Four and a half years after the end of the war, there is widespread impunity for a broad range of human rights abuses in Sri Lanka, notes a report by the US State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour released a short while ago.
“In Sri Lanka, over four and a half years after the end of the conflict, the government has not made sufficient progress on reconciliation and ensuring justice and accountability for alleged war crimes,” the US State Department’s Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013 said in its introduction.
Secretary of State John Kerry
It said ongoing serious human rights problems include disappearances and a lack of accountability for thousands who disappeared in previous years, as well as widespread impunity for a broad range of human rights abuses, such as torture by police and attacks on media institutions and the judiciary.
“Continuing attacks and harassment against civil society activists, and religious minorities contributed to an environment of fear and self-censorship,” the introduction said.
The Sri Lanka report, an extensive brief covering a range of areas related to human rights and democracy, said that Government surveillance, especially in the north, led to frequent disruptions of local cultural events. “Since the military required that all public gatherings, including weddings and coming-of-age parties for young girls, be reported to local military officials, many families feared holding or participating in these basic cultural and social rites,” it noted.
“Evidence of serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in the final stages of the war continued to mount, but the government refused to acknowledge credible allegations that members of the armed forces were involved in such incidents. The army COI, appointed in 2012 by the army commander to look into such allegations, reportedly absolved the armed forces of any wrongdoing, but human rights organizations questioned the COI’s independence and the extent to which military investigative mechanisms could credibly investigate allegations against the military,” the latest report observed.
See full report on Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Situation in 2013 here
nimal dunuhinga / February 28, 2014
Earth cries!
[“Political prisoners describe:
– extreme physical and emotional torture
– distortion of language, truth, meaning and reality
– sham killings
– begin repeatedly taken to the point of death or threatened with death
– being forced to witness abusive acts on others
– being forced to make impossible “choices”
– boundaries smashed i.e. by the use of forced nakedness, shame, embarrassment
– hoaxes, ‘set ups’, testing and tricks
– being forced to hurt others
Ritual abuse survivors often describe much the same things.”]― Laurie Matthew, Who Dares Wins
You took my son long ago
Damned politics!
He wrote poems
against the injustice,
poverty,exploitation
ugliness,rudeness
and a lot!
You took him
for a journey
and he never
returned?
What a ridiculous thing
when everybody questions
you say I do not know but
you killed him and buried in the Earth?
nimal dunu
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OutRider / February 28, 2014
Dear US State Department’s Booruwa
of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour
Weddings and coming-of-age parties are pretty tame stuff compared to US war crimes. Moreover Sri Lanka was fighting for its very survival as a nation against the most barbaric fascist terrorist killers of modern times. Whereas the US committed unprecedented war crimes in far away countries it had nothing to do with:
1) No Gun Ri, Korea
2) My Lai, Vietnam
3) Abu Ghraib, Iraq
4) Haditha, Iraq
5) Azizabad airstrike, Afghanistan
Ref:
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/war/military/120312/major-atrocities-us-military-history
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jansee / February 28, 2014
Outrider:
You have missed out one item from your list: the murder of more than 70,000 innocent civilians by a ruthless regime. Well??
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Sarath / February 28, 2014
Regime Changed to date:
Afganistan
Iraq
Libya
Yeaman
Egypt
Maldives.
Syria-75% done
Work in progress:
North korea
Iran
Syria
Sri lanka
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Javi / February 28, 2014
Heinz Means Beans
Kerry is Going to Give Passa R.I.P Beans at UNHCR!!
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On the Pillion / March 1, 2014
Heinz means flatulance. Kerry is full of it.
No effect but gas on Afghanistan, Israel, Syria or anywahere else.
Pathetic looser will loose again!
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Javi / March 2, 2014
Beans means Heinz!
Lankan regime constipated with collective corruption”
pill ion passe nool.;)
Biswal had included corruption charge against the Lankan government: the present government is responsible.
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Fathima Fukushima / February 28, 2014
To write about US human rights violations against Muslims in 2013 it takes at least 5,000 pages.
