Tamil Centre for Human Rights - TCHR

Centre Tamoul pour les droits de l'Homme - CTDH

Centro Tamil para los Derechos Humanos

(Established in 1990)

Website : www.tchr.net

    

  

Head Office

9, rue des Peupliers

95140 - Garges les Gonesse

FRANCE

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Table of Contents

 

Appeal                                                                                                                                03

 

History in a nutshell                                                                                                       05

Peace talks between Tamil and Singhala leaders since 1927                                               09                                                                                                                           

Colonisation                                                                                                                                 10

Since 1827 - Tamil and Sinhala populations in the Eastern province                       

Since 1827 - Tamil and Sinhala populations in Batticaloa district

Since 1963 - Tamil and Sinhala population in Amparai district

Since 1827 - Tamil and Sinhala populations in Trincomalee district                           11

 

Ethnic cleansing

Sri Lanka police send Tamils back to their villages

Ranil on forced eviction of Tamils                                                                              12

Send Tamils to India – UNP!

Mahinda 'dividing' Sri Lanka

The United States condemns the forced removal of Tamils                                       13

Norway condemns enforced removal of Tamils from Colombo

Canada condemns the forced removal of citizens of Tamil

Indian PM concerned over eviction of Sri Lankan Tamils                                                      14

BJP slams move to evacuate Tamils from Colombo

Eviction is not ‘winning hearts and minds’

 

Recorded figures                                                                                                             16

Arrests, killings, disappearances, rapes, displacements and Injuries

to the Tamils in the North East, Colombo and other regions

 

Journalists and other staff

           Killed, attacked and harassed            1990 - 2000                                                              17

                                                                      2001

                                                                      2002                                                              18

                                                                      2003                                                              19

                                                                      2004                                                              20

                                                                      2005                                      

                                                                      2006                                                              21

                                                                      2007                                                              22

 

Humanitarian workers

46 Humanitarian staff killed in Sri Lanka                                                                               24

Humanitarian staff injured                                                                                         25

Attack on NGO's office

 

Killing of religious dignitaries and laymen                                                                 26

Arrest & injury

           

Recent killing of academics and parliamentarians                                                      27

Death threats to parliamentarians

 

Massacres and killings of Tamils                                                                                  28

            Killings by the IPFK in the North East                                                                       32

Massacres and killings - Amparai district                                                                    33

Batticaloa district                                                                  

Trincomale district                                                                 34

Mullaitivu district                                                                    35

Vavuniya & Mannar district                                                   

Kilinochchi district                                                                  36

Jaffna district                                                                       

Colombo and other districts                                                   37

 

 

1

 

Military occupation of      

Civilian dwellings/land, schools, place of worship and public buildings                                  38

Amparai District – Division 1                                                                                  

Batticaloa District :                                                                                              

Division 1                                                                                                      Division 2                                                                                                     39

Division 4                                                                                                      40

Trincomale District :                                                                                                         

Division 1                                                                                                      41

Vavuniya District :                                                                                                  

Venkalachcheddikkulam Division                                                                  43

Vavuniya Division                                                                                        

Mannar District :                                                                                                   

Mannar Division                                                                                            44

Nanattan Division                                                                                         45

Madhu Division                                                                                                        

Adampan Division                                                                                         46

Jaffna District :                                                                                                     

Valikamam East Division                                                                              

Valikamam West Division                                                                              47

Valikamam Division                                                                                      

Vadamaradchi Division                                                                                             48

Islands Division                                                                                                       

Thenmaradchi High Security Zone                                                                49

Schools within the High Security Zone in Valikamam North                          51

Temples within High Security Zone in Valikamam North                                            52

 

Christian Churches damaged/destroyed

by aerial bombing and shelling in the North                                                                55

 

Hindu Temples / Kovils damaged/destroyed by aerial bombing and shelling

Amparai                                                                                                       64

Batticaloa                                                                                                  66

Jaffna                                                                                                                     69

Killinochchi                                                                                                 82

Mannar                                                                                                       90

Mullaitivu                                                                                                   

Trincomalee                                                                                                95

Vavuniya                                                                                                      99

 

Annexes

 

NGOs Intervention in the UN Human Rights Forum

Are the Tamil people not as fashionable as the Bosnians? IED                                            103

There is no hope for the Tamils within a united Sri Lanka – LIDLIP                          

Many people in civil society are asking, “ ‘Security’ – for whom? – IADL                                104

17 humanitarian aid workers were brutally massacred - IED                                      105

Human rights defenders are killed by the Armed forces - Interfaith International      106

The rule of law situation in Sri Lanka is deteriorating – IMADR                                              107

 

Government hand in abductions racket bared                                                              108

Cafe d’ APRC                                                                                                                    109

The APC smokescreen                                                                                                     

Long walk to freedom                                                                                                     110

 

TCHR summary, March 2007 – August 2007 (Names, Dates, Place of incidents etc)

            Arbitrary arrest / detention                                                                                        112

            Extra judicial killings / summary executions                                                                118

            Enforced or involuntary disappearances                                                                               128

 

 

2

 

 

 

                                                                                                         10 September 2007

 

The President

Members and Delegates

Human Rights Council - 6th Session

United Nations

1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

 

Distinguished Sirs / Mesdames,

 

First of all, we extend our congratulations to you for your appointment as the Chairperson of the 6th session. We regularly report on the human rights violations taking place in the Island of Sri Lanka. Our reporting is based on indisputable facts, the authentic details of which we receive from our sources directly from the North East and other parts of the Island. The United Nations human rights monitoring bodies have appreciated the veracity of our reporting.

 

In our submission to the 6th session, we will be high-lighting the human rights violations perpetrated against the people in the North East and other parts by successive governments that ruled the island since independence in 1948.

