V. Navaratnam, when he spoke to TamilNet on 02 November. "I am 97 years old and have lived through the makings of history - not global history with British troops marching into Belgium to start World War I, but more particularly the political, constitutional, judicial, cultural and social history of Ceylon, the country of my origin."
Mr. Navaratnam passed away in Canada Friday
1972 Sri Lanka Constitution Illegal - Navaratnam.
"The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher's recent reference to the responsibilities of the [Sri Lankan] Government was precisely the same as the substance of a speech I made in the Ceylon Parliament on 11th June 1968," noted the doyen of Tamil politics, V. Navaratnam, when he spoke to TamilNet on 02 November. "I am 97 years old and have lived through the makings of history - not global history with British troops marching into Belgium to start World War I, but more particularly the political, constitutional, judicial, cultural and social history of Ceylon, the country of my origin."
Mr. Navaratnam passed away in Canada Friday.
V. Navaratnam
[18.10.1910 - 22.12.2006]
"It was a lengthy speech [on 11th June 1968], frequently interrupted by the Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake, his deputy J.R.Jayawardene, and others including the president of the Federal Party, in which I traced the 50 year history of a series of negotiated pacts for the solution of the Singhalese-Tamil conflict, beginning from 1919, through the Mahendra Pact of 1925, the Bandaranaike - Chelvanayakam Pact of 1956 and the Dudley Senanayake - Chelvanayakam Pact of 1965," Mr. Navaratnam said.
"I am glad to find that the most powerful Donor among the Co-Chairs is well apprised of the dire situation that confronts the Tamils in Ceylon. A high ranking diplomat from the US State Department, Mr. Richard A. Boucher, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, who was in Ceylon recently, addressed an audience in what appears to be a US-arranged press conference in Colombo," the doyen of Tamil politics said.
Mr. Richard A. Boucher was reported to have said: "We need to start with the basic fact that there is a democratically elected government here in Sri Lanka. A democratic government, as a member of comity of nations, is obliged politically and constitutionally, to respect and defend the human rights of its citizens. Therefore, the primary responsibility to respect and defend human rights is with the government.”
To a question by another correspondent he said: "I think there is more than that, though, that should lead the LTTE to negotiations. The fact is that the LTTE fights for the legitimate grievances of the Tamil community. The LTTE's goals are also to see the Tamil community is respected, and is able to control its own affairs within a unified island. The only way they are going to achieve those aspirations is through negotiations."
"These are views which are not usually associated with the United States before. Allowing for the propensity of governments to use worn-out clichés such as 'democratically elected governments', 'territorial integrity', 'unified country’, 'unitary state', 'eschew violence', 'talks', 'negotiations', 'negotiated settlements', etc, Boucher’s statements reflect the U.S. adopting a sympathetic position towards the plight of the Tamils.
"In my speech at Ceylon Parliament, I charged that the governments in Colombo failed to implement even one negotiated pact during the 50 years. They always found some excuse to abdicate each of the pacts.
"It was in that speech, I called upon the Tamils never again to get drawn into talks with Sinhalese governments in Colombo or enter into negotiated settlements but to rise up and fight for the establishment of a separate, independent, self-governing Tamil state.
"In a way that speech of mine turned to be one of the contributory factors for making the present day Supreme Court of Ceylon an illegitimate institution, and its Bench of Five Judges lack legitimacy, judicial power and jurisdiction to deliver judgment on the North East merger.
"I am 97 years in age and have lived through the makings of history - not global history with British troops marching into Belgium to start World War I, but more particularly the political, constitutional, judicial, cultural and social history of Ceylon, the country of my origin.
"Some time after Ceylon received Independence, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in England delivered judgments in two cases for Ceylon, pronouncing that Article 29(2) in the Soulbury Constitution contained entrenched provisions of the law for the protection of the Tamils and other minorities and therefore can never be amended or repealed under any procedure.
"It upset the Singhalese leadership, which had been nursing a secret intention to amend the Soulbury Constitution to vest the Singhalese community with absolute dominant power, to take away the political power of the Tamils. When I concluded my speech in Parliament, Dr. Colvin R de Silva, a Marxist MP from the opposition, followed up.
"His speech was essentially a reply to mine, gave advance public warning of things to come. His mumbled words were understood to say that they would deal with the Soulbury Constitution when they get a chance.
"He did get that chance much sooner than expected.
"In 1970, the country went to the polls in a general election to Parliament. Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike, president of the SLFP, who contested the elections in coalition with the Marxists, won with a clear two-thirds majority and became Prime Minister.
Dr. Colvin R. de Silva
"She took in Colvin R de Silva into her Cabinet as minister for legal affairs. The Law Minister lost no time in getting the Parliament to enact legislation abolishing the Senate, the upper house of parliament, and taking away the right of appeal to the Privy Council, the ultimate and final Court of Appeal for Ceylon, both of which formed the bulwarks for the safeguard of the Tamils in the Constitution.
"The Minister next turned to the Soulbury Constitution. It had been made known from the beginning that the Parliament elected in 1970 would simultaneously function as a parallel constituent assembly to draft and adopt a new constitution for a unitary state to be called Sri Lanka and all members elected to that Parliament would hold dual parallel status as Member of Parliament and Member of Constituent Assembly.
"Accordingly the 'constituent assembly' deliberated for two years, and in May 1972 proclaimed a new unitary state named 'the Republic of Sri Lanka' in the place of the legal name of Ceylon, and a new constitution for the unitary state, making the legitimate and lawfully permanent Soulbury Constitution obsolete.
"Sirimavo Bandaranaike, who held the post as Prime Minister of Ceylon under that Constitution, resigned and was appointed by an illegitimate president as 'Prime Minister of Sri Lanka'. She took an oath swearing to uphold and protect the new spurious constitution. So did all the ministers of her cabinet, and all the MPs, Judges of Courts, and all authorities in control of governance.
"In one clean sweep Colvin R. de Silva was able to destroy, without the loss of a drop of blood, what the British had taken two centuries to achieve and leave behind. It was a daring, willful and virulent exercise of lawbreaking in violation of the fundamental law of the land from which all activities of government derived their legality. From that day in May 1972 to the present, the Rule of Law became a myth, the democratic legal principle for orderly life in Ceylon society was made extinct.
"Who cares, so long as you have the numbers? Dr.Colvin R. de Silva, the Marxist, knew that you only need to show that 51% voted for the winning side for the world to be convinced, in the words of Mr. Boucher, that you have a democratically elected government.
"The world has no time to look into the legality of the election.
"The Five Judge Bench, likewise, knew that they were the ultimate and final Court of Appeal for Ceylon, and that there can never be a challenge to the judgment they proposed to deliver declaring the merger of the Northern and Eastern Provinces invalid.
