By AHRC –
The Asian Human Rights Commission has received many responses from concerned persons in several countries regarding the appeal we made on behalf of Mr. Wengadasalam Sudeshkar. Several persons have indicated to us that they are contacting friends and well-wishers to assist in the saving of this young man’s life.
Sudeshkar
The Asian Human Rights Commission has so far been able to transmit to the mother of Sudeshkar Rs. 400,000/= which is around US$ 3,167. The total amount required is US$ 28,000.
We are reissuing the appeal together with the bank details for transmission of any assistance and urge that as time available is short that contributions are made on an urgent basis.
WORLD: Seeking financial aid to save 22-year-old Mr. Wengadasalam Sudeshkar from execution in Qatar
Earlier, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) informed the public in Sri Lanka and abroad about the possibility of yet another person being beheaded in the Middle East like the earlier incident of Ms. Rizana Nafeek. Mr. Wengadasalam Sudeshkar was sentenced to death on December 31, 2012. At the time of the incident that caused an unintentional death, for which Sudeshkar was tried, he was 20 years and six months of age.
Sudeshkar
After negotiations held by the Sudeshkar’s relatives, with the family of the deceased, the deceased’s family expressed their willingness to enter into a settlement on the case, given the circumstances of the incident that led to the death of their family member. According to the law prevailing in Qatar, it is permissible to arrive at such a settlement on the basis of the payment of what is known as ‘blood money’.
The sum that has been agreed upon is Rs. 3.5 Million, which amounts to US$ 28,000 (QAR 100,000).
The AHRC has earlier published the letters written to His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa and to the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment. Despite making these urgent requests it has not been possible to get any response from the Sri Lankan authorities guaranteeing assistance to make this payment.
Mr. Wengadasalam Sudeshkar comes from a very poor family living Kala Eliya, Sri Lanka. His mother has appealed for support to rescue her son, stating that the family is not in a position to provide this ‘blood money’.
After publication of the appeals made to the Sri Lankan President, the AHRC has received many responses requesting that under these circumstances the only practical course of action available is to make a public appeal for the collection of this sum in order to save the life of this young man who faces the imminent threat of execution.
Under these circumstances, the AHRC is launching this fund raising campaign to raise the necessary sum to support the family of Mr. Wengadasalam Sudeshkar to enable them to take the necessary steps to rescue their son.
We are urging everyone to support this call with the view to avoid another tragedy like that of Ms. Rizana Nafeek. As a gesture of the AHRC’s own commitment, it will contribute initially US$ 3,000.00 for this fund. We are calling upon all persons of good will to contribute generously for this purpose. The AHRC undertakes to be responsible for all issues relating to accountability for all monies received.
The following account has been opened for the specific purpose of this fund. The account bearer, the Asian Legal Resource Centre is a sister organisation of the AHRC.
Bank information of Asian Legal Resource Centre Ltd.
Name of the Bank: Hang Seng Bank Ltd.
Address of the Bank:
Hankow Road Branch
4 Hankow Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Swift code: HASEHKHH
Account no.: 295-8-710341 (Multi Currency Saving Account)
Account holder: Asian Legal Resource Centre Ltd.
Kindly inform us at ahrc@ahrc.asia of any contributions made so that we can keep a track of these and deal with the issue in an expeditious manner as required under these circumstances.
For further information please see the Open Letter written to the President of Sri Lanka here.
Siva Sankaran Sarma / February 6, 2013
If you really want to save this poor chap’s life say the donations are for funding ‘Eelam’ war V. Soon you’ll be rolling in it.
/
Ben Hurling / February 6, 2013
I have no idea why the mainstream media in Sri Lanka has not yet picked up this story or the campaign to raise the money.
It can be done and must be done.
USD 28 000,- can be collected if Sri Lankans come together.
/
Lanka Muslim, UK / February 7, 2013
Are some born only to keep talking irrelevantly? If you have the mind to donate, please do so.
/
Panabokke / February 6, 2013
Non-violence didn’t work for 30yrs. Violence didn’t work for 30 yrs. We’ve been seeing how the Tamils are macerated by the boots of the army:
1.CEYLON : A DIVIDED NATION, B H Farmer(1963):”The truth is simply that nobody unacceptable to the present Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism has any chance of constitutional power in contemporary Ceylon.”
2.‘’President Rajapakse handed them a flat ‘Nyet’ and for once in a lifetime he spoke the truth. “If I make any devolutionary concessions to the Tamils, 13A Plus, Minus, Divided or Subtracted, it will be curtains for me.” The government’s parliamentary group met the evening before the esteemed visitors arrived and decided; ‘Let’s tell them the truth straight from the shoulder and upfront; let’s tell them, if we do it we are dead meat.’ – . – Sri Lanka: Indian Delegates go Home Empty Handed, Kumar David, 15 June 2011, Southasiananalysis
3.Groundviews .org
Comment:
Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam
12/20/2011 • 4:23 am
Lalith Athulathmudali, on Feb 4th 1985, when I asked him why UNP, with their more than two-thirds majority, introduce a federal constitution to solve the problem, replied that, “It would be political suicide.”
Ranil Wickremasinghe, in the presence of Mahinda Samarasinghe and Tyrone Fernando (Both then UNP.) on May 13th 1997, when asked, would UNP support a Federal Constitution, told me that, “We are a political party and we will not do anything that will not bring back to power or do anything when we are in power that would unseat us from power.”
/
Panabokke / February 6, 2013
”But that truth cannot excuse human rights violations that currently afflict the nation as a whole; or for that matter obscure the looming threat of the cultural and political colonisation of the north by the Sinhala Buddhist majority” – Biased and Prejudiced Collection on Sri Lanka, *Gananath Obeyesekere, Economic & Political Weekly, VOL 47 No. 04, 28 January-03 February 2012 (*a Sinhalese Buddhist and Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, Princeton University),
/
Panabokke / February 6, 2013
Who can argue with the people who keep saying that they are descendants of a lion? Ethnic minorities around the world have hard time – all humans are not humane.
/
Panabokke / February 6, 2013
Can the Rajapakses be true Buddhists once in helping this boy?
/
Citizen / February 9, 2013
Each MPs have made atleast 12 mn rupees and each PC members have made 8 mn rupees by selling their luxury vehicle permits..even if each of them donate just Rs 10000 , this needed amount of 3.5 mn rupees to save the life of a poor youth can be easily raised…
Will they do ??…
/
dicky Bird / February 11, 2013
Only Rs. 400,000…………of which AHRC contribution $3000 ?
It appears everyone in this forum is taking Basil fernando & the AHRC with a pinch of salt….
There appears to be lack or no trust at all in the AHRC.
/