 

Our report includes the history in a nutshell, colonisation & ethnic cleansing in the East, recorded figures of violations from 1956 to 2007, killing and harrassment of journalists, humanitarian workers, religious dignitaries, academics, parliamenterians - and major massacres and killings. Also the report includes details of military occupation of civilian dwellings/land, schools, places of worship and public buildings. We have also included details of cultural genocide in the North East with a list of 299 Christian churches and 1348 Hindu/Saiva temples/kovils which were fully or partially damaged by aerial bombing and shelling in the North East.

 

The incidents we have mentioned in our report since 1956, have never been subject to an independent inquiry - nor have the perpetrators been arrested and punished nor have the victims been compensated. There are many more incidents to be added to those we have in this report.

 

Impunity is a very serious problem in Sri Lanka. Many notorious human rights violators in the Security forces especially in the Army, Police and the Paramilitary have received the best promotions and appointments as Ministers and to high profile jobs in the government. The government of Sri Lanka encourages and allows the perpertrators to move freely in society - and the violations continue.

 

In the Northeast the human rights situation has been deteriorating for many long years. Genocide, cultural genocide, multiple displacements are occuring and a systematic economic embargo to the North East is starving the people.

 

First hand witnesses to these Crimes against humanity - cemeteries full of murdered bodies, hospitals full of child and adult casualties, camps full of displaced people, people starving due to the economic embargo and buildings destroyed in all parts of North East. The security forces have created “High Security Zones” in the densily populated residential areas of the Northeast and are occupying civilian homes and public buildings.

 

Sirs / Mesdames,

 

The Sinhala constitution denies fundamental and political rights to the Tamil people. The introduction of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in 1979 and 27years of emergency rule (ER) have inflicted terror upon the Tamil people in the island. ER and the PTA permit the Sri Lanka security forces to arrest, torture, rape and kill the Tamils with impunity. Only a few cases have attracted international news coverage - and international human rights and humanitarian organisations are paying attention to these.

 

Press freedom and freedom of expression are in peril in Sri Lanka. Journalists are arrested, tortured, abducted, disappeared and killed over-night. Misinformation is heavily used internally and internationally by the government of Sri Lanka to distort the real picture of what is happening in the conflict areas.

 

Ethnic cleansing of Tamils and Singhalisation in the North East continues with foreign help.  As part of the ethnic cleansing, the murdering of religious leaders and laymen inside and outside places of worship has also been taking place over the years.

 

3

So far more than 100,000 Tamils have been killed and more than 200,000 have been multiply internally displaced. Another 600,000 or more Tamils have sought asylum in foreign countries.

 

Sirs / Mesdames, If we analyse respect for human rights by the government of Sri Lanka, the following truth becomes crystal clear - Sri Lanka has a regular habit of pretending to take some action on the massive human violations only a month before the beginning of the UN Human Rights' forums. These hollow promises of action are intended to avoid or counter any criticism that may be made by these forums, rather than to vigorously promote and protect human rights in real and effective terms.

 

Typical examples of this are the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry and an International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) in September 2006. We predicted the fate of the IIGEP in our earlier reports.

 

It is well known that for the last twenty four years, the LTTE has been engaged in an armed struggle with the support of the Tamils in exercise of their right to self-determination in the Tamil hereditary regions.

 

After nearly a quarter century of armed conflict, there is a de-facto government in the Tamils' hereditary region under the LTTE administration. It has been in existence for more than 15 years and it has its own infrastructures - police and judiciary, Law College, Banking and Educational institutions, as well as welfare centres for children, disabled people, elders and war victims. This has been well witnessed by diplomats, dignitaries and VIPs.

 

Sirs / Mesdames, the reports of the UN Special rapporteurs, Special representatives of the UN Secretary General and the Working groups and furthermore the statements by international NGOs to every UN Human Rights forum clearly indicate that the human rights situation in Sri Lanka is far from improving - in fact it is rapidly deteriorating.

 

As Sri Lanka is a signatory to various UN covenants and conventions, it has an obligation to maintain international standards and to abide by iternational law.

 

In the past, UN action on various other country situations reminded us that "Naming and Shaming" is one of the preventive techniques in the protection of human rights. Therefore the reports of the UN dignitaries and other appeals, reports, joint-statements, interventions, written statements by various NGOs to the UN Human rights forums must all be taken into consideration in this period to apply UN action on Sri Lanka.

 

At this crucial situation, there is no doubt that International human rights law and international humanitarian law are severely and massively violated by Sri Lanka. Considering these facts, the best mechanism in hand which can be used, is to charge the President of Sri Lanka, the Commander-in-Chief of the Sri Lanka Security Forces and other Military officials with War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity.

 

In addition, we urge this session to take immediate steps to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe that is being deliberately inflicted by the government of Sri Lanka on civilians in the North East.

 

Sir, being the President of the 6th session of the Human Rights Council, you can see that the international community is failing in its duties regarding Sri Lanka and that it is backing an aggressor which is perpetrating war crimes and crimes against humanity against a people who have been struggling for their Right to Self-determination for many decades.

 

We appeal to you to take immediate action during this session of the Human Rights Council.

 

Thank you,

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

S. V. Kirubaharan

General Secretary

4

 

 

 

History in a nutshell

 

1505     The Portuguese arrived in Ceylon during the existence of three sovereign kingdoms, one Tamil Kingdom in Jaffna, and two Sinhala Kingdoms in Kotte and Kandy.

 

The island was divided into three kingdoms, a Tamil kingdom in the North East, the Kandy kingdom of the highlands and the Kotte kingdom situated in the South.

 

1619     Tamil sovereignty ended in June when the Portuguese defeated the Tamil King, and the Jaffna Kingdom became a Colony of the Portuguese.

