TOP > Statements and Appeals > Human Rights in Sri Lanka

May 23, 2009

The International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR) expresses its deepest regret toward the fact that the armed conflict between the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) has officially reached an end by the use of force and not through political and peaceful means. IMADR expresses its condolences to all the victims of the war, in particular the civilians who lost their lives, and their families.

IMADR would like to highlight the necessity of an investigation into the war crime and violation of humanitarian law, committed by all parties to the conflict. In particular, IMADR calls for an independent investigation into the recent carnage committed in disregard of the repeated calls from the international community to enter into ceasefire. Those acts of carnage include the shelling of hospitals, indiscriminate attacks, restrictions imposed on humanitarian relief reaching the Northern Vanni area, and the killings of aid-agency workers. Those responsible for these acts should be prosecuted and brought to justice.

Also IMADR deplores the failure of the international community to facilitate a political solution. As a Japan-based NGO, we are particularly disappointed with the Japanese government’s noncommittal attitude and its failure to convince the Sri Lankan government to give second thoughts to pursuing military solutions, despite the strong connection with Sri Lanka as its top donor. The United Nations Human Rights Council decided to hold a Special Session on Sri Lanka on May 26, 2009, with the support of 17 member states. It is truly disappointing that Japan, which is also a member of the Human Rights Council, did not support the convening of this Special Session.

While we deplore all violence and terror attacks it is also necessary to address and eliminate the root cause of its emergence. Hence we are alarmed at the use of language by the government controlled media and state propaganda, which is intensifying Sinhala hegemony. The government of Sri Lanka must endeavor to promote a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious ethos, and should clearly state, both internally and externally, its political framework and policy to create a multinational state where the rights of minorities, including the Tamils and Muslims, are guaranteed.

The international community including Japan has already started off to support Sri Lanka in its “reconstruction from war.” We would like to emphasize that financial assistance should be provided within the framework of obligations committed by the Sri Lankan government as a member of the UN and the Commonwealth. To date the government of Sri Lanka has violated all its pledges made before the international community in the execution of the war. An immense amount of funds has been used in the prolonged conflict, and for the last two and a half years since the intensification of the war, the defense expenditure of Sri Lanka was as large as one fifth of its total government expenditure. A peaceful solution could have saved a colossal sum that would have been utilized for the stabilization of people’s livelihood, without being wasted to purchasing arms and heavy weapons. This raises serious questions about how aid for Sri Lanka is spent.

In light of the above, IMADR calls upon the Sri Lankan government to take the following actions immediately. They should also be considered the pre-conditions in signing aid agreements between the Sri Lankan government and the international community.
a) To agree to facilitate investigations of allegations of war crime and violations of humanitarian law by both parties of the conflict, the government and the LTTE.
b) To clearly state, both internally and externally, its political framework and policy to create a multinational state where the rights of minorities including the Tamils and Muslims are guaranteed.
c) To take the following measures concerning the internally displaced persons (IDPs):
　i)To facilitate the full access of international agencies such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to those registered in camps and also in detention and rehabilitation centers;
　ii) To register all civilians in the camps within a period of one month and table lists in the Parliament and make it public;
　iii) To remove all restrictions imposed on international aid agencies intending to serve people in a spirit of good will;
　iv) Not to carry out elections where people in IDP camps are compelled to participate, as such elections will neither be free nor fair; and
　v) To facilitate the relocation of civilians back in their lands within a period of six months to one year.