Forwarded Statement

This column has emphasized time and time again that the critique advanced of the role and the functioning of the Norwegian led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) may be justified to some extent, given some of its ill judged interventions. One good example in this regard was the attribution of responsibility (hardly before the dust […]

The statement: We reproduce below European Parliamentarian Sajjad Karim’s questions to the European Commissioner for External Relations and her response dated 12 October 2006. The questions address the need for international human rights monitoring. Editor – SLDF Newswire www.lankademocracy.org http://sajjadkarim.org.uk/pages/PQs2.html WRITTEN QUESTION E-3722/06 by Sajjad Karim (ALDE) to the Commission Subject: International monitoring mission for […]

Statement of European Church and Civil Society Organisations We are concerned about the upsurge of politically motivated killings and the constant deterioration of the human rights situation in the Philippines in recent years. Amnesty International informs that at least 51 political killings took place in the first half of 2006, compared to the 66 killings […]

As the second session of the UN Human Rights Council moves into its final phase, we the undersigned civil society organizations and individuals dedicated to principles of human rights, peace and democracy in Sri Lanka, await an outcome that will reaffirm the call of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Special Rapporteur on Extra-Judicial, Summary and […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following statement to the Human Rights Council prepared by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Human Rights in Cambodia, Mr. Yash Ghai. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- A Forwarded Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) CAMBODIA: […]

www.lankademocracy.org http://www.uthr.org/bulletins/bul41.htm University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna)Sri Lanka UTHR(J) Information Bulletin No. 41 Date of Release: 14th September  2006 The Wider Implications of the Human Rights CONTENTS 1. Refugee Woes ­ A Common Pattern in the North East 2. The Plight of Daily Wage Earners in Jaffna 3. Killings that Cripple a People 4. […]

The statement: Source: United Nations Human Rights Council Date: 05 Sep 2006 The situation in Sri Lanka has deteriorated significantly since I visited Sri Lanka and met with Government officials, members of civil society, and representatives of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at the end of 2005. Recent events have confirmed the dynamics […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding a statement from an independent group of Catholic priests regarding the critical situation in the Jaffna conflict area in Sri Lanka. An independent group of Catholic Priests (who wish to remain anonymous) [under the present circumstances such anonymity is quite understandable – ed] who are […]

The statement: Government and Tamil Tigers Must Respect International Humanitarian Law (Colombo, August 21, 2006) – The Sri Lankan government and the armed opposition Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) must allow humanitarian aid to reach thousands of civilians trapped in the embattled northern Jaffna peninsula, Human Rights Watch said today. Fighting in Jaffna since […]

The statement: INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF JURISTS 17 August 2006 Sri : ICJ calls on Government and LTTE to publicly state commitment to international humanitarian law The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) today called on the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to abide by international human rights and humanitarian […]

The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) condemns the continuing killings, attacks, harassment and threats on members of the .  Since President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo came to power in 2001, twenty-five lawyers, including ten judges, have been killed.  This extreme and outrageous violence against members of the legal profession has especially targeted those lawyers serving the poor […]

The statement: 31 Jul 06 Dr Chee Soon Juan and Ms Chee Siok Chin have applied for the courts not to allow Messrs Lee Kuan Yew and Lee Hsien Loong to proceed with their summary judgement as this would deprive the Defendants of a trial. Lawyer Mr M Ravi argued in his submissions that under […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following statement: Privilege speech on political killings in the Philippines, which was received from Hong Kong Campaign for the Advancement of Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- A Forwarded Statement by the Asian […]

The New York based Human Rights Watch, in a statement issued from its headquarters, expressed deep concern that the only prosecution witness, willing to testify into the killing of five youth in Trincomalee, allegedly by the security forces, was under threat and said the government should ensure the safety of witnesses.   The statement:   […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following statement by which appeared in Nepalnews on June 16, 2006 Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- A Forwarded Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) NEPAL: Highlights of the eight-point agreement between the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) […]

We reproduce a call from University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna) Sri Lanka, UTHR(J) Information Bulletin No. 40, Date of Release: 15th June 2006, Flight, Displacement and . The full report is available at http://www.uthr.org/bulletins/bul40.htm The State and International Community Must Act The LTTE has already started a war without acknowledging it to the international community. […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following statement by the Free Media Movement (FMM) of Sri Lanka on the President’s appointments to independent commissions. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ——– A Forwarded Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) SRI LANKA: FMM condemns President’s appointments […]

Press Release May 30, 2006 President Mahinda Rajapakse has recently filled the vacancies in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal without following the constitutional provisions and bypassing the Constitutional Council. These appointments have added to the long list of unconstitutional appointments to several commissions under the 17th Amendment. The political decision taken by President […]

Colombo, 23 May 2006 The South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) has noted that four countries from the region have been elected to the newly formed United Nations Human Rights Council. SAHR is concerned that the human rights records of some countries is abysmal, while others suffer in areas of concern. At the same time […]

Dear friends, We are reproducing the statement of an independent group who is calling for a discussion on “Saving Sri Lanka from the brink of disaster”. In the paper this group sets the present conflict in Sri Lanka within the context of the collapse of the state and calls for a debate on this issue.  […]