"No one among the large number of critics who made adverse comments on the judgment of the North East merger had the insight to ask from where did the five Sinhalese judges get the judicial power to hear a case and deliver a 'judgment'?
"The Supreme Court of present day Ceylon, in which name the ‘judgment’ was delivered, is a nullity in law, an illegitimate creation of a 'parliament' which has no legal source from where it can claim legitimacy.
"Every government, every parliament, all courts of law including the supreme court, and all agencies and institutions exercising powers of governance and which came into existence in or after May 1972 are all illegitimate and a fraud.
"All these are results of a premeditated and well-planned scheme of the Sinhalese leadership, representing the majority community in Ceylon, to bypass the lawful Soulbury Constitution.
"Only a few days ago, the newly appointed British High Commissioner for Ceylon told the world that when his country, Britain, first arrived in the Indian Ocean waters, there were three different, separate, independent, sovereign Kingdoms in the island of Ceylon. All three came under British rule at different times.
"In 1833, Captain Colebrook merged the three Kingdoms and unified their territories into a single British colony for administrative convenience. The Jaffnapatnam Kingdom in the North and East was divided into the Northern and Eastern Provinces inhabited by the Tamils: the west and southern maritime countries of the Jayewardenepura Kotte Kingdom into the Western, North - Western, Sabragamuwa and Southern Provinces inhabited by the Low Country Sinhalese people; and the central hill country of the Kandyan Kingdom into the Central , North - Central and Uva Provinces inhabited by the Kandyan Singhalese people.
"In the context of the 'judgment' referred to above, the question arises: why did not the President Mahinda Rajapakse and his JVP allies, all of the Southern Province, file a case to undo the Colebrook merger?
"Is it because they feared to rouse up the sleeping Kandyans?
"In the hypothetical event of such a case, what would be the judgment of the present day Supreme Court of Ceylon?"
Friday, December 26, 2008
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that he needs revenue for the war against the LTTE.-BBC
LIOC 'lost' Rs.120 million
Fuel
LIOC obeyed the court ruling last week but has increased again citing heavy loses
The Sri Lankan subsidiary of the Indian Oil Company has informed the judiciary that is has lost nearly 120 million rupees since it reduced price of petrol as per a court order.
The lost occurred as Sri Lanka government did not reduce the tax imposed on fuel imports, Lanka Indian Oil Company (LIOC) said.
In a petition to the Supreme Court on Friday, LIOC Managing Director KR Suresh Kumar said the company had to increase the price of a litre of petrol to 122 rupees as a result.
The Supreme Court ordered Sri Lanka authorities to reduce the price of a litre of petrol to 100 rupees on 17 December.
President's response
The cabinet of ministers are yet to decide on the court ruling but Mr. Suresh Kumar told BBC Sandeshaya on 19 December that it would reduce the price obeying the court ruling.
The needs of a mere 04 per cent of people who use petrol for cars could not supersede the needs of more than 90 % of the people who travelled by bus and train
President Mahinda Rajapaksa
Noting that the function of good government required proper understanding among the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that he needs revenue for development and the war against the LTTE.
“The needs of a mere 04 per cent of people who use petrol for cars could not supersede the needs of more than 90 % of the people who travelled by bus and train,” he told a gathering in the Presidential Secretariat on 22 December.
The LIOC has requested the court to make a fresh ruling considering the company’s loses as a result of taking steps to obey the ruling.
LIOC is the only private oil company other than the state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) that operates fuel stations in Sri Lanka.
Fuel
LIOC obeyed the court ruling last week but has increased again citing heavy loses
The Sri Lankan subsidiary of the Indian Oil Company has informed the judiciary that is has lost nearly 120 million rupees since it reduced price of petrol as per a court order.
The lost occurred as Sri Lanka government did not reduce the tax imposed on fuel imports, Lanka Indian Oil Company (LIOC) said.
In a petition to the Supreme Court on Friday, LIOC Managing Director KR Suresh Kumar said the company had to increase the price of a litre of petrol to 122 rupees as a result.
The Supreme Court ordered Sri Lanka authorities to reduce the price of a litre of petrol to 100 rupees on 17 December.
President's response
The cabinet of ministers are yet to decide on the court ruling but Mr. Suresh Kumar told BBC Sandeshaya on 19 December that it would reduce the price obeying the court ruling.
The needs of a mere 04 per cent of people who use petrol for cars could not supersede the needs of more than 90 % of the people who travelled by bus and train
President Mahinda Rajapaksa
Noting that the function of good government required proper understanding among the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that he needs revenue for development and the war against the LTTE.
“The needs of a mere 04 per cent of people who use petrol for cars could not supersede the needs of more than 90 % of the people who travelled by bus and train,” he told a gathering in the Presidential Secretariat on 22 December.
The LIOC has requested the court to make a fresh ruling considering the company’s loses as a result of taking steps to obey the ruling.
LIOC is the only private oil company other than the state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) that operates fuel stations in Sri Lanka.
Tamil Centre for Human Rights, December, 2008:
60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
A brief analysis on Sri Lanka
by Tamil Centre for Human Rights, December, 2008
http://www.sangam.org/2008/12/UDHR.php?uid=3191&print=true
So far over 85,000 Tamil people have been killed or “disappeared”; more than 12,500 Tamil women raped and killed; more than 2500 buildings of Tamils' religious places of worship (Churches and Temples) have been destroyed in aerial bombings and artillery shelling and billions of rupees worth of material damage has been caused to the Tamils by the Sri Lankan government.
As a result of well-planned ethnic cleansing by the Sinhala State, nearly 500,000 Tamil people have been internally displaced and more than 500,000 Tamils' have sought political asylum in Europe and other countries. (Violation of UDHR articles - 3, 16, 16,17)
Ref:HR052D/PR/2008
10 December 2008
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted on 10th December 1948 by the United Nations at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris. Since then this day has been celebrated all over the world as “International Human Rights Day”. Today is the 60th anniversary.
The UDHR contains thirty articles. Articles 1 and 2 outline the philosophical claim of the UDHR and emphasise that human beings are born free in equal dignity and are entitled to all rights and freedoms without any kind of discrimination. Articles 3 to 21 deal with Civil and Political rights and articles 22 to 27 deal with Economic, social and cultural rights. Concluding articles 28 and 29 stress the duties and responsibility of the individual in a democratic society. Finally, article 30 gives cautionary notice that UDHR may not be interpreted as implying that any group or person has any right to do anything aimed at destroying the rights and freedoms set forth in the UDHR.
Considering the emphasis of articles in the UDHR, it is important to analyse how far the UDHR has been respected by the governments of Sri Lanka regarding the human rights of Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka (or earlier Ceylon). Below is a short list of some of the violations of the UDHR.
