The Sri Lankan government is seeking greater military assistance from other nations after the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) withdrew from peace talks on 19 April. The people’s Alliance (PA) won the general election on 16 August last year on a promise to settle the Tamil national problem. In November PA leader Chandrika Kumaratunge was elected President by an overwhelming majority on a peace platform. She promised to change the constitution to devolve power to the Tamil areas.
Exodus of Tamils from Jaffna -The displacement crisis
Uploaded Date: 21/04/2013
The mass displacement from Jaffna is an event of major significance in the political history of the Tamils of Sri Lanka. It has not only altered the political geography of the defacto Tamil state in the north-east, but has also created new challenges and opportunities for the government of Sri Lanka, the Tamil people and international community.
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The right to self-determination - The Sri Lankan Tamil national question
Uploaded Date: 21/04/2013
On 22 November, 1988, the United Nations General Assembly declared the 1990s to be the “International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialismâ€. The Assembly reaffirmed that colonialism “in all its forms and manifestations†was incompatible with the UN Charter and posed a serious threat to international peace and security. A consensus resolution commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (1960), G.A. Res. 15 14 (XV), was adopted at the General Assembly’s Special Committee on Decolonisation, 22 January - 20 August, 1990.
At its forty-ninth session the UN Commission on Human Rights, Geneva, 1993, expressed concern in regard to the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. The UN Commission acknowledged the statement of Mr. Tilak Marapana, the representative of Sri Lanka, in which he outlined a program of measures to be implemented during 1993. These included: taking appropriate measures to ascertain the whereabouts of alleged missing persons; prosecution of those found responsible for disappearances and other human rights violations; a comprehensive review and revision of emergency legislation relating to arrest and . detention; compilation and publication of a consolidated version of all current emergency regulations; continued efforts to explore all avenues with a view to arriving at a negotiated political solution to the problems related to the North and East; continued implementation of the recommendations of the Working Group on disappearances.
UNHCR is involved in the repatriation of Tamil refugees from Tamil Nadu which began on 22 January 1992. Around 30,000 Tamils were returned to Sri Lanka up to November 1992. The programme, which was suspended in November 1992, recommenced on 13 August 1993. Up to the end of August around 4,500 refugees have been sent back. UNHCR expressed concern in early May 1992 to the Indian Prime Minister over the unstable security situation in Sri Lanka…..
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Sri Lanka - Economic Blockade (1993)
Uploaded Date: 20/04/2013
Denial of fundamental rights and freedoms since independence is the source of the sufferings of the Tamil speaking people of Sri Lanka. Discrimination and escalation of violence against Tamils led to demands for autonomy for the Tamil rights which was denied by successive governments. A negotiated settlement to the conflict was the desire of the Tamils, but talks with the majority community for over a period of 25years provided fruitless. While violence against Tamils increased in intensity, Sri Lankan governments gave greater impetus to discrimination and sought to make Tamils a minority in their own areas by planned Sinhalese colonisation.
We deeply regret that the Swedish government has removed two Tarnils to Sri Lanka refusing their application for asylum and there are now 18 others detained and they are to be removed to Sri Lanka. We understand that removal of Tamils to Sri Lanka was based on the view that the Sri Lankan authorities are now in a position to provide effective protection to Tamils in the cleared regions and in other areas such as Colombo and hill country.
People flee their native lands for a variety of reasons. The Tamils from Sri Lanka fled their homeland because they were persecuted and were denied of opportunities for social, cultural and economic development. Tamil refugees arriving in Britain are from all walks of life. Some of them are educated, some have wide-ranging work experience and the others have good skills.
UNHCR is involved in the repatriation of Tamil refugees from Tamil Nadu which began on 22 January 1992. UNHCR expressed concern in early May 1992 to the Indian Prime Minister over the unstable security situation in Sri Lanka. But on 28 July exchanged letters with the Indian government agreeing to become involved in the programme, although the Sri Lankan situation remains volatile.
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Tamils face military offensive
Uploaded Date: 20/04/2013
The northern Jaffna peninsula is surrounded by the Sri Lankan forces. Over 15,000 troops have been landed on the islands west of the peninsula and a massive attack appears imminent. A senior army officer has said that the attack will come as a “shock treatment†and would be carefully planned to deflect international protests. According to reports army officers have informed President Premadasa that an invasion of the Jaffna peninsula may result in the death of over 50,000 people.