 

1658     The Dutch arrived in Ceylon and the Jaffna Kingdom became a Dutch Colony.

1795     The British arrived in Ceylon and the Jaffna Kingdom became a British Colony.

 

1802     Ceylon became a British Crown Colony.

 

1833     For the first time in over 2,500 years of its recorded history, the entire island of Ceylon was brought under a single administration based on the recommendations of the Colebrook-Cameron Report.

 

1862     Tamils from Southern India were brought as labourers to work in the tea plantations in the hill country by the British. During the same period Tamil labourers from South India were taken to work in the sugar cane plantations in South Africa, Mauritius and in many other British colonies.

 

1885     Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan ­ Tamil leader called for increased representation in Legislative council for Tamils.

 

1915     In June, Sinhala Buddhist-Muslim riots in Ceylon. Riots spread from the central province to the western and northwestern provinces.

 

There were heavy casualties amongst the Muslims. According to available records, 36 Muslims were killed and 205 Muslims were injured and raped. Nearly 85 mosques were damaged and more than 4,075 Muslim-owned shops were looted by the Sinhala rioters.

 

1919     The Ceylon National Congress (CNC), the first full-fledged "Nationalist" political party was formed by a celebrated Tamil, Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam.

 

1921     Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam quitted the CNC, denouncing it as a party representing mainly a section of the Sinhalese.

 

1927-1931 Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan and Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam had talks with Sinhala leaders when the Donoughmore Commission announced its recommendations in 1927. The talks ended in a failure as the Sinhala leaders ignored the aspirations of the Tamils.

 

1944     The first Tamil political party, “All Ceylon Tamil Congress-ACTC” was founded by G. G. Ponnambalam to champion the cause of the Tamils against Sinhala Buddhist domination.

 

1947     The United National Party (UNP) was formed.

           

The first constitution of Ceylon was adopted by an Order in Council rather than by a Constituent Assembly. It was known as the (Lord) “Soulbury Constitution” which remained in force until 1972.

 

1948     The British left Ceylon ­ independence was granted to “Ceylon” and the power to govern Ceylon was handed over to the Sinhalese who were numerically superior.

 

After the stringent 15 November 1948 Citizenship Act and the laws of disenfranchisement were enacted and adopted, the Tamils of Indian origin Tamils in the hill country (plantation Tamils) were deprived of selecting their representatives to the Parliament. More than a million plantation Tamil workers were rendered stateless.

 

1948-50 The Government launched massive Sinhala colonisation schemes in the Eastern province. Gal oya in Batticaloa, Allai and Kathalai in Trincomalee were colonised under pretexts of development.

 

1949     Dissension with the “Tamil Congress” party led to the formation of the “Tamil Federal Party” (FP) under the leadership of S. J. V. Chelvanayagam.

 

1951     S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike broke away from UNP and forms the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

 

5

 

1956     On 14 June S. W. R. D. Bandaranayake father of President Chandrika Kumaratunga proclaimed the “Sinhala Only Act” which made the Sinhala language the only official language of Ceylon.

 

The peaceful Satyagraha campaign staged by the Tamils to protest against the “Sinhala Only Act” at the Galle Face Green, in front of the Parliament in Colombo was brutally savaged by Sinhalese thugs with the connivance of government. The outbreak of first anti-Tamil riots in the island. More than 150 Tamils were burnt or hacked to death and million rupees worth of properties belonging to Tamils were looted and destroyed.

 

Year	Killing	Rape	Injuries	Displaced
1956	150	20	300	3000

 

1957     Soon after the “Sinhala Only Act” was passed in Parliament, talks were initiated between the Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and the Federal Party leader S. J. V. Chelvanayagam.

 

On 26 July an agreement known as "Band Chieva" pact was signed between Bandaranayake and Chevanayagam. This agreement was based on a quasi federal system devolving certain powers to the Tamils in the North East provinces.

Within a week of signing the “Banda-Chelva” pact, it was unilaterally abrogated by the Prime Minister Bandaranaike due to vehement protests staged by the UNP, Buddhist clergy and SLFP. J R Jeyawardena of United National Party-UNP undertook a march to Kandy in protest against this pact.

 

1958     Anti-Tamil pogrom broke out in the island. Many Tamils were massacred and million of rupees worth of properties belonging to the Tamils were looted and destroyed.

 

 

Year	Killing	Rape	Injuries	Displaced
1958	355	100	350	35000

 

 

1965     Dudley Senanayake leader of the UNP formed the government with the help of the Federal Party and other parties.

 

Talks were held between the Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake and S. J. V. Chelvanayagam.

 

On 24 March, an agreement known as "Dudley-Cheva" Pact was signed between Dudley Senanayake and S. J. V. Chelvanayagam.

 

The agreement was abandoned without being implemented due to opposition from the SLFP, the Buddhist clergy, and UNP backbenchers.

 

1971     Armed revolution by the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna was suppressed by Srimavoa Bandaranayke. Thousands of Sinhala JVP youths were killed.

 

Talks were held between various Tamils leaders and Srimavo Bandaranayake on constitutional amendments.

No agreement was reached but the Sinhala leaders went ahead undeterred with their republican constitution amending the minimum safeguards granted to Tamils by the earlier constitution.

 

1972     Ceylon became a “Republic” on 22 May and Ceylon was officially renamed as the “Republic of SRI LANKA”

The United Front government enacted a Sinhala-Supremacist "Republican Constitution" for the country, which made Buddhism the state religion.

Formation of Tamil United Front (TUF) comprising Federal Party led by, S. J. V. Chelvanayagam, Tamil Congress (TC) led by GG Ponnambalam, and Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) led by Savariamoorthy Thondaman.

 

State discrimination against Tamil students' admission to Universities reached the peak with the introduction of "Standardisation". University admission based on merit was abandoned deliberately to stop Tamil students entering Universities.