1948 - The Citizenship Act disenfranchising Indian Tamil Plantation workers was passed in Parliament. One million 3rd generation plantation workers had been living in the island for over 115 years. They were brought to the island by the British from South India to work in Tea and Rubber plantations in the hill country. 100,000 plantation Tamils were victimised. (Violation of UDHR article - 21)
1956 - The “Sinhala Only” Act was passed in the Sri Lankan Parliament. This Act made Tamils as second class citizens in the island. Tamils staged peaceful protests in Colombo and Gal Oya. 150 Tamils were burnt or hacked to death; 20 Women were raped; 3000 were made refugees and their properties were looted by Sinhala mobs. (Violation of UDHR article - 2, 3, 5, 12, 17 )
1958 - Anti Tamil riots in Sinhala areas. Massacre of Tamils, looting of their properties, setting fire to their houses. 25,000 Tamils were made refugees; 500 Tamils were burnt or hacked to death; 200 Women were raped and Tamil properties were looted or destroyed by Sinhala mobs. (Violation of UDHR articles – 2, 3, 5, 12, 17)
1961 - Tamil non-violent (Satyagraha) civil disobedience campaign in the North and East was disrupted by the security forces, protesters were beaten and arrested. (Violation of UDHR articles - 5, 9, 20)
1964 - The Srima-Shastri Pact to evacuate Tamil plantation workers of Indian origin was signed. These workers had been living in the island for over 131 years. 650,000 Plantation Tamils became stateless persons. (Violation of UDHR articles - 4, 15, 23)
1972 - Equal education opportunities for Tamil students were denied. Standardisation in university admission was introduced. (Violation of UDHR article - 26)
1974 - The Fourth International Tamil Research Conference held on 10/01/1974 in Jaffna was disrupted by the Sri Lankan Police. 9 Tamils were brutally killed. (Violation of UDHR articles - 2, 3, 20, 27)
1977 - In July, the Tamil United Liberation Front - TULF contested and won overwhelmingly at the Parliamentary election, giving them a mandate to exercise the “Right to Self-determination” and establish Tamil Eelam in the North East.
In 1983 August 8, the Sri Lankan government enacts the 6th Amendment to the constitution and rejected the right to self-determination of the Tamil people, the mandate voted by the Tamils in the 1977 general election. (Violation of UDHR articles - 8, 10, 21)
1979 - July, Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) was introduced in Sri Lanka. This Act gives a free hand to the security forces to arrest, detain, torture, rape, kill and dispose of bodies with impunity. Arrested people can be detained for three months without being produced in courts. (Violations of UDHR articles - 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
1981 - The Jaffna Public Library was completely destroyed in a fire set by a group of police officers who went on a rampage in Jaffna city on May 31, 1981. 95, 000 volumes of unrecoverable-invaluable books were burnt. (Violations of UDHR articles - 2, 21, 24, 27)
Since independence in 1948, more than 35 years of peaceful non-violent struggle by the Tamils protesting against Sinhala oppression, were suppressed by violent means by the Sri Lankan security forces, inflicting loss of many lives and much material damage to the Tamils. (Violations of UDHR articles - 3, 4, 5,9,13,20)
1983 - The Government masterminded an anti-Tamil pogrom in July. More than 6,000 Tamils were killed by the Sinhalese in the South. Tamil houses and businesses were looted and destroyed. Tamils living in the South were sent in ships to the North East by the government. 250,000 Tamils were made refugees; 2,500 Tamils were burnt or hacked to death; 500 women were raped; 53 Tamil political prisoners were brutally murdered in the maximum security Welikada prison on 25-27th July. Sinhala extremist groups and thugs ruined the socio-economic foundation and the political rights of the Tamil people. Anti-Tamil riots also in 1956, 1958, 1977, and 1981. (Violation of UDHR articles - 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 17, 23, 24, 25, 26)
1984 - From 1984 until today Tamils living in the North-East have been arrested, tortured and killed on a mass scale. Women have been raped, many disappeared. Tamil properties have been looted or destroyed by the Sri Lankan security forces. Air Force bombers have dropped tons of bombs, including recently cluster bombs, on residential areas and IDP camps, causing severe loss and damage to Tamil people and their property.
The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the Emergency Regulations (ER) adopted by the government are helping the security forces to carry out all sorts of human rights violations with impunity. (UDHR has been completely violated)
1990 - To date, an economic embargo on Tamil areas. Food, medicine, electricity and other important items are denied to the Tamils. (Violations of UDHR articles - 22, 25, 26)
1995 - On 15th November, the NGO Forum took place at Bentota Beach Hotel, in Bentota, in the South of Sri Lanka. Both foreign and local NGO representatives participated in this forum and this forum meeting was disrupted by anti-NGO demonstrators.
The organisers of the NGO Forum decided to shift the venue to the capital, Colombo. On 16th November, the NGO Forum re-convened in the morning at a conference hall in Ratmalana, police officers arrived to “request” the Forum to suspend its proceedings, claiming that the meeting was illegal! The meeting was dissolved and all attendees dispersed. (Violations of UDHR articles – 8, 13, 18, 19, 20)
1997 - On 25th September, 38 NGOs serving in several parts of Batticaloa district were ordered by Government of Sri Lanka to cease all their humanitarian operations. This immediately followed a government order banning NGOs from assisting people in the areas of Batticaloa. (Violations of UDHR articles – 8, 13, 18, 19, 20)
--------
Sinhala colonisation - As a result of many years of state-planned Sinhala colonisation in the Tamil homeland (North and East), the Sinhala governments and their destructive agents have plundered and robbed 50% of the ancestral lands of the Tamils in the North East of Sri Lanka. (Violation of UDHR articles - 17)
Unilaterally abrogated pacts and agreements - Several agreements signed between the Tamil leaders and the Sinhala leaders to resolve the political turmoil in the country were unilaterally abrogated by Sri Lanka.
In 1957, the "Banda Chelva" pact and in 1965 the "Dudley-Chelva" pact were signed. These agreements were based on setting up a quasi-federal system devolving certain powers to the Tamils in the North East Province.
2005 - With the aim of ensuring equal distribution of Tsunami aid to the worst-affected North East, an agreement known as the Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure - PTOMS was signed between the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE. This was unilaterally abrogated by the government of Sri Lanka under the pretext of a Supreme Court judgement. (Violation of UDHR articles – 16, 25)
So far over 85,000 Tamil people have been killed or “disappeared”; more than 12,500 Tamil women raped and killed; more than 2500 buildings of Tamils' religious places of worship (Churches and Temples) have been destroyed in aerial bombings and artillery shelling and billions of rupees worth of material damage has been caused to the Tamils by the Sri Lankan government.
