A UN report describing a “culture of torture” in Sri Lanka reinforced by decades of impunity is a wake up call to President Sirisena’s Government to comply with its obligations under international law and to the international community to put torture prevention at the core of its engagement with the new Government. The report by Juan Mendez was published day before yesterday following his mission to Sri Lanka last year as UN Special Rapporteur on torture.
Yasmin Sooka – Executive Director – International Truth & Justice Project – Sri Lanka
“This devastating report rightly calls for an office which is independent of the Attorney General’s office to investigate and prosecute allegations of torture in Sri Lanka,” said ITJP’s executive director, Yasmin Sooka, “we have already offered to assist both the Foreign Minister and the Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission in identifying international experts to help set up such an investigative team. If they are serious about justice this should have been done two years ago.”
The Special Rapporteur said he received credible reports to show “white van abductions” have taken place under the Sirisena government in 2015 and 2016.
“There has been a deep seated reluctance to accept the evidence on the on-going violations,” said Ms. Sooka, “but without security sector reform these sorts of violations will inevitably continue. Denying the evidence of ongoing abductions because they are politically inconvenient is an unforgivable affront to the scores of victims whose cases have been painstakigly documented by ITJP, our medical colleagues and other human rights groups.”
The report says Sri Lanka’s progress in implementing UN Resolution 30/1 has been slow and transitional justice paralyzed. It stresses the need for a partcipatory process that earns the trust of victims, including those living outside the country.
“The prevention of ongoing abduction, torture and sexual violence – including the rape of young men – must be the focus of the transitional justice process in Sri Lanka,” said Ms. Sooka, “two years on there’s been no structural reform to tackle systemic failures of the justice machinery.” (ITJP)
jansee / January 27, 2017
The first and foremost pressure is to demand the resignation of both R Sampanthan and Sumanthiran. I have been very vocal supporters of both but with the election of the new regime both have failed miserably to pressure the new regime because of their “trust” in it. Their responses have been muted and half-hearted.
The sun can rise in the east and the leopards can become spotless but there is no way any Sri Lankan regime will come clean and handle the atrocities issues honestly and credibly. It is in their blood to be adversarial to the Tamils. Mangala ought to be ashamed in telling pantomime stories and singing the same song whenever the UNHRC starts flashing the report card. Isn’t it about time that the Tamils should settle for nothing except a homeland of their own.
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malik / January 27, 2017
ITJP’s executive director, Yasmin Sooka, yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannn go tell President Trup he can put this report on his new wall. Yasmin even the dying days of Obama regime did not take these reports seriously.
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jansee / January 28, 2017
malik:
I have a better idea. Why not insist Sri Lanka to get out from the UNHRC – whoosh, all the problems and reports on it it will vanish just like that. You know what I mean?
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malik / January 29, 2017
jansee
UNHCR and Un as a whole is as good as dead, with the new USA regime, if you haven’t noticed many of the so called human rights warriors are now and have now found employment in lobby firms and return to academia.
And the EU with its GSP plus to change or add certain laws to SL. EU is waiting for the Tombstone to be written.
Only Pathetic Canada remains. And no one takes that seriously.
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Mallaiyuran / January 27, 2017
None of these were able to convince State Secretary Kerry, but ,he prised Lankawe and recommended MCC funding for Lankawe before he leave.
Hopefully with all his executive orders, President Trump will sign one more to take that money back too.
Then only something can started in UNHRC.
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rapid / January 27, 2017
Donald and Nikki are cutting down on funding to UN and its peace keeping forces. You will see the amounts by next week.
Tamil problem has become like the cartoon character Ziggy.
Donald Trump may pose an existential threat to the United Nations- Howard Stoffer
Constant whispers of the US leaving or defunding the UN have now become shouts. The world – and the United States – would suffer if that happened
hanks to Donald Trump, the United Nations may now be facing its greatest existential crisis. According to some reports, there exist draft executive orders reducing US funding to the United Nations and other international organizations by at least 40 % overall. That would reshape the organization, whose aim is world peace and international cooperation, unalterably.
The UN is no stranger to criticism, having recently braved a round of bashing from Democratic and Republican lawmakers. While the organization is certainly overdue for serious internal changes, it is still concretely in the interest of Trump, his administration, and the American people to actively participate in, and fully fund its share of, the UN.
Constant whispers of the US leaving or defunding the UN have now become shouts. In addition to the draft executive orders, recent tweets by Trump have referred to the UN as “just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time.” And even as Nikki Haley was confirmed as the next US Ambassador to the UN, Alabama Representative Mike Rogers was proposing a bill to “terminate” the US’ UN membership.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jan/27/donald-trump-existential-threat-united-nations
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K.Pillai / January 27, 2017
President Trump recently expressed (sagaciously at that!) that water boarding is not torture. UN must stop this canard spreading before it is too late.
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rapid / January 28, 2017
Do not fool yourself. Once established as suicide bombers you are inconsequential like the Palestinians.500 houses being built right now on occupied land and Haley is all for it.They plan to build more soon. Trump will not listen to Theresa May so she said when it comes to torture the Brits would side step. She has also asked the brits not complain about its forces misdoings. Go read current affairs before ticking out.
‘We are taking names’: Donald Trump’s ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley warns opponents of US policy.She continued: “You are going to see a change in the way we do business. It’s no longer about working harder, it’s about working smarter.”
Her husband worked at Afghanistan.
Why do you think Putin has been saying Trump is a genius all along and that it would be lovely to work with him?
Trump is also going to stop protesters in the US- chilling effect.
Immediately After Brexit in 2019 UK will not be a party to Human Rights Council that was the Brexit call- because folk like the Cleric Alqatada gave her nightmares.(as if JT’s haven’t)
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rapid / January 28, 2017
The SL government has continuously said what we did not give Fatty VP we will not give you.
So be assured what Obama did not give you Trump will not give you.
Police state like Singapore.
Stroke of pen 20 million poor lost their right to Medicare.It is for 2 years till the country cries out for change (those are his words) He wants to flush out all illegals immediately- 15 million and its started at Florida..
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Senthil / January 28, 2017
My point is that the operation success but the patient died. All these reports US etc. are not going to bring back dead innocent people. The justice can only be done by God. World is so funny. To save an injured animal, we treat it and kill many fish,small animals and birds to feed that animal. We say jallikaku is cruel but we kill those same animals for food. we are selfish and do everything for survival, enjoyment and to live long and eventually die and then what – we become food for others. The chief Architect is mighty God. Bahavath geethi – everything happened are happened well and everything is going to happen will happen well – why we bother.
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / January 30, 2017
“Yasmin Sooka”
LOL :D
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Vanguard / January 30, 2017
“The Special Rapporteur said he received credible reports to show “white van abductions” have taken place under the Sirisena government in 2015 and 2016.”
So there are white vans or no white vans? I don’t know whom to believe – if this is not true that there are no white vans now, were there no white vans then? Who is guarding them?
Is the UN lying? Are politicians lying? It’s all very unprecedented.
Next thing they will accuse us of having a White Van (WV) factory.
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