A youth group comprising self-sacrificing and disciplined youths named Tamil New Tigers (TNT) was formed by Mr. V. Pirabaharan to fight for the right to self-determination of the Tamils in the North East.

 

1974     On 10 January, Sinhalese Police unleashed an unprovoked violent attack on those attending the prestigious “4^th Tamil Research Conference” in Jaffna, leaving nine innocent civilians dead.

 

6

 

1975     On 5 May the Tamil New Tigers -TNT was renamed as Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ­ LTTE. Mr. V. Pirabaharan was named the Chairman and military commander of the LTTE.

 

1977     In July, Tamil United Liberation Front-TULF, contested and won overwhelmingly at the Parliamentary election giving them a mandate to establish the “Right to Self-determination” of Tamil Eelam in the North East. J. R. Jeyewardena of UNP became the Prime Minister, with a five-sixth majority in the Parliament. The TULF became the major opposition party in the parliament.

 

Talks took place between Prime Minister J.R. Jayawardena and the Tamil United Liberation Front. No agreement was reached. Anti-Tamil pogrom occurred immediately after elections in the areas where Sinhalese were in the majority killing hundreds of Tamils.

 

Year	Arrest/Torture	Killing	Rape	Injuries	Displaced
1974	25	9		15
1977	45	150	90	35	15000

 

 

1979     The government enacted the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), banning the Tamil militant organisations. On 11 July, the Jaffna peninsula was brought effectively under martial law under Public Security ordinance. Anti-Tamil pogrom broke out in the island. Many Tamils were killed and properties belonging to Tamils were looted and destroyed.

 

Year	Arrest/Torture	Disap.	Killing	Rape	Injuries
1979	150	22	13	13	15

 

1981     In June, another anti-Tamil pogrom was unleashed. Increased military repression in the North. The Jaffna Public Library was burnt down by the Sri Lankan armed forces, allegedly under the direction of two senior government ministers, Gamini Dissanayake and Cyril Matthew. 95,000 volumes of books including numerous culturally important and irreplaceable manuscripts and the buildings were totally destroyed by arson. The Jaffna city market, the office of the Tamils daily newspaper “Eelanadu”, the office of the political party TULF, etc were burnt down by the Sri Lanka security forces.

 

Year	Torture	Disap.	Killing	Rape	Injuries	Displaced
1981	200	4	35	50	37	5000

 

1982     Government sponsored a Sinhala settlement in the Tamil populated Mullaitivu.

 

1983     Major anti-Tamil pogrom took place in July all over the island with the buoyed up support of the government. During the four days riots, more than 6,000 Tamils were killed and over 250,000 were rendered refugees. Thousands of Tamils fled the country and went to India and to Western countries. Billions rupees worth of Tamils properties was looted and destroyed by the Sinhala rioters.

           

Between 27-28 July, fifty-three Tamil political prisoners were massacred inside the walls of the Welikadai prison in Colombo by the Sinhala inmates. The government masterminded this massacre and the Sinhala attackers were released from the prison and were rewarded with houses and properties in the Sinhala settlements in the Tamil homeland.

Hundreds of youths joined the LTTE movement and the TULF Members of Parliament sought asylum in India.

 

J. R. Jeyawardena’s government enacts the 6th amendment to the constitution and rejected the right to self-determination of the Tamil people in the island on 8^th August. This amendment outlawed the mandate voted by the Tamils in 1977 general election. The Sixth amendment and the Prevention of Terrorism Act in 1979 along with the Emergency Law provisions became the instruments through which repression was unleashed on the Tamil people.

 

Year	Arrest/Torture	Disap.	Killing	Rape	Injuries	Displaced
1983	1425	571	6000	750	3383	250000

 

 

 

1984     At the beginning of EELAM WAR-I.

 

1985-87 State repression and counter attacks intensified in the North East resulting in all-out war between the Sri Lankan state and the LTTE. LTTE effectively took control of the Jaffna peninsula and other Northern areas.

7

1986     In November, talks between the LTTE representatives and President J. R. Jeyawardena took place through the mediation of the Indian Prime minister in Bangalore, India.

 

1987     On the 29th July 1987, a peace accord known as “Indo-Lanka” pact was signed between Sri Lanka and India. Even though this accord purported to bring an end to the island’s ethnic crisis, it was signed by India and Sri Lanka without any consultation with LTTE and the Tamils of the North East of the Island.

 

The LTTE’s first public meeting was held in Suthumalai on 4 August 1987. The LTTE Leader Mr. Pirabaharan’s speech in this meeting became known as the “Suthumalai Declaration”.

 

 

1989     Talks between the LTTE the President Premadasa took place in Colombo. LTTE’s chief negotiator Dr. Anton Balasingham, Mrs Adel Balasingham and many other LTTE high-level leaders took part in the talks.

 

1990     At the beginning of EELAM WAR ­ II. Hostilities broke out again between the Sri Lankan forces and the LTTE. Economic blockade was imposed causing severe shortage of food and medicine in the North

 

1994     The People's Alliance led by Chandrika Kumaratunge won the Parliamentary elections with the pledge to "end the war and bring peace". The LTTE unilaterally announced a temporary ceasefire to welcome the change of government.

 

Talks between the LTTE and the PA government led by President Chandrika Kumaratunga commenced in Jaffna. Kumaratunge won the Presidential election. LTTE chief negotiator Dr. Anton Balasingham, and many other LTTE high-level leaders participated in the talks.

 

1995     On 5 January, the Government of Sri Lanka (President Chandrika) and the LTTE (Leader V. Pirabahakaran) signed an agreement for cessation of hostilities. The Government announced lifting of the economic embargo on some items only on paper, but the embargo continued. Later Chandrika government argued that there was no such thing as an economic embargo in the Tamil region. This was considered by civil society and the international humanitarian organisations as an “Utter lie with hidden agenda”.

