Open Letter

AHRC-OL-017-2006 June 9, 2006 Open letter to the President of Sri Lanka Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse President  Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka C/- Office of the President Temple Trees 150, Galle Road Colombo 3 SRI LANKA Fax: +94 11 2472100 / +94 11 2446657  Dear President Rajapakse, Re: If the present generation destroys Sri Lanka’s […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission has previously informed you about the controversy that started when the Executive President bypassed the constitutional provision requiring the appointments of judges in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal and members of several important, independent commissions such as the National Police Commission, Public Service Commission and Human Rights Commission […]

Thanks to many years of your persistent work with the Cambodian government, the Extraordinary Chambers commonly known as the Khmer Rouge Tribunal for the prosecution of crimes committed by senior Khmer Rouge leaders have now been established. International and Cambodian judges and prosecutors have recently been appointed, other arrangements are being made and it is […]

Dear Mr Kofi Annan, The Asian Human Rights Commission sends greetings to you on the occasion of your 25-27 May 2006 visit to Thailand to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of His Majesty the King’s accession to the throne, and to present him with the Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award of the United Nations Development Programme. […]

AHRC-OL-013-2006 May 15, 2006      Open letter to the Attorney General The Hon. Mr. K. C. Kamalasabesan Attorney General Attorney General’s Department Colombo 12 Sri Lanka Fax: +94 11 2 436 421 Dear Mr. Kamalasabesan, Re: The case of Lalith Rajapakse — HC259/2003 (this High Court case is related to SCFR267/2002) This case came up […]

AHRC-OL-012-2006 May 3, 2006 Open letter to the Minister of Constitutional Affairs and the Chairperson of the Law Reform Commission Dear Sir & Madam, Re: Proposed bill of rights The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned from newspapers that the Ministry of Constitutional Affairs is to organise workshops, one of which will be held […]

 first seriously injuring two of the family members, leaving permanent injuries on one and thereafter fabricating charges against the victims themselves by filing a case, 73456 MC, at the Teldeniya. Magistrate’s Court: the cases of Rohitha Upali Liyanage and Sarath Bandara Ekanayake As the Deputy Inspector General of Police in Kandy you are completely aware […]

This is to bring to your notice that the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, which is your counterpart in that country, has ceased to function as the time of office of the earlier commissioners, chaired by Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy, has expired and no new commissioners have been appointed. The power of appointment of the […]

I am writing to you to express our concern about the information received by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) that a group of private stage carriage operators in Thrissur district has formed an association named “Kanjani Theeradesa Meghala Bus Operators Union” and are engaged in collecting money from their members to pay off police […]

As the violence has escalated within the last few days and the lives of many are affected by the actions of all sides, the issue that comes to the forefront is the absence of any human rights monitoring mechanisms in Sri Lanka. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC) became defunct with the expiry […]

(Kandy High Court case number 231/2005); and request for an inquiry regarding it The case of Mr. Chamilla Bandara was taken up yesterday, that is on 25 April 2006 at the Kandy High Court. The accused police officers did not appear for the case. The primary witness, the victim who was allegedly tortured by the […]

We are bringing to your notice a news item that has appeared in several papers recently regarding a girl of 18 years who is said to be a victim of the tsunami tragedy and who, for the lack of any suitable child care institution, has been put in a prison as there is nowhere else […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been following the developments regarding the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC) after its Commissioners’ terms of office ended on April 3, 2006.?We are aware of the interview you gave on this issue, where you pointed out that the government may find it difficult to defend its […]

AHRC-OL-004-2006 9 March 2006 An Open Letter to the City Police Director of the General Santos City Police Office (GSCPO) Senior Superintendent Alfredo Toroctocon City Police Director General Santos City Police Office (GSCPO) Camp Fermin G. Lira 9500 General Santos City PHILIPPINES Tel. No.: +63 83 554 6606 Pages: 2 Dear Sr. Supt. Toroctocon, PHILIPPINES: […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission is writing this letter to you, since it is no longer possible to find any responsible agency within the Sri Lankan law enforcement system to which a complaint of this sort can be made, with the expectation that the required action might be taken. The National Police Commission, a constitutional […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is in receipt of your letter dated 13 December 2005 detailing the Philippine government’s response to our concern about the unabated incidents of extra-judicial killings and violence against activists, the lack of witness protection and the failures in police investigations. In your letter you said: “I assure you that […]

Dear Mr. De Silva, I am writing this letter in response to newspaper reports concerning a speech that you have made on the right to life, where you claimed that there are ‘improvements in the field of human rights.’ Unfortunately, I have not had the benefit of seeing your complete speech. However, I have no […]

Dear Ms Arbour, RE: THAILAND MUST RATIFY THE CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE On this international Human Rights Day, December 10, 2005, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) calls upon you to make it a personal objective that Thailand ratifies the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in 2006. Torture […]

Dear Ms. Arbour, Re: Sri Lanka’s refusal to implement recommendations made by the Human Rights Committee and the Committee against Torture The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to bring to your notice the dire situation of human rights in Sri Lanka, as a result of the breakdown in the rule of law, the breakdown […]

Dear Ms. Arbour, Re: The urgent need for effective laws against torture, witness protection, and end to the increasing occurrence of extra-judicial killings in the Philippines On the occasion of the December 10 Human Rights Day, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) takes this opportunity to raise serious concerns regarding the human rights situation in […]