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Katmai / February 28, 2014
Who the hell cares man, we don’t live in the US.
What a pathetic existence if you have to defend and rely on cruelty and viciousness of your overlord, Rajapaksa.
Ironically they all claim to follow Buddha, while in reality following Rajapaksa the exact opposite. Goes with the philosophy I suppose; say one thing and do the exact opposite.
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Tamil from the North / February 28, 2014
Hey fatshitma –
don’t you dog have any toilets to clean?
get to work now
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Palmsquirrell / February 28, 2014
Elsewhere recently you were criticising Muslims but now you are back to ass kissing them. You really do excell at ass kissing.
What about all the human rights violations committed by Muslims against non Muslim minorities in Muslim majority nations.
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Ben Hurling / February 28, 2014
Mr. Kerry,
How are your allies Israel & Saudi Arabia doing in the HR front?
Have you moved any resolutions against them yet?
You truly raise the bar for speaking from one’s behind to a new level.
BTW, the American Private who disclosed US war crimes/collateral damage in Iraq is in indefinite incaceration. Julian Assange is being held under inhuman diplomatic house arrest in London. Using both American satelite states such as UK and Sweden. Edward Snowden is in hiding in Russia.
And you are busy preaching to us.
Cheers!
PS: This is no defence of the utterly corrupt, lawless & brutal Banana Repulic run by Rajapassa clan, their cronies and henchmen.
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Maveeran / February 28, 2014
Ben, why don’t you get bent? Stop saying the same crap again and again. Hope you have a green card in the US like Goatbaiya Jarawapassa soon Jarawapassa and his arse lickers will be ducking for cover.
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Palmsquirrell / February 28, 2014
” PS: This is no defence of the utterly corrupt, lawless & brutal Banana Repulic run by Rajapassa clan, their cronies and henchmen. “
Didn’t you just defend GOSL (defense by deflection) in the previous paragraphs by pointing to US and its allies’ violations .
Bringing up what others did is a schoolyard “but he did it too” argument. GOSL for decades crowed about LTTE violations and received help from the West but now GOSL has the chutzpah to demand their violations be ignored and the west mind its own business.
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Spark / February 28, 2014
Israel has serious threats from maniac regimes such as Iran, Syria and Iraq (under Saddam Hussain). Islam like all religeons is exemplary however this religeon has been manipulated to disrespect and threaten all other religeons by specific Islamic followers themselves. During the Iran / Iraq war Ayotollah Khomeini stated that Iranian soldiers who get shot in front of their bodies will go to “allah”, such was the shameless manipulation of the religeon. Today the greatest abuse to Islam happens by muslim followers themselves. Thus the threat to islam is not outsiders such as Israel or christians or hindus, but by the muslims themselves. Saudi Arabia is a Royal Kingdom and the citizens are satified being ruled under Royal decree, if not why dont we see Saudi’s enmasse moving out of the country as refugees seeking asylum like the way we see in Sri Lanka?
All those persons you state being harrased in USA / Europe have been given transparent fair trials under first class justice systems. None of them have been found shot dead by the roadside, as what would be expected in Sri Lanka.
Comments with some degree of basic commonsense is appreciated, otherwise major part of what you have written is humbug.
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Stewart Sloan / February 28, 2014
Well said Ben
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Javi / February 28, 2014
Ooooh! So it makes your finger smart.(@_@)
Why don’t you rub some on your head then??
｡◕‿◕｡
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Sun / February 28, 2014
Stupid Rajapakse was not aware of the facts that the US dept summarises all these in their websites. If his administration was aware of these things, they would have treated citizenry with much more more human way. Ridiculously the man who is appointed as the secretary of defense to ignore these facts even if he is US citizen is surprising to many.
If they would have even treated muslim srilankens even more human, not using BBS religious forces to attack them.
