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 Sri Lankan government has admitted that the abduction of three Sinhalese journalists was carried out by the army. M. A. Sisira Priyankara, trade union activist and editor of the monthly newspaper Akuna, Nihal Serasinghe, member of the railway trade union Dumriya Kamkaru Ekathuva and Lalith Seneviratne were abducted on 5 February 2007 in Colombo. The Tamil Information Centre (TIC) issued a press release about the abductions on 6 February. We are pleased to hear that they are alive. TIC has repeatedly condemned censorship, and harassment, intimidation, arrest, torture, imprisonment and killing of journalists and writers who had peacefully expressed their views.
Ketheesh Loganathan was, in the best and positive sense, an idealist. He believed passionately in justice, equality and solidarity of people promoting peace in Sri Lanka. Ketheesh's assassination on 12 August 2006 shocked us all. The Tamil Information Centre strongly condemned that senseless act of violence and hatred, which deprived all of us a remarkable and a visionary leader who loved his people. He was assassinated for believing in a future without bloodshed, a future of tolerance and coexistence. He pursued the path of peace even when it did not bring him popularity. He paid a very high price for his pursuit of peace for all of us.
On 28 February 2001, the British Home Secretary included the LTTE in the list of proscribed organizations under the Terrorism Act 2000. The ban on the LTTE in Britain came into force on 29 March 2001. A proscribed organization or any person affected by the ban may appeal to the Home Secretary for the removal of the ban. If such an appeal is rejected, an application for review may be made to a tribunal known as the Proscribed Organizations Appeal Commission. Appeal on a point of law from the decision of the Commission lies to the Court of Appeal.
The desperate situation in Sri Lanka is on the agenda of the Second Session of the newly formed UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) which begins today (18 September 2006). The Council is due to debate the recommendations of the UN Rapporteur on Extra-Judicial Executions.
The Tamil Information Centre (TIC), which has been continually calling for and Independent mechanism to investigate human rights violations in Sri Lanka, welcomes the announcement of President Mahinda Rajapakse on 4 September 2006 that the Sri Lankan government will invite an international commission to probe abductions, disappearances and extrajudicial killings in the island.
The Tamil Information Centre (TIC) is disturbed by the Sri Lankan government decision to freeze the account of Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), from 29 August 2006. The TRO is a registered charity in Sri Lanka.
The Tamil Information Centre (TIC) is extremely concerned that the escalating violence may affect the ceasefire and irretrievably damage the peace process in Sri Lanka. The TIC is shocked that the Sri Lankan government took the decision, following the suicide attack at the Army headquarters in Colombo, to launch air strikes on 26 April 2006 on civilian targets in Trincomalee District.
The Tamil Information Centre (TIC) is extremely concerned over the abduction yesterday (30 January 2006) of five staff members of the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), who were travelling to Vavuniya from Batticaloa in Sri Lanka. The abduction took place near Welikande, an area under the control of the government security forces. The offence against civilians involved in relief and rehabilitation is a serious development and the TIC believes that this is a crime against humanity.
The 27 January 2003 report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Continuing Dialogue on the Measures to Promote and Consolidate Democracy, says that the way to build a real participatory democracy is that the system of governance must be characterized by the rule of law in conformity with human rights standards, including the right to development. A strong and independent judiciary is absolutely essential for the protection of basic human rights and, indeed, for the preservation of democracy. States bear ultimate responsibility as guarantors of democracy, human rights and rule of law.
The Tamil Information Centre (TIC) has urged the British Home Minister to review UK's position on Sri Lanka and stop all involuntary return of the Tamil asylum seekers in view of the human security concerns and the worsening human rights situation in the island.
