Sri Lankan leaders must address the persistent climate of fear in the country, Amnesty International said as the UN human rights chief Navi Pillay concluded her visit to the island.
Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, made her first official visit to Sri Lanka from 25-31 August. It comes just before the UN and Commonwealth review the country’s human rights situation in September
Polly Truscott
At her concluding press conference today, Pillay stressed that many who met or wanted to meet her during the visit had been threatened by security forces, and that critical voices in Sri Lanka are “quite often attacked or even permanently silenced”.
“Navi Pillay’s take on the human rights situation during her visit very much echoes our own findings. Being critical of government policy in Sri Lanka is highly risky, and the extent to which people are being harassed into silence is shocking”, said Polly Truscott Amnesty International’s Deputy Asia Pacific Director.
“We’re glad that Navi Pillay got a chance to meet some victims and families of the disappeared. But the reprisals against those she met, doesn’t bode well for the Commonwealth Summit set for November in Colombo. The government must stop its attacks on Sri Lankan society”.
“The Sri Lankan conflict may have ended in 2009, but the level of human rights violations in the country remains critically high. The Sri Lankan government still shows no real will to account for past crimes, combined with new attacks on those calling for accountability.”
Pillay today insisted that “unless there is a credible national process, calls for an international inquiry are likely to continue” into the events of the armed conflict
“There is still every need for the UN to set up an independent international investigation into crimes under international law in Sri Lanka, as Pillay has called for in the past.”
“The UN and Commonwealth must respond effectively to these latest concerns raised by Pillay” said Truscott
Safa / August 31, 2013
It is hoped that the visit of Mrs Pillai and her unbiased reading of the situation will strike a chord with the President and Government of Sri Lanka to correct whatever anomalies and abberations in governance. There is no point in carrying on with these corrupt and discriminatory policies. What good to the people and nation? Do we need external influence to set our house in order?
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Percy Jilmart / August 31, 2013
@ Safa
If the president of SL and the majority Sinhalese were reasonable human beings they would not need Navi Pillay or the world at large to tell them how to treat the minorities of this country with dignity and equality.
But since the Sinhala majority have been brainwashed by the mahavamsa myth of this country belonging only to them and MR needing the support of the majority to form a family dynasty, these discriminatory tactics of minorities will continue for a very long time.
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Amarasiri / August 31, 2013
Dear Polyy Triscatt,
1. “Sri Lankan leaders must address the persistent climate of fear in the country, Amnesty International said as the UN human rights chief Navi Pillay concluded her visit to the island.”
Just talk. Subcontract the job, if you cannot do it. Send a few Tomahawks.
2. “Being critical of government policy in Sri Lanka is highly risky, and the extent to which people are being harassed into silence is shocking”, said Polly Truscott Amnesty International’s Deputy Asia Pacific Director.”
Victims must realize you are just talk, unless you send a few Tomahawks. Just talk. Subcontract the job, if you cannot do it. Send a few Tomahawks.
3.”“There is still every need for the UN to set up an independent international investigation into crimes under international law in Sri Lanka, as Pillay has called for in the past.”
Just talk. Subcontract the job, if you cannot do it. Send a few Tomahawks.
Talk, Talk, Talk. Just do it!
DeJa Vu.
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NAK / August 31, 2013
If the UN,Commonwealth or the AI have problems to fix, they can fix themselves. We have no objections!!
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Chandra Seneviratne / August 31, 2013
The absolute disregards to basic rights expected of the human kind in any civilized social order and the rule of law in the governance as suppressed in impunity at the hands of MR and his tribe has shown in uncertain terms that Sri Lanka and her people now need the international consideration to salvage them from this morass. The people Sri Lanka, though generally cultured and knowledgeable, are being swindled to rule by a set of vultures whose grip they unable to be feed from, in an inept and lack of credible national process are desperate in the help of international community for much wanted sanity, good sense, normalcy in human behavior in the Sri Lankan social order.This is the yearning of innocent people from the daily sufferings of corrupt, criminal goons of MR.
