TIC has issued a number of news releases, memos, appreciation of human rights, social and cultural activists and published a number of documents on human rights and humanitarian issues to help create awareness on the situation in Sri Lanka, all of which are available for download here free.
The Tamil Information Centre (TIC) welcomes the proposed visit of the UN Committee against Torture established under the Convention against Torture to Sri Lanka in January 2000 to investigate allegations of torture. This is undoubtedly the outcome of the tireless work of human rights NGOs and lawyers and representations by them to the Committee against torture in the face of challenge and counter-lobbies.
Internally Displaced People: Sri Lankan military operations Jayasikurui involving 40,000 troops, launched on 13 May to open a land-route from Vavuniya to Jaffna is nearing twelve months and has created over 90,000 newly displaced people, adding to the 300,000 Internally Displaced People (IDPs) who were already in the Vanni making a total of 390,000 in late April 1998.
Sri Lanka is poised to celebrate the 50th anniversary of independence on 4 February. The Tamil people are distressed that half a century of independence has failed to secure the advancement of all the people in the island. Instead, independence has consistently marginalised the Tamil community resulting in an armed struggle and the quest for autonomy for the Tamil people.
The Tamil Information Centre (TIC) is dismayed over the Sri Lankan Government’s decision to ban the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) which has emerged as the main symbol and spokesman of Tamil grievances and aspirations. The Government’s decision to ban the little came after the attack on the Buddhist shrine Dalada Maligawa reportedly carried out by the LTTE inKandy on 25 January
The Tamil Information Centre expresses its solidarity with the Hill country plantation workers in their struggle for increase in wages. Throughout the history of the plantations in Sri Lanka, the estate population has been subjected to severe hardship and exploitation, not only through suppression of wages below subsistence levels, but also through discrimination in the provision of shelter, education health facilities and nutrition.
The Tamil Information Centre (TIC) is deeply disturbed by reports that the oldest and holiest Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka, the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy, which enshrines lord Buddha’s tooth has been attacked and damaged.
The Tamil Information Centre (TIC) welcomes the Colombo High Court judgement in the well-publicised human rights case of the 18-year old school girl, Krishanthy Kumarasamy, which has shown greater sensitivity and assertiveness. The High court has found the six security force members guilty of rape, murder and "disappearance" of Krishanthy Kumarasamy, her mother, 16-year-old brother and a neighbour on 7 September 1996 and sentenced them to death.
Tamil Information Centre (TIC) is alarmed at the massacre of Tamil detainees at the government prison in Kalutara located south of the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, on Friday 12 December 1997.
The international community has recognised that in the modern world human rights are the foundation for freedom, justice, and peace. One has to be aware that human rights are rights of ordinary people and not exclusive preserves of governments or other institutions. Only knowledge of human rights will enable ordinary people to seek avenues to confidently assert and enjoy them. The fundamental aspect of human rights work is therefore is to inform people and acquire adequate knowledge of what their rights and responsibilities are, how rights are protected, and what can be done when rights are violated.
Tamil information centre is concerned at continuing reports of arbitrary arrests, detention, torture and ill-treatment of Tamil detainees, at the prison conditions and the lack of facilities at detention centres. At the beginning of June 1996, there were 658 Tamils under detention orders in various prisons and detention centres throughout the country, some of whom have been held for long periods under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and Emergency regulations.
