25 April, 2024

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UAE Urged Not To Deport Tiger TV Journalist Rathimohini

Rathimohan Lokini

United Arab Emirates urged not to deport Sri Lankan Tamil journalist Rathimohini Lokini.  Human Rights Watch (HRW) today said Lohini, an ethnic Tamil, “would be at grave risk of torture” if sent back.

“For the UAE to return recognized Tamil refugees to a grave risk of torture in Sri Lanka would signal a total disregard for their well-being – and the most basic principle of international refugee and human rights law,” said Bill Frelick, refugee program director at Human Rights Watch. “Sri Lanka’s treatment of Tamils they deem politically suspect is dismal and under no circumstances should the UAE deport this group there.”
Rathimohini Lokini is an ethnic Tamil born in northern Sri Lanka. Prior to 2009, she lived in the Kilinichchi District in the Northern Province which remained under the control of the Tamil rebels. She joined the LTTE run NTT television (National Television of Tamil Eelam) in June 2006 and worked as a news caster. She was one of the main female newscasters of the television station and therefore became widely known. She worked for the TV until December 2008 and left the rebel controlled areas on the 08the of December 2008.
You can see, she is reading news on NTT;

 

After coming to the government controlled areas, she could not live in the open as she knew that she could be easily identified by the military due to her regular appearance on the television. Fearing for her life, she left Sri Lanka in April 2009.

Current situation

As a result of being unable to find a safe location to live, she arrived in Dubai in October 2012 and remained there until the authorities decided to deport her back. Her deportation order can be implemented at any time, since the initial attempt to deport her was made on the 21st of March 2013.

Now she is being held at a refugee camp in Dubai under the supervision of UNHCR and DUBAI immigration. Apart from being an ethnic Tamil from the north, her well known connection to the LTTE television increases her vulnerability to great extent. If deported, many fear that she would probably face the same fate as her colleague  Isai Priya.

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    This is all bullshit.

    Can any one come forward and prove the allegation of touture of the tamils who returns to srinlanka ?
    If they are terrorists in the past it is so natural to take them in to custody. Ture this has to be done under supervision to protect all the people.

    In other note, the video has shown the bodies of SL army solders. This is nature of the war. This has to be understand.

    Why everybody is talking about the last few days of the war, they are easily ignore the 30 years of war.
    There so many violations are dommitted hy the super powers at this very moment.why all are blind and deaf to this ?

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      True !

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      @ruwee

      You say, “If they are terrorists in the past it is so natural to take them into custody.” SO WHY ARN’T KP,KARUNA, PILLAYAN, GEORGE MASTER, DAYA MASTER etc in custody?

      Do you know what happened to her colleague Isai Priya???

      And there are enough alegations of torture in Sri RajaPakistan. Do not delude yourself. Here is how people in the south are tortured. Click links.

      http://youtu.be/0FppYUIa1vI

      http://youtu.be/gpzSpuBNlrI

      http://youtu.be/4GCPjsxPFi4

      http://youtu.be/Kv9Xusse5kU

      …and this is about Tamil rape and torture victims. Just do a search on Google or YouTube.

      http://youtu.be/gQ0mGACtS6s

      ps. WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT MASS GRAVE IN MATALE CONTAINED? BODIES OF THE BALANGODA MAN’S ANCESTORS??? Do not delude yourself…this is a very violent country that you live in.

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        It is sad to note that you do not know the facts. Or you are deliberatly ignoring the facts to mislead the public.

        Daya master,george master both of them were taken in to custody soon after the end of war.there were no toture or anything happened to them.they are now living
        in north and i have heard that they are working for the people. Same story with the high profile KP.
        Even when the high profile KP and others, including family of sea tiger chief susei is safe with government why cant others come back?

        If you want to see the videos of ltte crimes those are also available in the net.

        You said i am living in a violent country. No brother i have LIVED
        in a very violent country for the last 30 years of my life until the defeat of LTTE.

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      You are fully right.

      That UK Hard talk moderator himself reiterated recently that he found the tamils on his tour to lanka in his tour after the war – saying that being lebrated from Ltters they feel today better.
      So the poor tamils that seem to be leaving srialnka – also some sinhalese leaving srilanka for better destinations in EUrope are now being rejected. They have to get them better informed before leaving their own conuntries. I have met some guys who claimed to lodge refuge applications for just as economic refugees. But the times have changed to date. I really dont think UK, France, Switzerland and Germany would welcome any more refugees from SL knowing the fact the conditions becoming better for them now, though these processes are PAINFULLY slow.
      There was one tamil man known to me who just arrived in Switzerland after the war – he had got the refuge in Swiss saying how he had to flee in the war end. He did not share me more – I met him once near to Zurich, waiting for my train on my return to the UK. So with all kinds of unemployment problems in the west right at the moment, they are no ready to allow economic refugees to welcome as had been the case with that some years back now.

