Protest on the Humanitarian crisis & Human rights violations in Sri Lanka
With Regards Abi --- On Tue, 2/3/09, SANSAD <[email protected]> wrote: From: SANSAD <[email protected]> Subject: URGENT, URGENT: Sri Lanka, BESIEGED TAMILS To: Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2009, 9:30 PM Dear friends: A massive humanitarian crisis is unfolding right now in Sri Lanka. The government has unleashed a massive assault on the northern strongholds of the Tamil resistance. A vast number of civilians are losing their lives, their abodes. Only yesterday, a military shelling killed nine people in a hospital, and injured about twenty. There is a demonstration-cum-vigil tomorrow, Feb. 4, at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Please try to be there to show support. There is a petition, you could sign, immediately after the announcement below. And we send you some more material on the unfolding crisis for the Tamil people of Sri Lanka. 1/6: Notice of the Demonstration, Feb. 4. 2/6: a petition you could sign 3/6: A Demonstration in New Delhi in support of the Tamils in Sri Lanka 4/6: A write-up in New York Times 5/6: Plight Of Tamils Similar To Gaza Civilians, a write-up from Inter Press Service 6/6: Sri Lanka threatens to expel media: an article from the Guardian, UK In addition, we have received a copy of a letter Mr. Peter Julian, MP (Bunaby) has sent to the Minsiter of Foreign Affairs in Canada. hari sharma for SANSAD ************* 1/6 DEMONSTRATION All are invited to urge the Canadian government to take a leadership role to stop the humanitarian disaster in the North and East of Sri Lanka. Canadian Tamil Congress is supporting the initiative of a coalition of Canadian organizations, including peace activists, anti-war organizations and the labor movement, to hold demonstrations across the country. Demonstration & Vigil Date: February 4th 2009 Venue: Vancouver Art Gallery Time: 5pm Besieged Tamils in Vanni, Sri Lanka need your support Vancouver - 778 231 0074 *********** 2/6 A petition you can sign: http://www.tamilidpcrisis.org/urgentAppeal/postcard.php ************ 3/6 Protest against Human rights violations in Sri Lanka and the violent curbing of the freedom of press Time: 5:30 PM Venue: Jantar Mantar, New Delhi Date: Saturday, 31st January, 2009. Please come and spread the word. Sri Lanka - War next door. Violations of human rights. Curbing of all freedoms including that of expression. Next door to the world's largest democracy is a small island of a population of 20 million with people of different religions, ethnicities and castes. This little island; Sri Lanka has been torn apart by war for the past 25 years and more. A group of rebels representing the minority Tamil population of the country began fighting for the rights of this community in 1983. These rebels went on to set up state-like mechanisms in certain parts of the country- namely the north and the east. They antagonised many persons including progressive thinkers among the Tamils who argued for civil methods of asserting the rights of the community as well as the Tamil speaking Muslims, who have now come to be understood as a different 'ethnic' community in the country. Their representation of the Tamil people has come into question over the years while Sri Lanka saw a series of regressive governments. The present government epitomises the fascist tendencies among some parts of the majority Sinhala community. The government did not take forward the peace processes, however abysmal they may be, initiated by the earlier governments. Instead they have been on a complete and unabashed military offensive. This offensive is being launched in the name of protecting the country and the interests of the people. The number of civilian deaths in the process are unaccounted for and the interests being protected seems to include only regressive Sinhala fascist values which seeks to quell the diversity and vibrance of Sri Lankan society. This government has spent all its energy (and money) on this war leaving all else in the fray. The economy has suffered as have the everyday lives of people in a way not seen before. To continue and justify a war, we know from history, that many facts and truths have to be covered up. The present government has categorically doused out many voices of dissent both Sinhala and Tamil and continues to do so. Attacks on freedom of press and expression have a long history in Sri Lanka. The recent deaths of journalists, who had the courage to expose the truths about this war, are only another moment in that unfortunate history. The Indian government's reaction to this war has been harmful at worst or meaningless at best. There are a number of other political reactions in India which are sectarian in nature which take the side of the Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Eelam (LTTE) or the Sri Lankan Government, entirely forgetting that the interests of the people of this small island are not being met by either parties. As progressive individuals who believe in the values of freedom, dignity, respect and rights, it is imperative that we raise our voice against the complete disregard for the lives of innocent citizens and the brutal curbing of the freedom of expression. If we do not raise our voices now, we will be next door to ruthless fascist dictatorship that we would have to tolerate at best or contend at worst. Let us come together to say no to the violation of human rights of the people of Sri lanka and the brutal killing of those who seek to tell the truth. Let us raise our voices in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka. -- "We shall have to repent in this generation , not so much for the evil deeds of the wicked people, but for the appalling silence of the good people."~ Martin Luther King, Jr. ************ 4/6 January 27, 2009 Sri Lanka Encircles Rebel Fighters Full: <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/world/asia/27lanka.html?_r=1&ref=asia> The New York Times By SOMINI SENGUPTA NEW DELHI - Sri Lankan government forces continued to hem in ethnic Tamil guerrilla fighters on Monday, a day after the military said it captured the last major rebel-held town, raising fears about the fate of civilians trapped behind the front lines. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, fortified with ground troops, a naval force and even fighter planes, had ruled a vast swath of Sri Lanka's northeast, running their own police force, courts and tax-collection system. They have steadily lost territory in the past two and a half years to Sri Lanka's military. Fighting intensified in recent months as government forces seized several of their important symbolic and strategic holdings and pushed them and an estimated 230,000 ethnic Tamil civilians farther into the northeastern jungles. [...] The army chief, Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka, said on state-run television that the army had "captured the Mullaittivu bastion completely today," according to news reports from the capital, Colombo. He said that the fighting was continuing elsewhere and that the war was "95 percent" over. There was no confirmation from the Tamil Tigers. The army said it took the de facto rebel capital, Kilinochchi, three weeks ago, and Elephant Pass, a key corridor, a week later. It is impossible to verify the government's accounts because the authorities deny journalists access to anywhere near the front lines and because those who question the official version of events in the war are rebuked as traitors. A journalist, a publisher and his wife have been held under antiterrorism laws for 10 months. A leading newspaper editor was killed this month, another was beaten on his way to work and a television station was attacked. Several journalists have fled the country recently. The Associated Press, citing a government administrator working in the Tamil Tiger-controlled area, reported that at least 100 civilians died in artillery fire as fighting intensified last week. Aid agencies have urged the rebels to let civilians cross the front line safely. Those who have managed to sneak by are kept in camps guarded by the Sri Lankan Army. ************* 5/6 Plight Of Tamils Similar To Gaza Civilians By IPS Correspondents 26 January, 2009 Inter Press Service COLOMBO, Jan 26 (IPS) - While the Sri Lankan army has announced the capture of Mullaitivu, the last bastion of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the plight of more than 250,000 civilians caught in the fighting continues to be as grim as that of civilians in Gaza, say those involved in humanitarian work. The defence ministry’s website said that the army had ‘’gained total control over the Mullaitivu township after completing mop up operations’’. However, there was no word that any of the leaders of the LTTE, including its elusive supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran, had been captured. "We now have a high number of people concentrated in a small area and we are very concerned for their safety. They are close to the fighting and have poor access to healthcare and shelter as well as proper water and sanitation," Philippe Duamelle, country representative for the United Nations Children’s Fund, told IPS. "While every effort must be made by the government and the LTTE to avoid any civilian casualties, the best thing for these people is that the LTTE allows them to move freely and enter a safe area where they can receive appropriate support,’’ Duamelle said. Peter Balleis, international director of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), one of the few agencies with access into the LTTE dominated Vanni area, described the situation as a second Gaza in the making. "Around 300,000 people, that is two-thirds of the civilian population, have been forced out of their homes and are living in camps in areas controlled by the LTTE. They are trapped in (an area) not more than 50 sq km, the size of Gaza,’’ Balleis said. "It is the last stronghold of the LTTE which imposes a strict pass system, preventing people from moving to safer places. They are crowded together in temporary shelters, surrounded by mud, with no promise of regular access to food or adequate sanitation," he said. The JRS’s affiliate Caritas works in the Vanni through Catholic churches in the region. According to a report on Sunday in the defence ministry website, the LTTE has ‘’laid a swathe of land mines, in the densely populated LTTE controlled areas - Theravikulam, Visuamadu and Puthukudiyirippu in Mullaitivu - to prevent the civilians fleeing to the government controlled areas’’. John Holmes, U.N. under-secretary for humanitarian affairs, told the U.N. Security Council on Jan. 14 that he feared that as many as 350,000 civilians may be trapped by the fighting. "I am, however, concerned that some 350,000 civilians are trapped in an increasingly confined space and effectively prevented from leaving by the LTTE. This raises deep concerns over the possible use of civilians to render areas immune from military operations.’’ Holmes later called on the LTTE to allow the civilians to move to safety. "In accordance with International Humanitarian Law, the United Nations calls upon the LTTE to allow civilians to be able to move freely to areas where they feel most secure and for the government to receive newly displaced people according to internationally agreed principles," he said in a statement on Jan.16. Food and other supplies have been transported to the civilians by the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), the only international agency with a permanent presence in areas still under LTTE control. "Because of ongoing combat operations and the moving frontline, tens of thousands of displaced civilians are concentrated in an area so small that there are serious concerns for their physical safety and living conditions, in particular in terms of hygiene,'' the ICRC said. Limited information is available on the casualties suffered by the civilians due to access restrictions into the areas of heavy fighting. The government said that troops have taken extra precautions to avoid civilian casualties and that a policy of 'zero civilian casualties' was being adopted on the ground. Tens of thousands of civilians