Sri Lanka: Time for a New Start; A Human Rights Agenda for Sri Lanka’s Presidential Candidates
January 19 2010 – Amnesty International press release
Amnesty International calls on all candidates standing in Sri Lanka’s Presidential elections on January 26th to end widespread human rights violations and the culture of impunity that continues to plague the country.
On Monday, the organization issued a 10-point Human Rights Agenda for all candidates.
“Candidates should commit to restoring respect for basic rights, like life and liberty, ending arbitrary arrests and detention, enforced disappearances and torture, and to restoring respect for freedom of expression, said Yolanda Foster, Amnesty International’s Sri Lanka specialist. “In the longer run, what’s needed is to rebuild Sri Lanka’s institutions so that they can protect efficiently and without discrimination. That’s the only way to restore public faith in the justice system.”
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Journalists under threat as Sri Lanka elections near
January 13 2010 – CPJ
As Sri Lanka’s media comes under increasing partisan pressure, the Committee to Protect Journalists calls on all sides contesting the January 26 general elections to respect the role of journalists in covering the campaign and voting process. CPJ notes with concern today’s assault on the BBC’s Sinhala service reporter who, according to Sri Lankan media reports, was hospitalized after a political mob, apparently linked to supporters of an agriculture minster, attacked her as she was covering the event.
Thakshila Dilrukshi was pursued by government supporters of Agriculture Minister Maithreepala Sirisena, who is also secretary general of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party, and attacked with clubs. Her recording equipment and mobile phone were taken as well, according to the German News Agency DPA. CPJ is trying to confirm the extent of her injuries.
The media support and press freedom group Media Freedom in Sri Lanka told CPJ that election-monitoring networks have recorded hundreds of incidents of recent campaign-related violence.
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SRI LANKA: Severe overcrowding at Bogambara Prisons
January 12 2010 – Asian Human Rights Commission
The Asian Human Commission expresses its serious concern over the conditions of overcrowding in Bogambara prison. The government should take notice of the situation and take measures to deal with the unnecessary suffering caused to the prisoners due to overcrowding. Bogambara Prison is a maximum security prison and is the second largest prison in Sri Lanka. It is situated in the city of Kandy and was constructed in 1876.
The Bogambara Prison is seriously overcrowded and according to the chief Jailor it is not possible accommodate any more prisoners. However the Kandy High Court Judge has refused bail which would relieve conditions in some small way and more and more people are being sent to the remand prison, while at the same time suspects being are being sentenced to terms of imprisonment. Despite of the overcrowding at Bogambara more prisoners are brought from Welikada as that prison is being renovated.
As early as 1986 it was noted that there were as many as 384 unconvicted prisoners per 100,000. At that time, as now, the admission of unconvicted prisoners was more than four times that of the convicted inmates.
In early December 25 prisoners went held a protest on the roof of the old Bogambara prison building. They gained access to the roof and refused to come down. Five of them remained on the roof for five days in conditions that ranged from the hot sun and heavy rain, calling for bail. As the administration and the authorities have ignored the protest, the inmates, (especially the so called terror suspects held under the PTA) have begun another fast since yesterday, 11th January 2010. They are asking to either be tried as many of them are still detained without charges or bailed pending trial.
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One freed, but what about the others silenced in Sri Lanka?
January 12 2010 – CPJ
With Monday’s release of J. S. Tissainayagam on bail, maybe things are looking up for the media in Sri Lanka. CPJ welcomed Tissainayagam’s release from a sentence of 20 years’ “rigorous imprisonment,” but called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa to extend him a full pardon, as it is within his presidential powers to do. For now, at least, Tissa, as he is known, is out of his prison cell though not free to leave the country—the appeal court that set him free demanded that he hand over his passport as part of the bail agreement. But there are many other cases still hanging in the air in Sri Lanka that will not go away, even though they are making their way through the courts.
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Journalist name command officers involved in killing surrendering combatants in Sri Lanka
- Special Forces Regiment were deployed alongside the 59 division : Commanded then by Col. Athula Kodipilli. Special Force battalions 1-SF led by Maj. Mahinda Ranasinghe and 2-SF led by Maj. Vipulathilake Ihalage. Golf squad under Capt. Chaminda Gunasekera , Romeo squad under Capt.Kavinda Abeywardene, Echo squad led by Maj. Kosala Wijekone and Delta squad led by Capt. Lasantha Ratnasekera.The Golf and Romeo squads were from 1SF while theEcho and Delta squads were from 2SF.
- 59 division led by Prasanna Silva
- 58 div led by Shavendra Silva
- 53 div led by Kamal Gunaratne
- Task Force 8 led by Col Ravipriya
“.. From the Government side those in the loop were President Mahinda Rajapakse, Presidential secretary Lalith Weeratunga, Defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse, Parliamentarian and Special adviser to the President Basil Rajapakse and then Foreign secretary Palitha Kohona ..”
“..Gotabhaya Rajapakse and Sarath Fonseka..”
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