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    I don’t understand how these people try to seek asylum in UAE,a country that has got very strict visa procedures and would NEVER grant an outsider citizenship, for any reasons, what so ever. If she has gone on an employment visa and if they had subsequently found her connections with LTTE, chances are very high for them to deport her as UAE has VERY STRICT laws against terrorism. And if she had gone on a visit visa, she can only stay there for a maximum of 3 months (IIRC) and the police will somehow track her down if she overstays. And again the connections with LTTE will not let them keep her there. So in any case UAE is not going to be kind to her.

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    Watch her read the news. See all the soldiers murdered by the terrorists. She is the LTTE’s Joseph Goebbels, a racist propagandist. Why shouldn’t she be tried in Colombo for war crimes?

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      Ha ha…people are gung ho to prosecute small fry like this girl, but silent as the grave regarding terrorists like KP,KARUNA, PILLAYAN, GEORGE MASTER and DAYA MASTER to name just a few. How can you people be so blatantly hypocritical?

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      Article is about torture by Government, not about trials. Fair trials are acceptable to all but does this happen?

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    Rathimohini Lokini’s a victim of her own stupidity. She shouldn’t have read the made-up-news of fantasyland . All she has to do is, answer the questions the authorities ask, probably she’ll be rehabilitated, once made sure that she will not pose threat to the public she will be released.

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    Hopefully this poor girl can get to safety in Europe before its too late. UAE is not safe; and definitely not Sri Lanka, when sex maniacs like [Edited out] are on the loose.

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      Actually the real maniacs are the liars like Lester/Heshan who are calling for Muslims to be raped and killed while masturbating over pix of dead Tigers.

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        yuck thats necrophilia isnt it?

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      Looks like Blacker [Edited out]

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        This is what will happen to Rathimohini if she is deported: [Edited out]

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          Either let me quote Blacker’s own words here or I will leave your website permanently. I don’t care if people harass me on every thread and you do nothing, but I reserve the right to defend myself.[Edited out]

          Part of this comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy
          https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/

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            Censorship and defending war criminals is for losers.

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              So you admit you are okay with censorship and defending war criminals. Fair enough; I will stay back.

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              This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy
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        This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy
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  • 0
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    Those who are alive in this video use either slippers or barefoot but dead having boots even gloves!!!!!

    Why Why????????? Any recent link!!!!!

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    With all due respect to the writer you need to rephrase your article where its says and i quote “Sri Lankan Tamil journalist”. She is not a Tamil Journalist she is Simply a “TERRORIST” Call it by its name without sugar coating it! It’s true that Tamils are mistreated in some instances but she is No ordinary citizen or human she has been part of one of the most ruthless terrorist organizations this world has ever seen. Tell me do other countries such as Israel, USA, North Korea who have & who engage in war ever let a militant or an ex-militant roam freely without prosecution & trial??????

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      Johann modaya, tamils asked for running their own affair since indepentence. You fool if you are tamil you will understand more. Ltte not a teorrist movement, you modayas made them terrorist. Prabas stborness we tamil paid huge price, if he change the course of action after 9/11, we tamils must be in a better position now. He made so many mistakes, big one gone against india. Dont think you won the war, without help from india, Usa, chinks you sinhala moadya army no where near ltte fighters. any way sorry for this girl hope god will be in her side.

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        Thw way express your self, everbody will come to know about the real modaya.i dont know where you live right now. I am pretty sure that you are not in SL.

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          This shows how safe county is SL when one intends to express his views.

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            Oh! Was he expressing his views? I thought he was writing random words from a cheap South Indian dictionary.

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      You mean Sri Lankan terrorist like you pigshits.

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    nothing personal against u bro my mom was a sinhalese from Dompe and my dad a malayalee from Kerala dis message is 4 JOHANN dont try to prove ur point coz u r the defendant..The prosecutor got 2 proove his case….if dey cannot dey lost the darn case .. im not against the LTTE coz during 83 my dad owned a jewellery shop in sea street so we know wat it waz like how dey broke in n the rest is history.
    Man wat wud u have done if u u were in her boots ??? U probabaly wanna live i guess?? Is it 2 much 2 ask?//Dis is how the system works.Well said u need 2 live ur life but according 2 whose rules>.Is it the LTTE or The GVMT so i guess she choose the prior coz she waz suppreesed??Igot the same question wat wud u have done if u were in her boots?
    And finally answering ur question about Trial???WAT kind of a trial do u expect from a Kangaroo court dat has appointed its own CJ who waz never respected by the BASL n waz never even invited for its proceedings,The appeal court n the supreme court already gave its rulings n in fovour of her.FYI Bhratha Lakshman premachandra waz shot 2 dead any one indicted???Mervin silvas son Malaka beat up a Major in the Army was he indicted??Kelaniya PSS member Madawala was killed everyone is on BAIL? Dis is life in Lanka …2 many things 2 let ya know dis is how the system works whether its JRJ..RP,,,CBK or MR dats why i prefer to live in the US

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      VALID POINTS : NO DOUBT :)

      But fact is now European countries are not AT ALL ready to say YES for lanken refugees. They each of countries have their own problems. UK is sinking, France is fighting against their record high unemployment problems. Only grand nation left is Germany – but there are over 70 000 lanken tamils are living in Germany with most of them being ghetto dwellers. Most of them could have a better life in SL than any other countries of mentioned.