As a result of well-planned ethnic cleansing by the Sinhala State, nearly 500,000 Tamil people have been internally displaced and more than 500,000 Tamils' have sought political asylum in Europe and other countries. (Violation of UDHR articles - 3, 16, 16,17)
2005 - 7th January, the UN Secretary General made a humanitarian visit to Sri Lanka to see the Tsunami-affected areas. When Kofi Annan requested to visit the North East, the areas in the island most affected by the tsunami, the Sri Lankan authorities deliberately prevented him from making a humanitarian visit there. (Violation of UDHR articles – 13,25 & a serious violation of the United Nations Charter, Chapter XV Article 100.
2006 - Sri Lankan citizens cannot seek remedy from the UN Human Rights Committee . Even though Sri Lanka is signatory to the ICCPR, on 15 September the Supreme Court effectively ruled that Sri Lankan citizens cannot seek remedy from the UN Human Rights Committee regarding human rights violations. It declared that the accession to the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in 1997 does not bind Sri Lanka and has no legal effect within the island. – Decision of the Supreme Court 15 September 2006 – SC Spl (LA) No 182/99. (Violation of UDHR articles - 8, 10,19)
Sri Lanka's Air Force bombed a gathering of schoolgirls at Vallipunam on August 14, 2006, killing 56 schools girls and wounding 210 others. (Violation of UDHR articles - 3, 10,12,13,20,26)
The 1987 India and Sri Lanka Accord was signed under the guise of settling the Tamil ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. Under this accord the merger of the North Eastern province took place on 8 Sep.1988. After exactly 18 years, the Supreme Court delivered its political judgement on 16 October 2006, stating that the merger of these two provinces was invalid. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3,5,9,10,13,21)
2007 - Sri Lanka has been ranked as the third most dangerous place for the media in the world, with numerous journalists being killed. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3,5,6,7,10,13,18,19)
2008 - In January, Sri Lanka withdrew from the Ceasefire Agreement-CFA between the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE that was signed in February 2002. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3,5,9,10,13,)
In 1998, the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances stated that, "Sri Lanka had the second highest number of disappearances in the world, ranking next to Iraq". Also Sri Lanka is the only country that the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has visited several times. So far no proper remedies have been found for these disappearances. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3,4,5,7,9,10,11)
According to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, [in 2008] presently Sri Lanka ranks as the country with the highest number of disappearances in the world.
The fate of 656 Tamils who 'disappeared' in 1996 is not yet known, but Tamils continue to 'disappear' in the North East.
Many Tamil journalists, academics, parliamentarians, human rights activists, children and others in the North East have been killed. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3,4,5,7,9,10,11)
2008 - IIGEP quits Sri Lanka - President Rajapaksa had invited the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons - IIGEP to observe and ensure the transparency of investigations held by the Commission of Inquiries on the complaints of abductions, disappearances and other serious violations of human rights arising since 1st August 2005. Also, the IIGEP was to ensure that those inquiries are conducted in accordance with basic international norms and standards. On 22 April 2008, the IIGEP quit Sri Lanka, citing government unwillingness to implement its recommendations to bring the probe up to international standards, lack of financial stability, government interference and slow process. (Violation of UDHR articles – 8,10)
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
A brief analysis on Sri Lanka
by Tamil Centre for Human Rights, December, 2008
http://www.sangam.org/2008/12/UDHR.php?uid=3191&print=true
So far over 85,000 Tamil people have been killed or “disappeared”; more than 12,500 Tamil women raped and killed; more than 2500 buildings of Tamils' religious places of worship (Churches and Temples) have been destroyed in aerial bombings and artillery shelling and billions of rupees worth of material damage has been caused to the Tamils by the Sri Lankan government.
As a result of well-planned ethnic cleansing by the Sinhala State, nearly 500,000 Tamil people have been internally displaced and more than 500,000 Tamils' have sought political asylum in Europe and other countries. (Violation of UDHR articles - 3, 16, 16,17)
Ref:HR052D/PR/2008
10 December 2008
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted on 10th December 1948 by the United Nations at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris. Since then this day has been celebrated all over the world as “International Human Rights Day”. Today is the 60th anniversary.
The UDHR contains thirty articles. Articles 1 and 2 outline the philosophical claim of the UDHR and emphasise that human beings are born free in equal dignity and are entitled to all rights and freedoms without any kind of discrimination. Articles 3 to 21 deal with Civil and Political rights and articles 22 to 27 deal with Economic, social and cultural rights. Concluding articles 28 and 29 stress the duties and responsibility of the individual in a democratic society. Finally, article 30 gives cautionary notice that UDHR may not be interpreted as implying that any group or person has any right to do anything aimed at destroying the rights and freedoms set forth in the UDHR.
Considering the emphasis of articles in the UDHR, it is important to analyse how far the UDHR has been respected by the governments of Sri Lanka regarding the human rights of Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka (or earlier Ceylon). Below is a short list of some of the violations of the UDHR.
1948 - The Citizenship Act disenfranchising Indian Tamil Plantation workers was passed in Parliament. One million 3rd generation plantation workers had been living in the island for over 115 years. They were brought to the island by the British from South India to work in Tea and Rubber plantations in the hill country. 100,000 plantation Tamils were victimised. (Violation of UDHR article - 21)
1956 - The “Sinhala Only” Act was passed in the Sri Lankan Parliament. This Act made Tamils as second class citizens in the island. Tamils staged peaceful protests in Colombo and Gal Oya. 150 Tamils were burnt or hacked to death; 20 Women were raped; 3000 were made refugees and their properties were looted by Sinhala mobs. (Violation of UDHR article - 2, 3, 5, 12, 17 )
1958 - Anti Tamil riots in Sinhala areas. Massacre of Tamils, looting of their properties, setting fire to their houses. 25,000 Tamils were made refugees; 500 Tamils were burnt or hacked to death; 200 Women were raped and Tamil properties were looted or destroyed by Sinhala mobs. (Violation of UDHR articles – 2, 3, 5, 12, 17)
1961 - Tamil non-violent (Satyagraha) civil disobedience campaign in the North and East was disrupted by the security forces, protesters were beaten and arrested. (Violation of UDHR articles - 5, 9, 20)
1964 - The Srima-Shastri Pact to evacuate Tamil plantation workers of Indian origin was signed. These workers had been living in the island for over 131 years. 650,000 Plantation Tamils became stateless persons. (Violation of UDHR articles - 4, 15, 23)
1972 - Equal education opportunities for Tamil students were denied. Standardisation in university admission was introduced. (Violation of UDHR article - 26)
1974 - The Fourth International Tamil Research Conference held on 10/01/1974 in Jaffna was disrupted by the Sri Lankan Police. 9 Tamils were brutally killed. (Violation of UDHR articles - 2, 3, 20, 27)
1977 - In July, the Tamil United Liberation Front - TULF contested and won overwhelmingly at the Parliamentary election, giving them a mandate to exercise the “Right to Self-determination” and establish Tamil Eelam in the North East.