Chandra Seneviratne
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selvam kumar / August 31, 2013
In accordance to the visit by Navi Pillay, as far as I am concerned she did not get much information by the tamil people most of them being warned not to reveal too much to madam navi. The atrocitis done by The Singalese Sri lankan govt is worst than Hitler. What I can say is this. 1. UN referendum is needed for a separate homeland for the tamil people. 2. mahinda rajapakse must be charged for war crimes, its ethnic cleansing. The only way for the tamil people to live in peace is a separate homeland or there will be no more tamil people in tamil eelam in the next 50years. All tamils will be vanished and whole part of jaffna and tamil area will be no more. Only the singalese people will live in jaffna after 40 years. UN REFERENDUM IS A MUST FOR THE TAMIL PEOPLE.
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Jayantha / August 31, 2013
Please read the following web. which I picked up from Internet.
http://www.tvr.by/eng/news.asp?id=9311&cid=15
According to this Belarusian reporter Alesya Vysotskaya, he say….. The visit of Sri Lanka President once again proves the genuine interest of this South Asian republic in Belarus.
It also says……..A couple of months ago, a large Sri Lanka delegation worked in Minsk; then it was declared about the country’s readiness to invest in Belarusian projects.
According to this report who are these large Sri Lankan Rajapakse Croni Business delegation team visited Belaruse A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, TO SEE THE POSSIBILITIES OF INVESTING IN BELARUS……., which we were never informed or notified by the Rajapakses or media.
We need to know who are these Businessmen who are Planning to Invest in Belarus Business ventures.
We thought President Rajapakse signed Business deals with Belarus to Promote Investments in Sri Lanka, but it looks like he is investing in Belarus Business ventures and in other countries and we want to know what those Business Ventures and business deals are.
Is this similar to 150 Million Dollar Uganda water project without any transparency or signed contracts. This is how the cheap Mafia Basta…ds do their business deals. All in hiding and in secrecy. We need answers.
we want to know what other business promotion deals Rajapakses have signed with other countries and CT or another Investigative organization should investigate these Rajapakse Private and Personal business empire.
Who is providing our Foreign Exchange to invest in Belarus is questionable. Where are these foreign exchange caming from. CB Governor and Treasury secretary should answer these question,and CT should look into this.
The only reason Rajapakses are blocking CT is to supress free media and hide their Family dictatorship policies and illegal projects from public. Therefore we have to stand together against the absolute dictator.
At the moment Sri Lanka’s businesses are in the hand of over 500 Rajapakse family Cronies who are in control of Business cartel in Sri Lanka. They have monopolised all the business deals, projects and investments in Sri Lanka. No other outside businessmen or investor who have no ties to Rajapakse Family are offered any Business deals, contracts,Investment opportunities or new Projects.
Please read the following webs to see who are some of the Rajapakse Family Business Billioneer cronies who Monopolise Sri Lanka’s Business mafia and Trade cartel.
http://www.lankaeagle.com/?p=7531
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2011/01/23/the-20-billionaires-of-sri-lanka%E2%80%99s-stock-market
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/130526/business-times/dhammika-has-near-50-stake-in-hayleys-45655.html
http://www.lbfinance.com/bod.html
http://www.ceylonist.me/2013/07/the-story-of-dhammika-perera.html
Therefore CT or some Investigative Journalist, opposition party members or a Law Firm should investigate Rajapakses and their Crony Business Mafia Cartel operation both inside and outside Sri Lanka who have monopolised Sri Lanka’s business empire and should be brought to justice and to Public scrutiny. There should be transparency in every Rajapakse Business dealings and we citizens have all the right to know about them.
Therefore this is an urgent request for every Patriot to investigate Rajapakse Family mega Business Dynasty operation and their family Goon Business Cartel Empire including Black money and to investigate how they are been operated both in Sri Lanka and abroad.
All suggestions are welcome.
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Wickramasiri / September 2, 2013
Looks like Belarus is a good money laundering spot. Cyprus was one too.
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sooriya / August 31, 2013
Mahinda is not a spinless leader. Majority of this country likes him. Those who are loyal for spineless leader, will direct these ideas to the world. Hosni Mubarak was seen as a dictatator by the West & US…That dictatorship is millions time worth than the current situation…Libya,Iraq all same…What evr Pillai says, maojrity of this country likes mahinda and his leadership..
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Appata siri / September 1, 2013
That is what you say and believe…people like you suffer from a psychosocial illness!
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Sirimal / September 1, 2013
who are the majority ?
– over 70% are rural folks – naive masses, but his target vote base
What evr Pillai says, maojrity of this country likes mahinda and his leadership
– but surely not forEVER. His golden days have been gone.