      The issue on lack of rule of law in the country is an another crucial problem under the guidance of Rajapakshe rulers. I think lankens enjoyed better democratic values in the past. Today, everyone stays mum not being able to open their mouths – similarly to what I experienced myself in late 80ties.

      Public demands for democracy, transparency and constitutional respect are needed to stop a slide back towards overt conflict, but it will be a long time before the citizenry are educated and empowered enough to mobilize in favor of these. We the lankens are added to statistics as highly literacy rate holders in the south asian region, but when it goes for voting for ganja dealers, gold chain robbers, rapists and multi crimes doers like Mervin – majority of folks have not been able to differentiate who is capable candidate for the nation.

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        Sofia: Studies and surveys have consistently indicated that approximately 90% of persons in any given country have strong patriotic sentiments. This percentage is similar to the percentage of people involved in other faith-based activities, such as religion. This same percentage also reflects the bell-curve of the general intelligence level of a population: 90% of all persons in a Caucasian population group register an IQ below 120 and Sri Lanka an IQ below 60. Lit rate is for fools paradise.
        Here is the profile of a 12 year old Tamil from TN resident in the UK IQ 168 higher than Einstein. Taking her SATs – the American equivalent of A-levels she obtained 740 out of 800 in a test designed for 18-year-olds. Where are the Sinhalese who want to wage war with TN that gave the world zero and decimals?
        Check it out http://tinyurl.com/cc593dp

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          Bangalore girl beats Einstein in IQ test
          Neha Ramu, a 12-year-old Bangalorean who lives in the UK

          I didn’t realise Bangalore was part of Tamil Nadu now – this “Greater Thamizh Homeland” seems to be expanding by the day :)

          As for Sinhalese waging war against TN, remind me how all those Tamil invasions of Sri Lanka over the past couple of thousand years ended up.

          You could I suppose fault the Sinhalese for not mopping up after and kicking out all the stragglers back into the ocean – if they had done there’d be one less bogus homeland claim and a lot less problems in Sri Lanka today. Oh the perils of being accommodating :)

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            Contradictions do not exist. Whenever you think you are facing a contradiction, check your premises. You will find that one of them is wrong.

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    This LADY SHOULD BE HANDED TO THE US EMBASSY IN DUBAI AND SHE SHOULD SEEK POLITICAL ASYLUM IN THE US .UNHRC SHOULD MOVE ON THIS MATTER IMMEDIATELY . SHOULD SHE BE DEPORTED TO SL , I SUSPECT SHE WILL BE WISKED AWAY AS SOON AS SHE LANDS AT THE RAJAPAKSE AIRPORT AND ULTIMATELY GR WILL ISSUE THE ORDERS AND THAT’S FRIGHTENING TO THINK OF . THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MANY JOURNALISTS UNDER THE PRESENT GOSL IS A MATTER RAISED AT THE GENEVA RESOLUTION AND AS SUCH THE UNHRC SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO GET POLITICAL ASYLUM FOR THIS LADY IN THE US OR ANY EUROPEAN COUNTRY . THE GPSL OS FAR FRPM TRUTH RE- CONCILIATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY . PLEASE READ THE THE SL US AMBASSADOR ‘S TALK TO THE SL JOURNALISTS .

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    Correction:- THE GOSL IS FAR FROM TRUTH RECONCILIATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY. PLEASE READ THE SL/ US AMBASSADOR ‘ S RECENT TALK TO THE JOUNALISTS .

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    She is a very good news presenter in Tamil, from what I can see in this video. The government should welcome her back and offer her a position as a news presenter at Rupavahini or encourage Sakthi TV to employ her. This would be a grand gesture towards reconciliation.

    Dr.RN

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      Dr RN,
      Would be a good propaganda for the govt. Govt could do so many other things(LLRC, 13+++,…) to make real progress in reconciliation.

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    Let them make a start somewhere, if it will start a forward process. A couple of years back, I suggested that VP’s mother be treated at a top hospital in Colombo, at government expense. There could not have been a grander gesture towards reconciliation!

    Dr.RN

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