In 1983 August 8, the Sri Lankan government enacts the 6th Amendment to the constitution and rejected the right to self-determination of the Tamil people, the mandate voted by the Tamils in the 1977 general election. (Violation of UDHR articles - 8, 10, 21)
1979 - July, Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) was introduced in Sri Lanka. This Act gives a free hand to the security forces to arrest, detain, torture, rape, kill and dispose of bodies with impunity. Arrested people can be detained for three months without being produced in courts. (Violations of UDHR articles - 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
1981 - The Jaffna Public Library was completely destroyed in a fire set by a group of police officers who went on a rampage in Jaffna city on May 31, 1981. 95, 000 volumes of unrecoverable-invaluable books were burnt. (Violations of UDHR articles - 2, 21, 24, 27)
Since independence in 1948, more than 35 years of peaceful non-violent struggle by the Tamils protesting against Sinhala oppression, were suppressed by violent means by the Sri Lankan security forces, inflicting loss of many lives and much material damage to the Tamils. (Violations of UDHR articles - 3, 4, 5,9,13,20)
1983 - The Government masterminded an anti-Tamil pogrom in July. More than 6,000 Tamils were killed by the Sinhalese in the South. Tamil houses and businesses were looted and destroyed. Tamils living in the South were sent in ships to the North East by the government. 250,000 Tamils were made refugees; 2,500 Tamils were burnt or hacked to death; 500 women were raped; 53 Tamil political prisoners were brutally murdered in the maximum security Welikada prison on 25-27th July. Sinhala extremist groups and thugs ruined the socio-economic foundation and the political rights of the Tamil people. Anti-Tamil riots also in 1956, 1958, 1977, and 1981. (Violation of UDHR articles - 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 17, 23, 24, 25, 26)
1984 - From 1984 until today Tamils living in the North-East have been arrested, tortured and killed on a mass scale. Women have been raped, many disappeared. Tamil properties have been looted or destroyed by the Sri Lankan security forces. Air Force bombers have dropped tons of bombs, including recently cluster bombs, on residential areas and IDP camps, causing severe loss and damage to Tamil people and their property.
The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the Emergency Regulations (ER) adopted by the government are helping the security forces to carry out all sorts of human rights violations with impunity. (UDHR has been completely violated)
1990 - To date, an economic embargo on Tamil areas. Food, medicine, electricity and other important items are denied to the Tamils. (Violations of UDHR articles - 22, 25, 26)
1995 - On 15th November, the NGO Forum took place at Bentota Beach Hotel, in Bentota, in the South of Sri Lanka. Both foreign and local NGO representatives participated in this forum and this forum meeting was disrupted by anti-NGO demonstrators.
The organisers of the NGO Forum decided to shift the venue to the capital, Colombo. On 16th November, the NGO Forum re-convened in the morning at a conference hall in Ratmalana, police officers arrived to “request” the Forum to suspend its proceedings, claiming that the meeting was illegal! The meeting was dissolved and all attendees dispersed. (Violations of UDHR articles – 8, 13, 18, 19, 20)
1997 - On 25th September, 38 NGOs serving in several parts of Batticaloa district were ordered by Government of Sri Lanka to cease all their humanitarian operations. This immediately followed a government order banning NGOs from assisting people in the areas of Batticaloa. (Violations of UDHR articles – 8, 13, 18, 19, 20)
--------
Sinhala colonisation - As a result of many years of state-planned Sinhala colonisation in the Tamil homeland (North and East), the Sinhala governments and their destructive agents have plundered and robbed 50% of the ancestral lands of the Tamils in the North East of Sri Lanka. (Violation of UDHR articles - 17)
Unilaterally abrogated pacts and agreements - Several agreements signed between the Tamil leaders and the Sinhala leaders to resolve the political turmoil in the country were unilaterally abrogated by Sri Lanka.
In 1957, the "Banda Chelva" pact and in 1965 the "Dudley-Chelva" pact were signed. These agreements were based on setting up a quasi-federal system devolving certain powers to the Tamils in the North East Province.
2005 - With the aim of ensuring equal distribution of Tsunami aid to the worst-affected North East, an agreement known as the Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure - PTOMS was signed between the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE. This was unilaterally abrogated by the government of Sri Lanka under the pretext of a Supreme Court judgement. (Violation of UDHR articles – 16, 25)
So far over 85,000 Tamil people have been killed or “disappeared”; more than 12,500 Tamil women raped and killed; more than 2500 buildings of Tamils' religious places of worship (Churches and Temples) have been destroyed in aerial bombings and artillery shelling and billions of rupees worth of material damage has been caused to the Tamils by the Sri Lankan government.
As a result of well-planned ethnic cleansing by the Sinhala State, nearly 500,000 Tamil people have been internally displaced and more than 500,000 Tamils' have sought political asylum in Europe and other countries. (Violation of UDHR articles - 3, 16, 16,17)
2005 - 7th January, the UN Secretary General made a humanitarian visit to Sri Lanka to see the Tsunami-affected areas. When Kofi Annan requested to visit the North East, the areas in the island most affected by the tsunami, the Sri Lankan authorities deliberately prevented him from making a humanitarian visit there. (Violation of UDHR articles – 13,25 & a serious violation of the United Nations Charter, Chapter XV Article 100.
2006 - Sri Lankan citizens cannot seek remedy from the UN Human Rights Committee . Even though Sri Lanka is signatory to the ICCPR, on 15 September the Supreme Court effectively ruled that Sri Lankan citizens cannot seek remedy from the UN Human Rights Committee regarding human rights violations. It declared that the accession to the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in 1997 does not bind Sri Lanka and has no legal effect within the island. – Decision of the Supreme Court 15 September 2006 – SC Spl (LA) No 182/99. (Violation of UDHR articles - 8, 10,19)
Sri Lanka's Air Force bombed a gathering of schoolgirls at Vallipunam on August 14, 2006, killing 56 schools girls and wounding 210 others. (Violation of UDHR articles - 3, 10,12,13,20,26)
The 1987 India and Sri Lanka Accord was signed under the guise of settling the Tamil ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. Under this accord the merger of the North Eastern province took place on 8 Sep.1988. After exactly 18 years, the Supreme Court delivered its political judgement on 16 October 2006, stating that the merger of these two provinces was invalid. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3,5,9,10,13,21)
2007 - Sri Lanka has been ranked as the third most dangerous place for the media in the world, with numerous journalists being killed. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3,5,6,7,10,13,18,19)
2008 - In January, Sri Lanka withdrew from the Ceasefire Agreement-CFA between the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE that was signed in February 2002. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3,5,9,10,13,)
In 1998, the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances stated that, "Sri Lanka had the second highest number of disappearances in the world, ranking next to Iraq". Also Sri Lanka is the only country that the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has visited several times. So far no proper remedies have been found for these disappearances. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3,4,5,7,9,10,11)
According to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, [in 2008] presently Sri Lanka ranks as the country with the highest number of disappearances in the world.
