Extrajudicial killings

PAKISTAN: No inquiry has yet been initiated in to the case of the torture to death of a school teacher

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the recent ruthless, barbaric, and torturous murder of Mr Abdul Qudoos Ahmad, a school teacher, Ahmadi religious group of Islam. The AHRC calls on the Pakistan government to immediately bring the perpetrators to justice. The level of ruthless barbarity seen in this murder is unacceptable and seldom. It […]

SRI LANKA: Two arrested from JVP dissident group

Mr. Premakumar Gunarathnam the leader of the JVP dissident group and Ms. Dimuthu Attigala a member of the same group are reported to be missing from yesterday night. According to a report, published today in the Daily Mirror, both have been arrested. However the grounds on which they were arrested or the location of the place of […]

SRI LANKA: Notice of disappearance of Kumar Gunaratnam and Dimuthu Atygalle and appeal for accountability

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward you the following statement from the movement for people’s struggle and the Frontline Socialist party. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong —————————– A statement from the movement for people’s struggle and the Frontline Socialist party forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) This […]

INDIA: BSF murders four teenagers and assault their parents for complaining

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information from MASUM, concerning the case of gruesome murder of four teenagers by the Border Security Force at Harudanga Mini BSF Border Outpost Camp, near Golpak (a rivulet of Padma) situated at Nirmal Char under the jurisdiction of Ranitala Police Station, in West Bengal […]

PAKISTAN: A year of unjust and impunity for the murderer of two Fisherfolk activists

The Fisherfolk community in Pakistan is considered the poorest of the poor, dwelling in slum settlements along the 1129 kilometres coastline with no basic amenities. A high level of poverty prevails in all the capital assets and makes a sustainable livelihood for the fishermen in Pakistan extremely difficult. Human poverty, social poverty, financial poverty and […]

PAKISTAN: A year of unjust and impunity for the murderer of two Fisherfolk activists

The Fisherfolk community in Pakistan is considered the poorest of the poor, dwelling in slum settlements along the 1129 kilometres coastline with no basic amenities. A high level of poverty prevails in all the capital assets and makes a sustainable livelihood for the fishermen in Pakistan extremely difficult. Human poverty, social poverty, financial poverty and […]

SRI LANKA: Destructive effects of racial nihilism

Nilantha Ilangamuwa “Those whom God wishes to destroy, he first deprives of their senses.” – Euripides The government has about an year to improve governance in terms of human rights, instead of selling racial nihilism and isolating itself from the world and the people. Next March (2013 March) the High Commissioner for Human Rights would […]

INDIA: Quackery of justice

Statement | India | 22-03-2012

The National Human Rights Commission is a specialised statutory body mandated to protect, promote and fulfil human rights. Set up by virtue of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the NHRC is the result of India’s pre-emptive commitment to United Nations General Assembly resolution 48/134 of 20 December 1993, also known as Principles relating […]

SRI LANKA: Civil society urges government to stop hate campaigns and protect human rights defenders

Dear friends, We wish to share with you the following statement from a group of Sri Lankan human rights defenders. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- A Statement from a group of Sri Lankan human rights defenders forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission SRI LANKA: Civil society urges government to stop hate campaigns […]

SRI LANKA: Possibility of new opportunities – successful UN resolution

The successful United Nations Resolution on reconciliation and accountability should pave the way for a new period of commitment to cure the wounds of a long conflict, caused upon individuals as well as on the institutional structure of democracy and the rule of law in Sri Lanka. A responsible approach to dealing with the past […]

SRI LANKA: Extrajudicial Killings — The miserable breakdown of the rule of law

By Nilantha Ilangamuwa Our lives are spinning out from world to world; the shapes of things are shifting in the wind. What do we know beyond the rapture and the dread?- Stanley Kunitz* “They finished off my husband after two days of torture, and then took me to Hambantota where a number of women were […]

SRI LANKA: Dum spiro, spero, dum vivimus vivamus

By Nilantha Ilangamuwa Speech after long silence; it is right, All other lovers being estranged or dead, Unfriendly lamplight hid under its shade, The curtains drawn upon unfriendly night, That we descant and yet again descant Upon the supreme theme of Art and Song: Bodily decrepitude is wisdom; young We loved each other and were […]

PHILIPPINES: Children of murdered journalist subjected to overt surveillance

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with grave concern that the children of Alejandro “Bong” Reblando, one of the 32 journalists murdered in the November 2009 Maguindanao massacre, have been subjected to overt surveillance in their home in General Santos City. The AHRC is deeply concerned by the targeting of Reblando’s widow […]

INDIA: Prospect is in inaction

Statement | India | 14-03-2012

The national debate regarding India’s position about the proposed resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council concerning Sri Lanka is limited to a Tamil view of the issue. The views exchanged in both houses of the country’s parliament and in the media reflect this. This parochial view about the resolution exposes the widespread lack […]

SRI LANKA: Lawyers Call for an Immediate Halt to Ongoing Abductions

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following press release from [Name of the Organisation/Media]. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- A Press Release from Lawyers for Democracy forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) 13th March 2012 ‘Lawyers for Democracy’ (LfD) is gravely concerned with […]

INDIA: Predicament from organised lawlessness

Statement | India | 12-03-2012

The murder of an Indian Police Service officer Mr. Narendra Kumar on 8 March in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh has again brought to light the criminal nexus between the mining mafia operating in the country and their patrons in power who have political interests. The young, 2009-batch police officer, stationed as the Sub-Divisional Police […]

PAKISTAN: Saleem Shahzad case -rule of law or rule of ISI?

Freedom of expression is one of the essential pre-requirements for the practice, protection and promotion of democracy. If we are to speak of a democratic Pakistan we need to examine, whether the media is free. Each and every day media professionals are facing threats of kidnapping or murder for telling the truth. The truth about […]

SRI LANKA: Peoples’ expression of frustrations by burning of some houses at Kahawatte

After intense public pressure the police have revealed that they have identified the culprits behind the assassination of a mother and daughter at Kahawatta which took place one month ago. The failure of the police to take action so far has been attributed to political interference which has prevented them from carrying out their duty. […]

SRI LANKA: Needed — A Ministry of Truth

“…..you dislike doctrines, you have a horror of systems, as for principles, you deny that there are any in political economy; therefore we shall call it your practice — your practice without theory and without principle.” Frédéric Bastiat (1801-1850) [Open letter to the French Parliament, originally published in 1845]   The operation in Geneva has […]

PAKISTAN: The killing of Shias –it is hard to refute the accusation that the military was involved

In a cold blooded attack by men in uniforms of the Pakistan Army, 18 persons from the Shiite community of Islam were targeted and killed. The incident occurred in the Khyber Pakhtunkha province close to the border of Gilgit and Baltistan area where Shias reside almost in good numbers to the Sunni population. On February […]