have fled the fighting since early 2008 and according to the U.N. at least 230,000 may be now remaining in areas just east and north of the fighting. Whle the initial flight was deeper into Tiger held areas they no wfind themselves nowhere to turn. The first civilians to escape the fighting in mid and late 2008 made it out by the sea route. Kumar Ganesh a fisherman from Mullaitivu, escaped the fighting in November by taking a midnight boat ride along with 13 others. "We took the boat soon after midnight because we did not want to get detected by anyone," Ganesh said. "Near Kuchiveli (south of Mullaitivu) we were stopped by the (Sri Lankan) Navy, they handed us to the police and we were brought to Siddamabaram IDP centre in Vavuniya (250 km from Colombo),'' Kumar said. There are two welfare centres already functioning in Vavuniya and the government has said that it planned to increase it to three to accommodate at least 30,000 families. "Civilians in the Vanni are weary from the conflict. Repeated displacements, often involving the loss of their personal belongings, have taken a toll on them. Nevertheless, their ability to cope has been remarkable," ICRC chief Paul Castella said. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, director of Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), a think tank based in Colombo, said that despite the Sri Lankan army’s victories "a low-level insurgency could last forever unless there is a negotiated settlement with the Tamils’’. The LTTE has for more than a quarter century been fighting to establish an independent state for ethnic Tamils - who make up about 18 percent of the island nation’s population of 21 million people - in the north and east of the island country. Copyright © 2009 IPS-Inter Press Service. All rights reserved. *********** 6/6 Sri Lanka threatens to expel media as army closes in on rebels Defence secretary accuses BBC among others of being biased towards Tamil Tigers Randeep Ramesh, South Asia correspondent guardian.co.uk, Sunday 1 February 2009 17.13 GMT Sri Lanka has publicly warned foreign media, western media and aid agencies that they will be expelled from the country if their reporting is deemed sympathetic to the Tamil Tiger guerrillas, who are making a last stand deep in the island's jungle. In an interview to local media, the defence secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, highlighted the role of ambassadors of Switzerland and Germany, and television networks CNN, BBC and al-Jazeera in his criticism of foreigners, accusing them of being biased towards the rebels, known formerly as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. "They will be chased away [if they try] to give a second wind to the LTTE terrorists at a time the security forces, at heavy cost, are dealing them the final death blow," he said. The blunt words underline how difficult it has become to cover one of the world's bloodiest and most under-reported conflicts. The government controls access to the war zones and international media groups complain of reporters being intimidated. European diplomats have come under fire in Sri Lanka for their high-profile support of journalists and media freedom, particularly after the assassination of crusading editor Lasantha Wickramatunga. Rajapaksa claimed that media reports were damaging the security forces at a time when they were "dealing the final death blow" to the Tigers. In the newspaper article, he singled out the BBC correspondent reporting from Colombo, Chris Morris, saying that "if he does not act responsibly and attempts to create panic, I will have to chase him out of the country". The BBC said it had been assured by the Sri Lankan government that the comments had been "misreported". In a statement the corporation said it welcomed these reassurances. "The BBC remains committed to reporting the story in Sri Lanka in a fair and balanced manner," it said. When contacted by the Guardian, Rajapaksa said he had not seen the reports indicating his apparent readiness to throw journalists out of Sri Lanka. "I have given many interviews," he said. "What I have been saying is that the BBC, CNN and al-Jazeera have to be careful in their reporting so that they do not worsen the situation." The defence secretary said that these three organisations had been taken on guided tours to "areas free from LTTE. It is very clear we used no shelling or air strikes [in civilian areas] but what I say is sometimes not reported." One piece by the BBC had angered the Sri Lankan authorities because it featured video clips from Tamilnet, a website which is seen as pro-Tamil Tiger. "It is a mouthpiece of the terrorists and the BBC are using the [footage] and saying civilians are being shelled." The defence secretary, the younger brother of Sri Lanka's president Mahinda Rajapaksa, is a powerful figure in Sri Lanka and is credited for bringing the Tigers to the brink of extinction. The LTTE, which has fought for a separate state for the Tamil minority for 25 years, has been routed in military clashes. Once in control of large swathes of the north and east of Sri Lanka the rebels are now confined to a mere 100 square miles of jungle. The war has extracted a terrible human toll. Humanitarian groups say as many as 250,000 unprotected civilians are trapped in the area - used, say Sri Lanka's government, as "human shields" by the rebels. Over the weekend tens of thousands of Tamils marched in London in protest over the Sri Lankan army's actions. The army has promised to allow safe passage to trapped civilians and urged the Tamil Tigers to do the same. However, United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), who have staff in the area, say that civilians are still being killed in the crossfire. Today CNN reported that artillery shells fell on a hospital in the northern Sri Lankan district of Mullaitivu, where civilians, including children, were being treated. Protests can be sent to: EMBASSY OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA Chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008 T.P. 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