The fate of 656 Tamils who 'disappeared' in 1996 is not yet known, but Tamils continue to 'disappear' in the North East.
Many Tamil journalists, academics, parliamentarians, human rights activists, children and others in the North East have been killed. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3,4,5,7,9,10,11)
2008 - IIGEP quits Sri Lanka - President Rajapaksa had invited the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons - IIGEP to observe and ensure the transparency of investigations held by the Commission of Inquiries on the complaints of abductions, disappearances and other serious violations of human rights arising since 1st August 2005. Also, the IIGEP was to ensure that those inquiries are conducted in accordance with basic international norms and standards. On 22 April 2008, the IIGEP quit Sri Lanka, citing government unwillingness to implement its recommendations to bring the probe up to international standards, lack of financial stability, government interference and slow process. (Violation of UDHR articles – 8,10)
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
Kilinochchi Hospital Bombed and shelled by the GOSL:
SLA artillery shells hit Ki'linochchi Hospital
[TamilNet, Friday, 26 December 2008, 12:46 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired artillery shells landed within the compound of Ki'linochchi General Hospital at 7:30 p.m. on Christmas day damaging three hospital buildings and narrowly missing several hospital staff, including Medical Superintendent of Ki'linochchi, Dr Sathiyamoorthy, sources in Kilinochchi said. Glass panes of the New-born nursing section for mothers, Outpatients Department, and the Hospital Reception building were damaged in the attack, according to hospital sources.
shells hit Kilinochchi Hospital
Glass panes of the New-born nursing section for mothers was damaged in SLA shelling on Christmas day.
shells hit Kilinochchi Hospital
Outpatients Department, Ki'linochchi hospital
Hospital officials said despite repeated requests through the locally present International Red Cross officials SLA has been violating international norms in targeting hospital serving the critical needs of war affected people.
Shells fired by SLA in the last two days have further caused damages to educational establishments located along A9 including Ki'linochchi Technical College, and the Ki'linochchi District Educational Secretariat buildings.
Mullaiththeevu hospital was also came under SLA fire on three days last week 15th, 19th, and 20th which injured two patients and two medical staff in addition to causing damages to hospital buildings.
Article 18 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states that the civilian hospitals organized to give care to the wounded and sick, the infirm and maternity cases, may in no circumstances be the object of attack, but shall at all times be respected and protected by the Parties to the conflict.
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) is a signatory to the First, Second and Third Geneva Conventions and it ratified the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, by accession to it, on 23.02.1959.
PICTURES LINK:
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27834
shells hit Kilinochchi Hospital
shells hit Kilinochchi Hospital
shells hit Kilinochchi Hospital
Ki'linochchi hospital buidling after SLA shelling on on Christmas day.
shells hit Kilinochchi Hospital
Ki'linochchi hospital buidling after SLA shelling on on Christmas day.
shells hit Kilinochchi Hospital
Ki'linochchi hospital
Ki'linochchi hospital buidling photographed earlier this week after artillery shelling
Ki'linochchi hospital
Ki'linochchi hospital buidling photographed earlier this week after artillery shelling
Ki'linochchi hospital
Ki'linochchi hospital buidling photographed earlier this week after artillery shelling
Ki'linochchi hospital
Ki'linochchi hospital buidling photographed earlier this week after artillery shelling
Chronology:
26.12.08 SLA artillery shells hit Ki'linochchi Hospital
21.12.08 SLA steps up attacks on hospitals in Vanni, disreg..
Related Articles:
19.12.08 Sri Lanka attacks hospital, settlements in Vanni, children a..
17.12.08 SLAF bombs refugee settlements: 2 killed, 13 wounded, 4 chil..
[TamilNet, Friday, 26 December 2008, 12:46 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired artillery shells landed within the compound of Ki'linochchi General Hospital at 7:30 p.m. on Christmas day damaging three hospital buildings and narrowly missing several hospital staff, including Medical Superintendent of Ki'linochchi, Dr Sathiyamoorthy, sources in Kilinochchi said. Glass panes of the New-born nursing section for mothers, Outpatients Department, and the Hospital Reception building were damaged in the attack, according to hospital sources.
shells hit Kilinochchi Hospital
Glass panes of the New-born nursing section for mothers was damaged in SLA shelling on Christmas day.
shells hit Kilinochchi Hospital
Outpatients Department, Ki'linochchi hospital
Hospital officials said despite repeated requests through the locally present International Red Cross officials SLA has been violating international norms in targeting hospital serving the critical needs of war affected people.
Shells fired by SLA in the last two days have further caused damages to educational establishments located along A9 including Ki'linochchi Technical College, and the Ki'linochchi District Educational Secretariat buildings.
Mullaiththeevu hospital was also came under SLA fire on three days last week 15th, 19th, and 20th which injured two patients and two medical staff in addition to causing damages to hospital buildings.
Article 18 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states that the civilian hospitals organized to give care to the wounded and sick, the infirm and maternity cases, may in no circumstances be the object of attack, but shall at all times be respected and protected by the Parties to the conflict.
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) is a signatory to the First, Second and Third Geneva Conventions and it ratified the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, by accession to it, on 23.02.1959.
PICTURES LINK:
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27834
shells hit Kilinochchi Hospital
shells hit Kilinochchi Hospital
shells hit Kilinochchi Hospital
Ki'linochchi hospital buidling after SLA shelling on on Christmas day.
shells hit Kilinochchi Hospital
Ki'linochchi hospital buidling after SLA shelling on on Christmas day.
shells hit Kilinochchi Hospital
Ki'linochchi hospital
Ki'linochchi hospital buidling photographed earlier this week after artillery shelling
Ki'linochchi hospital
Ki'linochchi hospital buidling photographed earlier this week after artillery shelling
Ki'linochchi hospital
Ki'linochchi hospital buidling photographed earlier this week after artillery shelling
Ki'linochchi hospital
Ki'linochchi hospital buidling photographed earlier this week after artillery shelling
Chronology:
26.12.08 SLA artillery shells hit Ki'linochchi Hospital
21.12.08 SLA steps up attacks on hospitals in Vanni, disreg..
Related Articles:
19.12.08 Sri Lanka attacks hospital, settlements in Vanni, children a..
17.12.08 SLAF bombs refugee settlements: 2 killed, 13 wounded, 4 chil..
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Sinhala Sri Lanka plans to exploit Tamil resources in the East, North of Trincomalee once again.