Hosni Mubarak was seen as a dictatator by the West & US…That dictatorship is millions time worth than the current situation
– yours should be the view of those rural village folks. So, you are right saying that majority would hell bent believe whatever the state media spread – no matter facts and figures, checks and balances, they would only respect – rice packets and corruption.
I hate to see the situation under MR, but now we dont have a future in this country. This Madma Pillay made it clear yesterday. Totalitarian regimes are not long lived.
Next Syria, Srilanka will be the target by Super powers to leberate us all. Jayawewa for our people.
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Thondamanaru / August 31, 2013
Polly put the kettle on……….we all want to have fun.
One pro LTTE despot (The AI) cheers another
Pillay visited Sri Lanka to announce to the world that SL is moving towards Authoritarianism or to seek HR violations.
What Polly does not know but Pillay has remarked unofficially to her inner circle was that victims & families of those dissapperared should realise that they have just emerged from a 30 year war.
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Marwan / August 31, 2013
Guarantee of basic human rights is one thing, and bad governance is another. which also needs to be monitored by an authoritative body, to bring real peace to this country. Those in governance should at least now employ fully qualified professionals as advisers and follow their advise, instead of soothsayers and witch doctors to guide the course of destiny for this country. Haven’t they proved time and time again what damage they can do, and still they are held in high esteem by the political leadership who have absolutely no idea of astute leadership to those under their control. Having such foolhardy men of ‘Yes Sir, No Sir, three bags full Sir,’ bunch of cronies and court jesters who wield immense power courtesy the President and his siblings, is no way to administrate stately affairs of a struggling nation, trying to get back on its feet after a protracted war of attrition against a ruthless enemy. They must learn to serve the people’s needs, rather than serve their own needs. We all know that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts more, which can then affect common sense judgement, and is a symptom not readily accepted nor recognized. It is more evident in such cases as in the colossal waste of interest yielding borrowed funds and maniacal tendencies to put up harbours, Airports and Stadiums and have them named after them, whilst the ordinary people have to face massive rise in energy costs, and higher cost of living with no grace in sight.
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JimSofty / September 1, 2013
Amnesty International should behave honest and accountable first.
AI is very famous to be correct.
Who knows what Polly Truscott’s character is ?
We know who you people are.
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Ramya / September 1, 2013
Well, whatever shortcomings these organizations may have like our own failed ministries and failed institutions…at least they are sticking their fingers in, on their own agenda but it certainly helps us citizens by putting pressure and instilling fear in our corrupt leader and his band of family and goons… Is it not the need of the hour…i.e. to rid the country of those that saved us from terrorism, of course with thanks! …rid them only because they have way overstepped, ruined the character of our armed forces, further ruined the police and created another set of corrupt puppets that have further devoured and abused the country and its natural resources.
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Jim softy / September 1, 2013
AI is a corrupt organization and It got money from LTTE as far back as 1980s.
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Sirimal / September 1, 2013
Same applogetic statements ?
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gamini / September 1, 2013
In 2005 MR paid the LTTE heavily to insure his victory, of which evidence was in a video with Tiran Alles and te MR govt. attacked and burned Tiran’s ouse at Nawala to destroy the evidence, just like invading Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema’s to destroy the evidence of Krish Group Commission payments to Namal. Way to go Sri Lanka.
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sach / September 1, 2013
what is Amnesty International?
see the link…
http://amnesty.akaraisin.com/Common/Event/Home.aspx?seid=4176&mid=8
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Saracen / September 2, 2013
Once again I am amazed that AI took time out from their busy schedule of counting the donations they receive to maintain their executive lifestyle to make a comment.
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lal / September 3, 2013
Pillai’s visit is used by AI to take the focus away from planned US, UK, France axis bombing of Syria. Afterall, can AI executive staff afford their luxurious lifesttyles without funding from their paymasters? They have to provide cover for those creating mayhem and mass murder in the middle east by way of drone attacks, cluster bombs and other vicious devices. Will AI take action that leads to accountabilty of western leaders who are responsible for war crimes. Very doubtful indeed!
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Saracen / September 4, 2013
Lal, very well said!
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Puka Bunda / September 2, 2013
UK, Australia, NZ put the disgraceful (GOSL) to shame. Stpo CHOGAM
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hela / September 4, 2013
It is people of Sri Lanka who can fix their problems. Not UN or the Commonwealth.
Polly still seems to carry a sense of superiority of the white skinned.
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