 

The LTTE gave a two-week ultimatum in March to the government to implement what they had promised to the civilians. This ultimatum was later extended by another three weeks until April 19th. Talks ended in failure.

Government launched a major offensive in July in several parts of the Jaffna peninsula after imposing a press censorship. This was the beginning of EELAM WAR-III.

 

2001     The LTTE have announced unilateral cease-fires many a time. One lasted for four months. President Chandrika’s government refused to reciprocate the cease-fire declared by the LTTE and opted to continue with its military agenda.

 

The Tamil political parties formed a front known as the “Tamil National Alliance (TNA)” and contested the Parliament elections in the North East on the 5th December 2001 and won in 16 electorates. TNA’s Election manifesto.

 

            In December, the UNP government headed by the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe came into power with the mandate for peace and negotiations with LTTE. The LTTE declared a one month cease-fire and it was renewed. The government also declared one month cease-fire and renewed it.

 

2002     LTTE released 10 prisoners of war as a gesture of good will for peace.

 

The Norwegian government re-activated its peace role. The Norwegian delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesenand and Mr. Eric Solheim met with the LTTE chief negotiator Dr. Anton Balasingham in London and the Prime Minister and other ministers in Sri Lanka.

On 21 February, an historic agreement, a “Memorandum of Understanding” was signed between Mr. V. Pirabaharan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ­ LTTE, and the Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe. This MOU was worked out under the facilitation of the Norwegian government.

2003     As there is non implimentation of the out come of talks, in May, the peace talks between the LTTE and the government Sri Lanka came to a halt.

 

            In November, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) submitted its proposals for Interim Self-Governing Authority – IGSA in the North East region to the Sri Lankan Government through the Norwegian facilitators on November.

 

This proposal was totaly ignored by the Singhala leaders.

 

 

 

8

 

2004     In the General elections the political party "Tamil National Alliance (TNA)" won overwhelmingly in 22 electorates in the Tamil region, North East.

 

Their election manifesto stated, "Accepting LTTE’s leadership as the national leadership of the Tamil Eelam Tamils and the Liberation Tigers as the sole and authentic representatives of the Tamil people, let us devote our full cooperation for the ideals of the Liberation Tigers’ struggle with honesty and steadfastness".  

 

2005     In November, Mahinda Rajapaksa won the Presidential election with the support of the Sinhala extreme political parties.

 

2006     In February, and October. 1st round of peace talks in Geneva was after two and a half years of interval. As there is non implimentation of the agreement signed in the 1st round of peace talks in Geneva, once again the 2nd round of peace talks came to a stalemate in October.

 

 

 

* * * * *

Peace talks between

Tamil and Singhala leaders since 1927

 

Year                                 Talks                         

1927-1931                                                Ramanathan brothers had talks with Sinhala leaders when the Donoughmore Commission announced its recommendations in 1927

1957                                                                      Sinhala Only Act.

Talks between S. W. R. D. Bandaranayake, Prime Minister and S. J. V. Chelvanayagam was leader of Federal Party

 

Talks on Banda Chelva pact

 

1965                                                         Talks between Dudley Senanayaka, Prime Minister and S. J. V. Chelvanayagam was leader of Federal Party

Talks on Dudley Chelva Pact

 

1971                                                         Tamils leaders (TULF) and Srimavo Bandaranayake on constitutional amendments

 

1977                                                                      J.R. Jayawardena and the TULF leaders

 

1978-1982                                                        Many between TULF and JR

 

1985                                                                      Thimpu – LTTE was one of the parties

 

1986                                                                      LTTE & J. R. Jeyawardena Bangalore

 

1987                                                                      Indo-Sri Lanka accord (It was signed without the concern of the Tamils)

 

1989-1990                                                        LTTE & President Premadasa

 

1994-1995                                                        LTTE & President Chandrika

 

2002-2003 May                             LTTE & Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe

 

2006 February & October             LTTE & President Mahinda Rajapaksa

 

(see page 109 & 110)

 

 

9

 

Colonisation

 

The following statistics show how the Sri Lankan governments and its destructive agents plundered and robbed 50% of the ancestral lands of the Tamils of the Island of Sri Lanka. The author of this report is Mr K. Sachithanandan. He was a lecturer at the University of Jaffna and adviser to the United Nations on Food and Agriculture in twenty-three countries. Also appointed as a research officer in the Fisheries Corporation in Colombo. (Report dated 1990)

 

Since 1827 - Tamil and Sinhala populations in the Eastern province

(Table is shown on a language basis)

 

                                                          Tamil                          Sinhala

Year                                       Speaking                    Speaking

            1827                                       99.24%                                   0.53%

            1881                                       93.82%                                   4.66%

            1891                                       93.89%                                   5.06%

            1901                                       91.8%                         5.05%

            1911                                       93.4%                         3.76%

            1921                                       93.95%                                   4.53%

            1946                                       87.8%                         9.87%

            1953                                       85.5%                         13.11%

            1963                                       79.25%                                   19.9%

            1971                                       78.61%                                   20.7%

            1981                                       74.4%                         24.92%

 

 

 

Since 1827 - Tamil and Sinhala populations in Batticaloa district

(Table is shown on language basis)

Until 1963 it includes Amparai district

 

                                                          Tamil                         Sinhala

            Year                                       Speaking                   Speaking

 

            1827                                       99.62%                                   0.00%

            1881                                       93.27%                                   4.75%

            1891                                       93.2%                         5.21%

            1901                                       92.34%                                   5.21%

            1911                                       92.95%                                   3.74%

            1921                                       93.12%                                   4.56%

            1946                                       92.55%                                   5.83%

            1953                                       87.64%                                   11.52%

            1963*                                     95.6%                         3.35%*

            1971                                       94.49%                                   4.49%