Sri Lanka plans to reserve the liberated eastern coast for sand mining
Wednesday, December 24, 2008, 18:49 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 24, Colombo: Sri Lanka government plans to reserve the land along the Eastern seaboard from Nilaveli to Mullaitivu for exploration and mining of heavy beach mineral.
The Cabinet today approved a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Industrial Development, Kumara Welgama, to reserve the land area exclusively for mining by the Lanka Mineral Sands Limited (LMSL).
Lanka Mineral Sands Limited, a fully government owned company was established in 1960 as the successor to the Ceylon Mineral Sands Corporation.
The government plans to expand its operations to by way of investing and upgrading the mining and processing of heavy beach minerals and go for value added products such as Ferro-Titanium, Titanium Slag, Titanium Sponge, TiO2 pigments and welding electrodes, the government said. Currently its activities are limited only to mining and processing ilmanite, rutile and zircon.
The project will be implemented as a joint venture with Stork Handelsges of Austria.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008, 18:49 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 24, Colombo: Sri Lanka government plans to reserve the land along the Eastern seaboard from Nilaveli to Mullaitivu for exploration and mining of heavy beach mineral.
The Cabinet today approved a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Industrial Development, Kumara Welgama, to reserve the land area exclusively for mining by the Lanka Mineral Sands Limited (LMSL).
Lanka Mineral Sands Limited, a fully government owned company was established in 1960 as the successor to the Ceylon Mineral Sands Corporation.
The government plans to expand its operations to by way of investing and upgrading the mining and processing of heavy beach minerals and go for value added products such as Ferro-Titanium, Titanium Slag, Titanium Sponge, TiO2 pigments and welding electrodes, the government said. Currently its activities are limited only to mining and processing ilmanite, rutile and zircon.
The project will be implemented as a joint venture with Stork Handelsges of Austria.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
MORE STATE TERRORISM: SLAF Attack Damages a Holy Cross Convent; Sri Lanka uses Cluster Bombs
SLAF Attack Damages a Holy Cross Convent; Sri Lanka uses Cluster Bombs
Dec 24, 2008,
G. Vickram - TNS
http://www.tamileelamnews.com/news/publish/tns_10692.shtml
Fresh Fighting Erupts in Northern Sri Lanka
By VOA News
Rebels examine their weapons in this handout picture released by The Liberation Tigers for Tamil Eeelam (LTTE) website Tamilnet (file photo)
Sri Lanka's military said it has killed at least 20 Tamil rebels during heavy fighting in the country's north, as part of an ongoing assault on key rebel territory.
A military statement said troops captured the village of Sinna Paranthan, northwest of the rebels' de facto capital of Kilinochchi, on Tuesday. The statement said its fighter jets launched several air strikes against rebel positions again Wednesday in the northern Paranthan and Muahamalai areas.
The rebel-affiliated Web site TamilNet said military air strikes hit a convent marked with a large red cross on its roof Tuesday. It said the strikes killed 85 cows near the convent and sent civilians fleeing from the area.
Independent verification of either side's claims is impossible because journalists are barred from entering the conflict zone.
The Tamil Tigers have been fighting since 1983 to establish an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority in the island's north. The conflict has killed more than 70,000 people.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch organization said Tuesday that Sri Lanka's government is restricting essential humanitarian aid to some 200,000 civilians displaced by the fighting.
The group called on the government to allow aid groups back into the affected regions. It said civilians displaced in these war zones face severe shortages of food, shelter, water and sanitation supplies.
CHURCH BOMBING:
Killinochchi: The Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) bombed a convent named Holy Cross Convent, located on Paranthan Mullaiththevu Road, 600 meters away from Paranthan junction Tuesday night around 10:30 p.m., a day before Christmas.
Wednesday morning witnessed that the attacked premises was marked with Red Cross on the roof. The nearby church also sustained damage. The SLAF deployed cluster munitions in the bombardment, residents who fled the site said. 85 cows of a herd a few meters away from the convent were killed in the attack.
The TNS reporters who have visited the Holy Cross Convent today have seen the extent of the damage to the Holy Cross Convent, located on Paranthan Mullaiththevu Road.
Paranthan has been bombed in more than five sorties by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers causing civilians living near the convent to flee the area. The indiscriminate bombardment has also targeted shops and other commercial establishment in Paranthan and Kumarapuram.
SLAF bombed Paranthan three times Tuesday night and twice Wednesday morning, at 7:30 a.m. and around 9:00 a.m. The bombers also attacked Kugnchup-paranthan where heavy fighting has erupted Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, a civilian government official who also fled from the SLAF attacks said, SLAF used cluster bombs in the Paranthan attack and at least 85 cows were killed nearby area in the indiscriminate attack on the Holy Cross Convent.
SLAF continuously targets civilians’ (IDP) settlements and causes high civilian casualties as well as serious damages to religious, educational and personal properties. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan security forces (SF) stepped up its artillery barrages on the civilian settlements in the area.
Sri Lanka is bent on pressing for a military victory over the Tamil Tigers and since 1972 the conflict has left at least eighty thousands people dead. Sri Lanka has been pronounced by media rights activists and rights groups as the most dangerous place in the world for journalists and aid workers to work.
Dec 24, 2008,
G. Vickram - TNS
http://www.tamileelamnews.com/news/publish/tns_10692.shtml
Fresh Fighting Erupts in Northern Sri Lanka
By VOA News
Rebels examine their weapons in this handout picture released by The Liberation Tigers for Tamil Eeelam (LTTE) website Tamilnet (file photo)
Sri Lanka's military said it has killed at least 20 Tamil rebels during heavy fighting in the country's north, as part of an ongoing assault on key rebel territory.
A military statement said troops captured the village of Sinna Paranthan, northwest of the rebels' de facto capital of Kilinochchi, on Tuesday. The statement said its fighter jets launched several air strikes against rebel positions again Wednesday in the northern Paranthan and Muahamalai areas.
The rebel-affiliated Web site TamilNet said military air strikes hit a convent marked with a large red cross on its roof Tuesday. It said the strikes killed 85 cows near the convent and sent civilians fleeing from the area.
Independent verification of either side's claims is impossible because journalists are barred from entering the conflict zone.
The Tamil Tigers have been fighting since 1983 to establish an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority in the island's north. The conflict has killed more than 70,000 people.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch organization said Tuesday that Sri Lanka's government is restricting essential humanitarian aid to some 200,000 civilians displaced by the fighting.
