Archive for January, 2007

  • 5 Jan, 2007
  • 14 Comments
  • Peace and Conflict

Vaharai starves – International Community is Silent

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Vaharai starves – International Community is Silent “We only have enough food for one or two more days,” said TRO Vaharai Director of Operations Mr. Moorthy in a telephone message from Vaharai. “The people are suffering and there is nothing that we can do due to the SLA embargo on food and medicine.” The GoSL has not allowed any convoys of food or medicine into the Vaharai area since November 29th 2006. On that date the UN and ICRC facilitated the transportation of 2 weeks worth of food for the 40,000 IDPs in the area. (UN Press Release of Nov. 30). These supplies have now been exhausted. There are currently 15,000 IDPs in the Vaharai area that TRO is caring for (UN website with IDP stats): 2,300 families (10,350 persons) in the immediate vicinity of Vaharai (Pictures) 900 families (4,050 persons) in the Eachchilampattu area TRO appeals to the Government of Sri Lanka, the Government Agent (GA),…

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Review of “Ethnic Warfare in Sri Lanka and the UN Crisis” by William Clarance

Speaking in early December 2006 to an assorted group of representatives from local and international humanitarian agencies in Colombo, I began my speech with the most virulent expletives imaginable.  I then enquired as to why cuss-words are considered impolite, when we blithely utter words that describe a reality far more abhorrent – such as IDPs, refugees, conflict. The situation in Sri Lanka today is unfortunately one in which the full gamut of excuses and alibis, from national security to political correctness and caution, are run to evade the responsibility of basic human decency and rights protection. The employment of language that shocked, to illustrate the real obscenity that constitutes egregious human rights violations and violations of humanitarian standards in Sri Lanka and drew attention to the imperative of action in respect of preventing such abuses, was fortunately understood by those present. Accordingly, it is with great interest that I picked up a copy of “Ethnic Warfare in Sri Lanka and…

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Life in an Open Prison

An email from Ammu Joseph, circulated through SAJA‘s email list, pointed to two articles that explore the situation in the North and East of Sri Lanka at present. Hi! Here’s a recent piece on the current situation in Jaffna that I wrote for Himal Southasian, published from Nepal. *LIFE IN AN OPEN PRISON* http://www.himalmag.com/2007/january/report1.htm I’d written a shorter one earlier for the edit page of The Times of India (4 December 2006), which was also unhappily edited (e.g., the last sentence, which is not mine at all!), here’s the link: *JAFFNA UNDER SIEGE* http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/700845.cms?mailtofriend=1 Jaffna seems to be off the radar of the international media — like many other parts of the world experiencing chronic conflict. And certainly the human suffering of the people there, especially over the past few months of escalated tension, is barely known to the public even in the rest of Sri Lanka and South Asia, let alone anywhere else. Warm regards, Ammu The original, unedited…

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Discrimination in Law college entrance?

9 students who sat for Law College entrance examination in academic year 2006/2007-appeal case at Srilankan appeal court today with demanding of to reduce cut off marks from 173 to 160. One of the complainer (H.M.Rifan) spoke to me. “We are fighting for all Tamil medium Students. Every year only one or two Tamil medium people are chosen to the college. We feel there is discrimination for Tamil medium people. Regarding this issues last year a complaint appealed in the Supreme Court under the fundamental rights. While the time we are going today. While the cut off mark is the same for students from all communities, these students feel that the mark is being used to avoid letting in Tamil medium students. He said there was probably corruption and Tamil students were being given marks below the cut off point. “If they decrease the cut off marks there are possible to 9 Tamil medium students to get seats in Law…

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  • 1 Jan, 2007
  • 1 Comment
  • Batticaloa,
    Peace and Conflict

TMVP in same dustbin as LTTE in the past?

After recent Vaharai events there is tension between Tamil and Muslim communities at Karbala in Kattankudy regarding land issues. I got further details from the Kattankudi Mosque Federation secretary. He said “ last two weeks a new clash arose due to resettlement of refugees at Kattankudy Karbala land. This land is owned by Muslims and Mosque. There was an issue after Tsunami regarding this land. Some NGO’s were try to build up housing scheme in this area. So we went to court and got an injunction order to stop the project. However now some efforts used to occupy the land after the Vaharai incident.” “Behind this issues we heard that the TMVP taking involvement to capture the land. Actually there is no demand for the Muslim land. Because already over 30% Muslims living in 2.4% land ethnic wise in Batticaloa district and Tamils have vast land in surrounding areas. At the same time Kattankudy has a very high density of…

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Jaffna These Days

From Aug 11th security forces closed the A9 highway after the LTTE attack. A9 is the only land route connecting Jaffna to other places, as a result, people are now facing difficulties to travel to other places after the closure of the A9. Earlier an average 8,000 people travelled on the A9 daily. Now only two ways are open to Jaffna people. One is sea transport, other one is air transport. A vessel called Green oceanic carried passengers between Jaffna Trincomalee once a week and two local airlines conducted passenger service Colombo-Jaffna daily. People need Security clearence before the journey (MOD). These transport facilities are not enough to fullfill the Jaffna peoples’ needs. Thousands of people are waiting in Trincomalee to go to Jaffna and a big crowed has registered their names in the Civil affairs office to leave Jaffna. Before the land route closed an average 200 (12 seat) small vans carried passengers between Colombo-Jaffna daily, now these van…

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About Groundviews

Located at the Centre for Policy Alternatives in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Groundviews is a citizen journalism website that uses a range of genres and media to highlight critical perspectives on governance, reconciliation, human rights, the arts and literature, democracy and other issues. The site has won two international awards, including the prestigious Manthan Award South Asia in 2009. The grand jury's evaluation of the site noted, "What no media dares to report, Groundviews publicly exposes. It's a new age media for a new Sri Lanka... Free media at it's very best!"

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