            1981                                       95.95%                                   3.21%

 

* Creation of Amparai district

 

Since 1963 - Tamil and Sinhala population in Amparai district

(Table is shown language basis)

(Amparai district was created in 1963)

 

                                                          Tamil                         Sinhala

            Year                                       Speaking                   Speaking

           

            1963                                       70.22%                                   29.34%

            1971                                       69.47%                                   30.18%

            1981                                       62.03%                                   37.64%

 

 

10

 

Since 1827 - Tamil and Sinhala populations in Trincomalee district

(Table is shown on language basis)

 

                                                          Tamil                         Sinhala

            Year                                       Speaking                   Speaking

 

            1827                                       98.45%                                   1.53%

            1881                                       90.72%                                   4.21%

            1891                                       91.44%                                   4.3%

            1901                                       89.04%                                   4.22%

            1911                                       90.54%                                   3.82%

            1921                                       92.13%                                   4.38%

            1946                                       75.09%                                   20.68%

            1953                                       78.8%                         18.22%

            1963                                       79.25%                                   19.9%

            1971                                       70.2%                         28.8%

            1981                                       65.38%                                   33.62%

 

 

 

In 1833 the Colebrook-Cameron Commission allocated approximately 26,500 sq.km as the Tamil People’s Ancestral Motherland.

 

In 1901 when the nine provinces came into being, the Tamil administration of the Northern and Eastern Provinces measured approximately 19,100 sq.km Due to some of the area being incorporated into the Sinhalese provinces the Tamil area had been reduced by approximately 7,500 sq.km.

 

After 1948 the government’s settlement plan deprived the Tamils of 7,000 sq.km. in the Eastern Province and 500 sq.km. in the Northern Province. Although the Tamils protested, the Colombo administration ignored the Tamils and settled Sinhalese in these regions.

 

Approximately 7,500 sq.km of Tamil land was plundered by the Sinhala Government’s Demarcation and Resettlement Plan when it came into operation. This has been taking place over the last forty years.

 

Before 1833, 25% of Tamil speaking people occupied 35% of land, which was in their administration as Tamil ancestral homeland. In 1901 this area shrunk from 35% to 29%.

 

Within 162 years the Sinhalese government under its crafty Demarcation and Resettlement Plan has plundered 50% of the Tamil ancestral homeland and is still attempting to colonise more and more!

 

 

Ethnic cleansing

 

On 7 June 2007

*          500 Tamils were forcefully expelled from the lodges in Colombo and sent out of Colombo to Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Vavuniya with Police escort

 

*          Further 400 are being detained in Police stations in Colombo.

 

Sri Lanka police send Tamils back to their villages

 

COLOMBO, June 1 (Reuters) - Ethnic minority Tamils staying in the capital Colombo "without a valid reason" are being sent back to their villages in a bid to stamp out rebel attacks, Sri Lanka's police chief said on Friday.

 

Hundreds of minority Tamils, many from poor rural areas, live in boarding houses in Colombo while they work or search for jobs or seek employment abroad.

 

Many ethnic Tamils in Colombo complain they are being deliberately targeted by the security forces, detained and searched as the state fights a new chapter of a two-decade civil war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

11

"Because there is no a special label to identify an LTTE terrorist and a civilian, we took the decision to send them back to their villages after they finished their work here in Colombo," Inspector General of Police Victor Perera told a news conference.

 

"Some people who have arrived in Colombo do not have a valid reason to stay," he added. "Anybody can come to Colombo, there is no restriction. But they can't stay loitering in Colombo. We have decided to provide transport facilities for them to go back to their own villages."

 

The move comes after two suspected Tamil Tiger bomb attacks in the capital in a week and a string in recent months as a conflict that has killed nearly 70,000 people since 1983 deepens.

 

Officials suspect that Tiger cells are installed in the capital and seeking to stage attacks. But the planned restriction on Tamils rang alarm bells.

 

"If a democratic society takes this course of action, it is unacceptable because it is clearly a serious violation of their human rights," said Jehan Perera of the National Peace Council, a non-partisan advisory group. "This is a very harsh decision."

 

"This is the first time such a thing has been spoken about officially, so it suggests the conflict is deteriorating," he added. "This is a new low."

 

Fighting is now focused on the north after the military captured the Tigers' eastern stronghold, and a string of land and sea battles has killed around 4,000 people since last year.

 

Ranil on forced eviction of Tamils

 

Daily Mirror, 8 June 2007 - Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, yesterday, compared the plight of the Tamils under the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration, to that of the Jews in Germany during World War 2 and of Black Africans, during the apartheid era in South Africa.

 

Speaking in Parliament on the government led eviction of Tamils in Colombo, Mr. Wickremesinghe said that Jews and Black Africans had faced similar persecution in the past, at the hands of Germans and Whites respectively.

 

He said the government’s actions violated the Constitution, which clearly stated that all citizens of Sri Lanka must be free from torture and inhuman and degrading treatment and had the right to free movement and to choose their area of residence.

 

“We are also concerned about the security of the country. If the government suspects anyone they can produce that person before a magistrate and remand the suspect, or release the person,” he said.

 

He noted that when people were evicted from the lodgings in such an arbitrary manner, they would return in anger to blast bombs.

 

Mr. Wickremesinghe added that the situation would bring shame upon Sri Lanka at the European Parliament sessions, and queried as to why the government was creating such a crisis for the country.

(Excerpt)

 

Send Tamils to India – UNP!

