Twelve years on, there is no accountability for the enormous loss of life, crimes against humanity and war
crimes, human rights abuses and the genocidal massacres. The Sri Lankan state has rejected international
demands for an investigation into the killing of civilians, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Across the world, in May, the Tamil community conducts memorialisation services and activities in order
to honour the dead and keep the memory of atrocity alive. The two days in May mark an important
occasion for collective mourning, reflection and education.
Nelson Mandela said, “Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the freedom of their people”. Bishop
Joseph was undoubtedly a ‘real leader’ for the Sri Lankan community, and the Sri Lankan people have
lost a true humanitarian. Speaking about Sri Lanka he said, “It is one country many nations. It is similar
to India which has many nations in one country”. Bishop Joseph called for the recognition of the Tamil
people as a nation (meaning a people with their own heritage) which was crucial to bringing about peace
in Sri Lanka.
Bishop Rayappu Joseph will be remembered and recognised for his contribution to social justice and
human rights in Sri Lanka and his stand on the legitimacy of political rights of the Tamil people of Sri
Lanka.
The TIC wishes to express concern that it has taken more than ten years for the UNHRC to adopt a meaningful Resolution. The agony of the people meanwhile, particularly the minority communities, has deepened with continuing human rights violations by the State and its agents. The Sri Lankan government failure to investigate and act on human rights violations and war crimes has obstructed meaningful reconciliation. The 2021 Resolution authorization of the Office of the High Commissioner to collect, consolidate, analyse and preserve information and evidence of gross violations of human rights and humanitarian law and the continued reporting and the attention of the UNHRC will assist in monitoring human rights concerns and advancing accountability in Sri Lanka.
The 2021 UNHRC Resolution is an important step forward. The TIC calls upon the UNHRC and member states to act promptly and effectively to implement the provisions of the Resolution. Delay would encourage further human rights violations and suffering.
We have observed the recent attacks on Buddhist monks and other Sri Lankan visitors in Tamil Nadu with grave concern and extreme unease. These attacks are callous and disgraceful and will not help the Sri Lankan Tamils, but may cause them more harm. We offer our heartfelt sympathies to the victims. Certainly, there is no justification for these acts from either a political perspective or, in truth, from the perspective of any other moral and freedom-loving people. These acts diminish the pride, dignity and freedom of Eelam Tamils.
The period since the last Universal Periodic Review in 2007 has witnessed grave violations of the human rights of civilians in Sri Lanka, particularly in the north-east zone, by state authorities and security forces, culminating in the killing of thousands of Tamils. Although large-scale attacks on civilians have stopped since the end of the war in May 2009, violations have continued and human rights defenders (HRDs) have been particularly targeted by the state in all parts of Sri Lanka.
The Tamil Information Centre (TIC), established in 1981, is a non-profit community organization based in London, UK. The TIC works to address the challenges that face the Tamil speaking community in Sri Lanka to ensure that their rights are protected and promoted and their freedoms are recognized and respected. TIC’s mission is to empower people, particularly those suffering persecution and subjected to human rights abuses, by valuing the distinct identities and differences among them and improving the quality of life through access to knowledge.
The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, speaking at the UN General Assembly on 30 November 2012, expressed concern over the “new and appalling height of brutality†in Syria, and the human rights violations “being carried out on a wide scaleâ€. He said “I am horrified and saddened and condemn the seemingly daily massacres of civiliansâ€. The very same Secretary-General has presided over an institution that knowingly allowed massacres of civilians, including possibly genocide of Tamils, to take place in Sri Lanka in 2008 and 2009 and thereafter took deliberate measures to cover-up the involvement.
The Tamil Information Centre (TIC) strongly condemns the brutal attack on Tamil political prisoners in the Vavuniya remand prison today, 29 June 2012, at around 12 noon, by a Sri Lankan Special Military Commando unit and the Special Task Force (STF). The attack has left around 40 prisoners and others injured, some of them critically The Vavuniya remand prison had 253 inmates which included political prisoners as well as other prisoners.
The Tamil Information Centre (TIC) is deeply concerned and saddened by reports of the attack on the mosque in Dambulla and the threat of the Buddhist leaders to demolish the mosque. The TIC learns that the Buddhist leaders have listed 72 cultural and religious structures, including the mosque and a Hindu temple, marked for demolition in the region.