Even they would have even treated some dissidents with less brutally
Shortly before the CHOGEM WAS STARTED, the Opposition leader to assualt was believed to have carried out by govt thugs… that they would NOT have done if they the rulers were well informed…
now today these day, Gommanpila to abuse all ethical election laws – would not have been the case, if lanken authorities were well aware the way that anything and everything is being studied and kept reported by US state dept websites.
We peace lovely srilankens (regardless of sinhalase, tamil, muslim or burgher or others) want Rajapakshes to BE HUMANIZED or leave the office allowing us to choose a leader with HUMANYL educated qualities.
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K.A Sumanasekera / February 28, 2014
Oh boy,,,, Old Kerry is fuming.
The Lady Ambassador in Colombo must have really pumped him up..
..”Srilanka continues to harass the inhabitants, denying them human rights,no investigations on who killed Praaba and his mates and subject minorities to horrendous discrimination for the last four and a half years since 2009″…
How bad is that when our inhabitants compare them with the great inhabitants of Iraq who are living in peace, harmony, prosperity enjoying the goodies that Kerry’s mates have brought over..
Ohh.. just forgot about the great Libyan inhabitants who have been given full Uncle Sam’s Democracy and are going along nicely educating their kids and living in luxury with the help of their oil wealth.
It is mind boggling how One time Western ally and now Tamil Canadian , the well known Political journalist who caters only to the English speaking Intelligentsia , Mr David Jeyaraj missed all these misery faced by his old mates in Srilanka , during his 2 months of R & R. at the end of last year.
Perhaps he was walking with the eyes closed.
Or did he use a van with its windows fully covered to to avoid being detected by White Van drivers.
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Palmsquirrell / February 28, 2014
Iraqi Shia are actually free now, free from Saddam and Sunni domination.
Kurds are also much freer now that Saddam is gone and Arab domination over them has been drastically reduced.
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Amarasiri / February 28, 2014
DearMr. John Kerry,
Do you know what Double Standards are?
It is one standard for one set and another standard for another set.
Specific Example are many
Lower and protective standard for Israel, Saudi Arabia and other human rights abusers.
A different standard for others.
The SL state follows your policies of Double standards.
They Have Standard for the Sinhala Mahanama Buddhists and Another for Non-Sinhala Mahanma Buddhists. They, the State, have one standard for Shills and another for non-Shills. These Sinhala Mahanma Buddhists conveniently forget, that they were illegal foreigners that occupied the native Veddah land, and made a fricking mess of it using Sinhala Mahanam Buddhism.
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Palmsquirrell / February 28, 2014
Yup, these Sinhala Buddhists are whining about Western interference but they for decades asked for and received Western help in defeating LTTE.
The same Sinhala Buddhist Nationalists are crying foul at Western pressure against the GOSL but they are happy to kill, torture and oppress Tamils.
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Pansi Lanka / March 1, 2014
Yes, Sinhala Buddhists are trying to civilise the Edomites who are destroying the US and the world with their revengeful, murderous weapons and politics.
Their weapons of mass destruction should be driven up their asses, and yours, you Pansi Lankans.
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Mahinda FanClub / February 28, 2014
I am in close touch with many important Sinhala Buddhist leaders and organisations in our blessed island. One of my close associates is in constant contact with the very articulate and highly respected diplomat (in British society and diplomatic circles) Dr. Chris Nonis.
(1) The Sinhala Buddhist race need not fear this woman Jeyalalitha. Her foremost quality is being the mistress and prostitute of the late leader MGR. The north Indians will not make this prostitute as Prime Minister of India. Her second quality is being financially corrupt to a huge extent. Whereas only a few of the minor Rajapaksa family members are even suspected of being corrupt. Her third quality is being a bisexual and lesbian. Most north Indian voters will realise this just before the Indian general election.
Mr. John Kerry is being very stupid. Because he is taking this tart Jayalalitha too seriously. She does not deserve any respect from Mr. Kerry or his deputies.
(2) Prof. G.L.Peiris who is a top notch internationally respected legal scholar, has repeatedly told us not to worry: The Eelamist propaganda about our noble Sinhala Buddhist soldiers raping Tamil women, are unsubstantiated and uncorraborated. We did not commit any war crimes – if so the Americans and Indians would have released satellite photos of war crimes.
