Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an appeal from the Irish Forum for Peace in Sri Lanka regarding the conditions and treatment of Tamil civilians in the north of the country. The government is still barring independent monitoring bodies and press members from entering the territory, making it impossible to verify reports of large scale human rights violations.
For more information, please contact the organization by e-mail, at
irishpeaceforum@gmail.com or take a look at its website: www.ifpsl.org
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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1. Send international observers to the ‘post-conflict zone’ immediately to determine the truth in the reports from religious sources on the ground that the Sri Lanka military have shot captured wounded combatants, LTTE officials, TRO administrators and civilians.
2. Allow immediate access to the ICRC so that they can evacuate the wounded to hospitals.
3. Allow immediate access to the international media, because if the conflict is over the excuse that the journalists face danger is untenable.
4. Allow the civilian population held in internment camps return immediately to their land assisted by ICRC and UNHCR.
5. Three Sri Lankan doctors who treated hundreds of badly wounded civilians in understaffed, makeshift hospitals in the country’s war zone are detained by the Sri Lankan military in an undisclosed location on accusations they gave false information about the casualties to the media. Free the doctors immediately.
6. We believe that this was a war without any witnesses. Appoint an international independent jury to investigate the crimes against humanity that were committed by the Sri Lankan government. Such an investigation should be carried out with the fullest assurance given to the witnesses about their safety
7. The Forum believes that the present Sri Lanka military onslaught has a clear genocidal intent. This intent has underlined the need for a political settlement that would protect the collective existence of the Tamils.
8. The principles of self determination and parity of esteem need to be respected in any future political arrangement.
Prof. Brian Maguire 0868141647
Dr Jude Lal Fernando 0851562980
Dr Iain Atack
Dr Longcharo Naro
Ms Moya Loughnan
Ms Claire De Jong
Ms Jenny Haughton
Mr John Robinson
Ms Sorcha Tormey
Mr Sean O Boyle
Mr Dominic Thorpe
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SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send an email, fax or sms to the relevant Sri Lankan authorities with the following demands.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Re: The plight of the Tamils in Sri Lanka
Dear _________,
I am deeply concerned about the the conditions and the treatment of Tamil civilians in the north of the country by the Sri Lankan authorities. The government is still barring independent monitoring bodies and press members from entering the territory, making it impossible to verify reports of human rights violations on a large scale. I wish to join the Irish Forum for Peace in Sri Lanka--among them Prof. Brian Maguire, Dr Jude Lal Fernando, Dr Iain Atack, Dr Longcharo Naro, Ms Moya Loughnan, Ms Claire De Jong, Ms Jenny Haughton, Mr John Robinson, Ms Sorcha Tormey
Mr Sean O Boyle, Mr Dominic Thorpe--in calling for the national government to:
1. Send international observers to the 'post-conflict zone' immediately to determine the truth in the reports from religious sources on the ground that the Sri Lanka military have shot captured wounded combatants, LTTE officials, TRO administrators and civilians.
2. Allow immediate access to the ICRC so that they can evacuate the wounded to hospitals.
3. Allow immediate access to the international media, because if the conflict is over the excuse that the journalists face danger is untenable.
4. Allow the civilian population held in internment camps return immediately to their land assisted by ICRC and UNHCR.
5. Three Sri Lankan doctors who treated hundreds of badly wounded civilians in understaffed, makeshift hospitals in the country's war zone are detained by the Sri Lankan military in an undisclosed location on accusations they gave false information about the casualties to the media. Free the doctors immediately.
6. We believe that this was a war without any witnesses. Appoint an international independent jury to investigate the crimes against humanity that were committed by the Sri Lankan government. Such an investigation should be carried out with the fullest assurance given to the witnesses about their safety
7. The Forum believes that the present Sri Lanka military onslaught has a clear genocidal intent. This intent has underlined the need for a political settlement that would protect the collective existence of the Tamils.
8. The principles of self determination and parity of esteem need to be respected in any future political arrangement.
Sincerely Yours,
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PLEASE SEND A FAX OR SMS TO:
Professor Rajiva Wijesinha
Secretary
Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights
2, Wijerama Mawatha
Colombo 7
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 268 1982
Secretary
National Human Rights Commission
No. 36, Kynsey Road
Colombo 8
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 694 924 / 696 470
E-mail: sechrc@sltnet.lk
Mr. Mohan Peris
Attorney General
Attorney General's Department
Colombo 12
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 436421
E-mail: ag@attorneygeneral.gov.lk
Mr. Jayantha Wickremeratne
Inspector General of Police
New Secretariat, Police Head Quarters
Colombo
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 440440/327877
E-mail: igp@police.lk
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Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