 

BBC Sinhala service, 8 June 2007 - Sri Lanka's main opposition party has requested the giant neighbour to allow minority Tamils to settle in India. The United National Party (UNP) legislator Lakshman Kiriella said the party urges India to allow Tamils to migrate until their safety is guaranteed by the island nation.The UNP made the request after hundreds of Tamils were evicted from Colombo's lodges by the police. (Excerpt)

 

Mahinda 'dividing' Sri Lanka

 

BBC Sinhala service, 8 June 2007 - Rights activists have accused of President Mahinda Rajapaksa of working on an agenda to divide Sri Lanka between ethnic lines. Protesting the eviction of hundreds of Tamils from the lodges in Colombo, they said Sri Lankan citizens should have the right to live where they like irrespective of their ethnicity.

12

Siritunga Jayasuriya, chairman of Civil Monitoring Committee (CMC), told BBC Sandeshaya that Sri Lanka authorities are trying to alienate Tamils community in Sri Lanka.

 

War on terror

 

President's Rajapaksa's administration, he said, is working on an agenda similar to that of President Bush's War on Terror. Jayasuriya accused the authorities of trying to divide Sri Lanka. "President Rajapaksa has put the first step towards dividing Sri Lanka into separate countries," Jayasuriya told bbcsinhala.com. (Excerpt)

 

World War II

 

The leader of the Left Front, Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne, questioned under which regulations authorities decided to deport Tamils from Colombo. He compared the eviction of Tamil lodgers to the eviction of Jews by the Nazzis during the second world war. "The Tamils were taken away like animals without offering any food or water," Dr. Karunaratne said. (Excerpt)

 

The United States condemns the forced removal of Tamils

 

June 8, 2007 - The United States condemns the forced removal of Tamils from Colombo.  Such measures violate the Sri Lankan Constitution’s guarantee that every citizen has the right to freedom of movement and choice of residence within Sri Lanka.

 

The United States understands and supports Sri Lanka’s obligation to defend itself against terrorism.  But this action can only widen the ethnic divide at a time when important efforts are underway to reach a national consensus to end Sri Lanka's nearly quarter-century old conflict.

 

We call upon the Government of Sri Lanka to stop the forcible removal of its citizens from Colombo, to make public the destinations of those already removed, and to ensure their safety and well-being.

(The Embassy of the United States – Sri Lanka & Maldives, 8 June 2007)

 

 

Norway condemns enforced removal of Tamils from Colombo

09 June 2007 - The full text of the press release by Norweigian Embassy in Colombo concern the forced evication of Tamils from Colombo :

 

"Norway condemns yesterday’s sudden and enforced removal of civilian Tamils from their dwellings in Colombo.

 

"The move by the Colombo police is a clear violation of international human rights law. The Government of Sri Lanka has legitimate security concerns. Moreover, it has the right and obligation to take measures to guarantee the safety of its population. However, such measures should not indiscriminately target Tamils, or any other ethnic group, and should always be in accordance with international human rights law.

 

"We urge the Government of Sri Lanka to cease any further enforced removal of Tamils from Colombo, and to consider granting immediate permission to return for those already removed from the city. "

 

Canada condemns the forced removal of

citizens of Tamil origin from Colombo

10 June 2007

 

The Canadian High Commission's full text of the press release :

 

"Canada condemns the forced removal of citizens of Tamil origin from Colombo back to the conflict zones in the north and the east".

 

"Whilst Canada acknowledges that the Sri Lankan government has the right and the duty to protect itself and its citizens against potential terrorist attacks, such as the reprehensible bombings in Colombo Fort and Rathmalana in recent weeks, the heavy-handedness of this sweeping action will only alienate the vast majority of innocent Tamils and further complicate the search for a durable peace settlement ."

13

"Canada welcomes the stay issued by the Supreme Court which prevents further removals and notes that President Rajapakse has directed that these people be returned to Colombo if they wish."

 

"Canada reiterates that there cannot be a military solution to the conflict that has besieged this Island for more than 20 years and reaffirms the need for a political solution where the rights and aspirations of all citizens of Sri Lanka can be respected."

 

 

Indian PM concerned over eviction of Sri Lankan Tamils

10 June 2007

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday expressed concern over the eviction of minority Sri Lankan Tamils from the capital Colombo and hoped 'better sense will prevail' in the troubled nation.

 

'On attempt to expel Tamils from Colombo, Sri Lanka, we shared our anxiety with important world leaders,' the prime minister said while returning from Germany where he attended the G8 Outreach Summit.

 

'Hope better sense will prevail. It involves human rights of citizens,' added the prime minister, referring to a pre-dawn raid by the armed police Thursday on the temporary lodgings of Tamils in Colombo and forcing them go return to the northern and eastern provinces.

 

'I heard that this move has been stayed by their Supreme Court. We share the concern.'

(http://www.indiaenews.com/india/20070610/55516.htm)

 

 

BJP slams move to evacuate Tamils from Colombo

The Hindu – 10 June 2007

 

CHENNAI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday condemned the Sri Lankan Government's move to evacuate Tamils from Colombo.

 

Terming the move "human rights violation," BJP national vice-president S. Thirunavukkarasar said India should join other countries in condemning the "evacuation."

 

The party, he said, also opposed sale of any type of arms to Sri Lanka as these would be used against Tamils. (Excerpt)

 

 

Eviction is not ‘winning hearts and minds’

By Shakuntala Perera

(Daily Mirror – 30 August 2007)

Nationalist politics invariably crossing over to various levels of extremism have always been the bane of Sri Lanka. Such opportunist politics have always beein in the way of the country reaching its development goals. It has more importantly been the biggest obstacle in the way of minorities receiving their due. But, never in the history of this country has the situation dropped to the depths that they have today.

 

Allegations of attempts to change the demography of the country, especially with regard to the contentious Eastern and Northern provinces, increase at an alarming rate. Several development plans of the government especially in the East is showing strong moves to this end.

 

The newly ‘liberated’ Eastern province is today a volcano awaiting eruption. The political agendas of various nationalist groups are threatening the peace of the province as never before. More seriously, they are threatening the lives of innocent people caught in between.