The group called on the government to allow aid groups back into the affected regions. It said civilians displaced in these war zones face severe shortages of food, shelter, water and sanitation supplies.
CHURCH BOMBING:
Killinochchi: The Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) bombed a convent named Holy Cross Convent, located on Paranthan Mullaiththevu Road, 600 meters away from Paranthan junction Tuesday night around 10:30 p.m., a day before Christmas.
Wednesday morning witnessed that the attacked premises was marked with Red Cross on the roof. The nearby church also sustained damage. The SLAF deployed cluster munitions in the bombardment, residents who fled the site said. 85 cows of a herd a few meters away from the convent were killed in the attack.
The TNS reporters who have visited the Holy Cross Convent today have seen the extent of the damage to the Holy Cross Convent, located on Paranthan Mullaiththevu Road.
Paranthan has been bombed in more than five sorties by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers causing civilians living near the convent to flee the area. The indiscriminate bombardment has also targeted shops and other commercial establishment in Paranthan and Kumarapuram.
SLAF bombed Paranthan three times Tuesday night and twice Wednesday morning, at 7:30 a.m. and around 9:00 a.m. The bombers also attacked Kugnchup-paranthan where heavy fighting has erupted Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, a civilian government official who also fled from the SLAF attacks said, SLAF used cluster bombs in the Paranthan attack and at least 85 cows were killed nearby area in the indiscriminate attack on the Holy Cross Convent.
SLAF continuously targets civilians’ (IDP) settlements and causes high civilian casualties as well as serious damages to religious, educational and personal properties. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan security forces (SF) stepped up its artillery barrages on the civilian settlements in the area.
Sri Lanka is bent on pressing for a military victory over the Tamil Tigers and since 1972 the conflict has left at least eighty thousands people dead. Sri Lanka has been pronounced by media rights activists and rights groups as the most dangerous place in the world for journalists and aid workers to work.
STATE TERRORISM: Sri Lanka Air Force attacks convent in Vanni, deploys cluster bombs
Sri Lanka Air Force attacks convent in Vanni, deploys cluster bombs
[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 December 2008, 07:40 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombed a convent named Holy Cross Convent, located on Paranthan Mullaiththevu Road, 600 meters away from Paranthan junction Tuesday night around 10:30 p.m., a day before Christmas. TamilNet correspondent who visited the site Wednesday morning witnessed that the attacked premises was marked with Red Cross on the roof. The nearby church also sustained damage. The SLAF deployed cluster munitions in the bombardment, residents who fled the site said. 85 cows of a herd a few meters away from the convent were killed in the attack.
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
The trace of cluster bombing. A parachute used to drop cluster container and the remains of the exploded case which carried bomblets.
FOR PICTURES:
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27824
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
Karaichchi North Co-Operative society building located between the junction and the convent was also attacked by the SLAF bombers, causing the remaining civilians to flee the area.
Paranthan has been bombed in more than five sorties by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers causing civilians living near the convent to flee the area. The indiscriminate bombardment has also targeted shops and other commercial establishment in Paranthan and Kumarapuram.
SLAF bombed Paranthan three times Tuesday night and twice Wednesday morning, at 7:30 a.m. and around 9:00 a.m.
The bombers also attacked Kugnchup-paranthan where heavy fighting has erupted Wednesday morning.
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
Red Cross marked roof of the Holy Cross Convent bombed by the SLAF
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
Paranthan bombardment
Livestock killed in SLAF cluster bombardment in Paranthan
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
Paranthan bombardment
Co-operative society building bombed in Paranthan
Paranthan bombardment
Co-operative society building bombed in Paranthan
Paranthan bombardment
Co-operative society building bombed in Paranthan
Paranthan bombardment
Livestock killed in SLAF cluster bombardment
Paranthan bombardment
Livestock killed in SLAF cluster bombardment
Paranthan bombardment
Cows killed in SLAF cluster bombardment on cattle herd in Paranthan
Paranthan bombardment
A wounded cow
Heavy fighting erupts in Kugnchup-paranthan
[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 December 2008, 08:14 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) fighting formations were engaged in a heavy fighting with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Kugnchup-paranthan, where the SLA suffered a debacle a few weeks ago, according to initial reports from the area.
Heavy fighting was reported from 4:00 a.m. in the village, which the SLA claimed it had occupied on Tuesday.
[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 December 2008, 07:40 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombed a convent named Holy Cross Convent, located on Paranthan Mullaiththevu Road, 600 meters away from Paranthan junction Tuesday night around 10:30 p.m., a day before Christmas. TamilNet correspondent who visited the site Wednesday morning witnessed that the attacked premises was marked with Red Cross on the roof. The nearby church also sustained damage. The SLAF deployed cluster munitions in the bombardment, residents who fled the site said. 85 cows of a herd a few meters away from the convent were killed in the attack.
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
The trace of cluster bombing. A parachute used to drop cluster container and the remains of the exploded case which carried bomblets.
FOR PICTURES:
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27824
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
Karaichchi North Co-Operative society building located between the junction and the convent was also attacked by the SLAF bombers, causing the remaining civilians to flee the area.
Paranthan has been bombed in more than five sorties by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers causing civilians living near the convent to flee the area. The indiscriminate bombardment has also targeted shops and other commercial establishment in Paranthan and Kumarapuram.
SLAF bombed Paranthan three times Tuesday night and twice Wednesday morning, at 7:30 a.m. and around 9:00 a.m.
The bombers also attacked Kugnchup-paranthan where heavy fighting has erupted Wednesday morning.
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
Red Cross marked roof of the Holy Cross Convent bombed by the SLAF
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
Paranthan bombardment
Livestock killed in SLAF cluster bombardment in Paranthan
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
SLAF bombardment on Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan
Paranthan bombardment
Co-operative society building bombed in Paranthan
Paranthan bombardment
Co-operative society building bombed in Paranthan
Paranthan bombardment
Co-operative society building bombed in Paranthan
Paranthan bombardment
Livestock killed in SLAF cluster bombardment
Paranthan bombardment
Livestock killed in SLAF cluster bombardment
Paranthan bombardment
Cows killed in SLAF cluster bombardment on cattle herd in Paranthan
Paranthan bombardment
A wounded cow
Heavy fighting erupts in Kugnchup-paranthan
[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 December 2008, 08:14 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) fighting formations were engaged in a heavy fighting with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Kugnchup-paranthan, where the SLA suffered a debacle a few weeks ago, according to initial reports from the area.
Heavy fighting was reported from 4:00 a.m. in the village, which the SLA claimed it had occupied on Tuesday.
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