Detention centre like a prison, say Tamils
April 21, 2010 – ABC News
Sri Lankan asylum seekers who were removed from an Indonesian port earlier this week say they are now being kept in cramped conditions in a detention centre which is like a prison.
About 150 Tamil boat people were put on buses on Monday and transported from the Port of Merak to Jakarta’s main airport.
They were then flown to the Indonesian city of Tanjung Pinang where they are now in a detention centre.
Two of the asylum seekers, who do not want to be identified, have contacted the ABC.
One likened the detention centre to a prison and says the accommodation is not what was promised by the Indonesian government.
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Sri Lanka migrant stand-off in Indonesia port ends
April 19, 2010 – BBC News, Jakarta
Sri Lankan migrants who have been stuck on a boat off the coast of Indonesia have finally left the port of Merak.
After a six-month-long stand-off, they are now in buses on their way to a detention centre in Indonesia.
The Sri Lankans had been refusing to get off their boat until they were guaranteed safe passage to Australia to live there.
The resolution brings an end to a crisis that has plagued both the Indonesian and Australian governments.
Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry spokesman told the BBC that the majority of the 200 Tamil Sri Lankan refugees were now in buses headed for Jakarta’s airport, to be relocated to other parts of the country.
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Sri Lanka’s presidential campaign marred by deaths and violence
The election campaign for Sri Lanka’s presidency, scheduled for 26 January, has been marred by a high number of incidents, many caused by supporters of incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Campaign for Free and Fair elections (CaFFE) reported. Elections Commission Chairman Dayananda Dissanayake is said to resign because of the violence once the election is over.
The CaFFE report that was released today contains a detailed list of clashes, targeted attacks against political rivals and murders. The first death occurred on 12 January in Hungama (Hambantota district), Rajapaksa’s home area. An armed man opened fire against a bus carrying supporters of General Fonseka, leader of the opposition and the president’s main challenger. One person was killed and ten were wounded in the action, which was blamed on pro-government militias.
The following day, Rajapaksa supporters clashed with Fonseka sympathisers in Polonnaruwa, North-Central province. Thousands of people were involved, with many getting hurt.
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NZ will take 13 Oceanic Viking Tamils
January 19 2010 – ABC News
New Zealand has agreed to take 13 Sri Lankan refugees who spent weeks refusing to leave an Australian Customs boat in Indonesia last year.
New Zealand originally did not want to take any of the Tamil refugees who refused to leave the Oceanic Viking, but a spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman said 13 would be accepted – subject to checks – as part of the country’s regular refugee program.
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Boycott Sri Lanka Releases Second Video in Series “No Blood for Panties”; innovative marketing strategy proves popular, effective
January 18 2010 – PR WEB
On the heels of its successful release of the first episode of No Blood For Panties series, Boycott Sri Lanka released its second episode today. No Blood For Panties is part of a campaign to encourage Americans to boycott products made in Sri Lanka to end Sri Lanka’s violent discrimination against its Tamil population.
(PRWEB) January 14, 2010 — On the heels of its successful release of the first episode of No Blood For Panties series, Boycott Sri Lanka released its second episode today. No Blood For Panties is part of a campaign to encourage Americans to boycott products made in Sri Lanka to end Sri Lanka’s violent discrimination against its Tamil population.
“We are thrilled by the growing success of the No Blood For Panties series,” said Boycott Sri Lanka representative Anjali Manivannan. “The first episode has gone viral, with thousands of views a day, and generating a dialogue about the use of sexuality to promote activism. This is exactly the response we were aiming for: a shocking new way to spread awareness about grave human rights violations,” she continued.
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