Mr. John Kerry is no match for Prof. G.L.Peiris’s intellect. Next month, in Geneva, our Sinhala hero, Prof. Peiris will tear to shreds all the unsubstantiated and uncorraborated allegations which Mr. Kerry, Mr. Cameron, Miss Nisha Biswal and Miss Navi Pillai are making against our noble and heroic Sri Lankan war heroes.
(3) Eelamist and LTTE propaganda is being spread in Colombo Telegraph by Usha S Sri-Skanda-Rajah, Native Vedda, Thiru, Aratai and many others. I need to repeat this, in order to alert non-Sri Lankan readers of this Colombo Telegraph website.
(4) Tamils who are true sons of Lanka are firmly on our side. A few examples are Ken Balendra, Ravi Thambiayah and physician Dr. Henry Rajaratnam. Few more heroic and loyal names are Dr.Neelan Tiruchelvam, wife Sithie Tiruchelvam and the great Lakshman Kadirgamar.
Thanks.
Mahinda FanClub.
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Amarasiri / March 1, 2014
Mahinda FanClub ,
You mean Mahinda Shill Club?
1. “Sinhala Buddhist race need ” They came from South India. Check the DNA of Sinhla Buddhists. They are not different from South India Tamils.
2. “Prof. G.L.Peiris :’ is another Shill.
3. “3) Eelamist and LTTE propaganda is being spread in Colombo Telegraph by Usha S Sri-Skanda-Rajah, Native Vedda, Thiru, Aratai and many others. I need to repeat this, in order to alert non-Sri Lankan readers of this Colombo Telegraph website.”
Interesting. Did not know the above were Shills of LTTE, and the resurrected GTE, or GTTF, Golbal Tamil Terrorist Forum.
Mahinda Shill FanClub, do you have evidence to support this shilling?
4. “Tamils who are true sons of Lanka are firmly on our side”
Interesting.
Why did the Tamils fight the Monk Mahanama Racist Sinhala “Buddhists” for 30 years?
We all know what the core problem is.
Monk Mahanama Sinhala “Buddhist” Racism that is imbibed from a young age to Sinhala Buddhist Children. This is what the True Natives, Native Veddas have to say about the Para- Sinhala and other Paras-, the Paradeshis or foreigners.
5. All the above descriptions support the Sinhala and Tamil as Para-Sinhala and Para-Tamil, like Para-deshi, Foreigners, as far a the Native Veddah are concerned, who walked at least 16,000 years ago when Lanka and India were connected by a land bridge as the sea levels were low.
6. So, the Sinhala and Tamil Nationalism need to be identified as, Racism, Para-Sinhala Nationalism and Para-Tamil Nationalism. Monk Mahanama imaginations of Mahawansa need to be exposed and discarded.
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Thiru / February 28, 2014
Human rights and Geneva are giving Mahinda headache, he says:
Persistent headache is a possible symptom of an impending heart attack, doesn’t he know?
He needs world class medical treatment in the Hague!
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Paul / February 28, 2014
May be a time will come when Karuna and KP fall out of favor and end up in the Hague too.
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Ajith / February 28, 2014
Thiru,
Persistent headache could be a symptom of brain damage caused by inconsistent lies and fear of electric chair. I would like to see immediate local shock treatment could be more effective than the treatment in Hague.
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Kumar R. / February 28, 2014
Obviously Kerri’s fury is a respnse to the Defense Ministry’s imbecilic threats black-mailing to expose the UN, US and Indian involvement in the morally and legally dispicable acts jointly thrust upon innocent Tamil civilians – women and children largely.
Time will bring to light not just MR’s crimes but those of the bigger powers too!
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Paul / March 1, 2014
This is the first part of the film that was screened in the British parliament last week. The rest of the film is available on Youtube.
http://www.dailymirror.lk/news/43772-the-last-phase-screened-in-westminster-houses-of-parliament.html
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