Ex #BBC Correspondent, Journalist & Author of Still Counting the Dead - book on #Tamils who survived #SriLanka's 2009 war. #lka
May 22 • 27 tweets • 9 min read
Astonishing to read the (leaked?) Nawaz Commission report referenced by Australia as their excuse for not pursuing justice against #lka Gen Jagath Jayasuriya when @itjpsl & @theACIJ made a complaint to police there.
(below from SLAP disappearance report issued last week)
SLAP failed to say that Chile appointed a prosecutor and Brazil AG confirmed they had jurisdiction.
So why didn't #Australian police even look into the complaint?
It supported the mandate of UN SLAP but didn't act.
In advance of 2day's UK parliament debate on #srilanka #humanrights .@SLHinLondon sent MPs a confidential spin document. It claims the new version of the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act will IMPROVE things - not what 11 UN experts said: .@ambikasat ohchr.org/en/press-relea…
It claims the Office on Missing Persons supports families of disappeared in getting legal documents - but it was a struggle even to get the OMP's annual report which is not online!
Sep 13, 2022 • 5 tweets • 3 min read
US senators issue stmt to say the international community must continue to push for justice, transparency, and accountability for human rights violations committed during the civil war to help the people of #SriLanka move forward. 🙏 leahy.senate.gov/press/as-un-ge…
The full senate resolution calls for full funding for the #SriLankan accountability project
very very disappointing UN Geneva session on #srilanka in terms of accountability for war crimes &crimes against humanity - esp. systems crimes against inter alia #tamils .@UNHumanRights@UN_HRC
Experts sent private messages saying many of the speeches were like a bad joke.
@UNHumanRights@UN_HRC Worth .@UNHumanRights recalling what @raad_zeid said in 2016 as OHCHR chief re the inability of the #srilanka judicial system to deal with international crimes & how the State’s security sector &justice system have been distorted &corrupted by decades of impunity.
Dec 14, 2021 • 5 tweets • 3 min read
6 UN rapporteurs & the working Group write to #srilanka president saying prevention of terrorism act (#PTA) is not compliant with #lka's international law obligations: spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/… - Government response at spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/…
They complain about vague legal definitions - esp. regarding INTENT to cause communal disharmony & say language needs amending. Also say PTA might allow 4 unlawful detention, confessions thru #torture + concerned about who can arrest and if law can be retrospectively applied.
Jun 19, 2021 • 20 tweets • 30 min read
As we come up to UN #victimsoftorture day (26 June) let's recall the #srilanka security forces' 'White Vans' (synonymous with abduction & #torture - & sometimes disappearance) date back to the JVP era. They don't really stop & start, depending on the government in power - alas.
In 1989 an .@amnesty report said "in a typical case, plainclothes armed men arrived at the victims' home at night, travelling in Pajero keeps or Hiace vans...usually they gave no explanation for taking away the victim..."
New UK immigration report says #srilanka continues to operate an extensive intelligence gathering operation in the UK, monitoring protests, surveilling and unencrypted social media. #lka
Also for all those who said branding wasn't a thing & alleged the poor old victims actually paid someone to burn them - the UK Home Office now says "injuries which are self-inflicted by proxy are likely to be extremely rare".
Jun 2, 2021 • 10 tweets • 9 min read
Landmark UK immigration case slams lead agency in Reparation process in #srilanka@IOMSriLanka 4 lack of impartiality. IOM reportedly said allegations of discrimination against #tamils were just 'put forward to serve their own ends' Even Home Office called this "quite stark"! @IOMSriLanka This is what the excellent ICJ 2010 Beyond Constraints report on 'rehabilitation' had to say regarding the risks of .@IOMSriLanka being involved in profiling inmates - noting thousands were arbitrarily detained in these military run camps.