 

Following the first movement of displaced persons, 6,000 families, approx 30,000 persons, took place in April 2006 from the Trincomalee District to the Batticaloa District after the Mavil Aaru clashes between the Government and the LTTE. The IDPs first moved from Trincomalee to Vaharai in the Batticaloa district, then in late 2006 from Vaharai to Batticaloa. The third movement of persons was from West Batticaloa to Batticaloa East.

14

The resettlement plans of the government are accused of attempts to ‘Sinhalise’ the province. The allegation is strongly contributed to by clear moves to cement the demands by religious foundations.

 

Both humanitarian agencies operating in the areas and the people left destitute confirm that there were clear moves by certain political organizations to settle Sinhala families within Muslim villages have only poured fuel to the sensitivities of the area. The anger rising out of the Muslim community is not to be ignored. Such anger has the potential to grow in to militancy as we experience with the LTTE. The frustrations growing out of the situation are not to be ignored.

 

The government by Gazette notification No 1467/3 Board of Investment of Sri Lanka Law No 40(1978), declared a new High Security Zone covering Sampur and Muttur East on 16 February 2007. The declaration of HSZ for an Economic Zone will lead to the displacement of thousands. The government has reportedly already taken action to acquire land for relocation of said displaced families. Eastern Security Forces Commander Parakrama Pannipitiya has been appointed as the Competent Authority for the implementation of the regulations.

 

There are suspicions that ‘a new and trustworthy work force and new communities, most likely Sinhala will be moved into Trincomalee, ‘dramatically impacting on the demography and the ethnic balance in the Trincomalee District.’ Already local communities are expressing fears that their areas are being marginalized and their needs and rights are being ignored in the proposed development plans.

 

Moves under the BOI Trincomalee Development Plan, to establish a nature park and in Seenanveli, north of Illankaiturai Muhattuvaram, a HSZ and a special fishing zone are not without their questionable implications. The residents, most of them Tamils of Veddha descent, from about 8 villages, have been transported and virtually dumped in the open. ‘They are prevented from going home on the pretext of landmines while their meagre possessions have been reportedly looted by ‘Sinhalese’ from the Mahindapura colony, acting allegedly in cooperation with the Army’. The army is also engaged in constructing a Buddhist Temple, Samudragiri Vihara, in Seenanveli.

 

The Coalition of Muslims and Tamils for Peace and Coexistence (CMTPC) maintain the allegations have a sound basis. They allege that the current development plan for Trincomalee or the soon to be unveiled Eastern Development Plan has elements contributing to the mistrust. ‘This concern of minority communities needs to be addressed and their fears allayed as speedily as possible’ they maintain.

 

Certainly the eviction of 251 resettled farmers from Arafa Nagar on 10th, August, without prior notice by the military, demonstrates that it is not purely security concerns that keep the Tamils out of their lands. Such actions and in some instances obstacles placed in the way of resettlement are prompted more by ethnic considerations than by security safeguards. These Muslim families who earlier received the green light to rebuild their lives and continue farming from the security forces were suddenly evicted. All hopes of bringing some normalcy to their hopeless lives were short lived, they found. Five months to be exact.

 

A board declaring it a High Security Zone was erected on August 10, with a warning issued against trespasses. Trespassers were threatened with death. It is such harsh decisions by the State that are pushing the minority communities further and further awy from the Centre. These are far from the ambitious plans that the government spoke about to ‘win hearts and minds’ of the liberated people. In effect these and many other similar examples are pushing the people towards the LTTE. There are serious questions raised if the demands of the LTTE are not justified. Pertinent questions are being asked on the intentions of the government policy in this regard. The people want to know if liberation from one terror group was only going to push them towards another dictatorial rule.

 

South Asians for Human Rights last week charged against the moves to Sinhalise the area. ‘Appointment of numerous Sinhala government officials to the Provincial Council in the East after the de-merger of the Northern and Eastern province; establishment of Sinhala resettlements in Ampara; and building Viharas in Pottuvil, a predominantly Muslim area. The Muslim people, correctly, viewed themselves as being stuck between Sinhala and Tamil nationalisms,’ they allege.

 

The concern of international communities can’t be ignored in this scenario. Human rights violations, what ever form they take must remain the necessary concern of the international stakeholders. Attempts to antagonize them would not help the government in any way. The fact remains that all democratic governments are accountable at some point. It is irrelevant what their interpretation of liberation is. There is simply no justification for the human cost of the most ‘noble’ of causes.

15

Recorded figures arrests, killings, disappearances, rapes, displacements and Injuries in the North East, Colombo and other regions (1956-2007 August)
Tamil Centre for Human Rights - TCHR Email : tchr@tchr.net / tchrdip@tchr.net Website : www.tchr.net
Year	Arrest/Torture	Disap.***	Killing	Rape	Injuries	Displaced
1956*			150	20	300	3000
1958*			355	100	350	35000
1960	60			15	200	0
1972	37				18	0
1973	35				24	0
1974	25		9		15	0
1977*	45		150	90	35	15000
1979	150	22	13	13	15	0
1981*	200	4	35	50	37	5000
1982	300	0	47	45	22	0
1983*	1425	571	6000	750	3383	250000
1984	8257	203	872	214	1720	0
1985	3616	246	777	399	1372	1000
1986	4675	178	889	475	1560	0
1987**	2935	1303	3714	1257	8062	297250
1988**	2460	1253	2929	1219	4502	253000
1989**	4761	1528	1475	1031	2858	0
1990	2555	9381	5798	816	5601	78600
1991	3244	1847	4360	751	4917	1500
1992	2835	1780	3769	691	4020	0
1993	2929	676	2983	410	2885	0
1994	13363	536	2470	424	1663	0
1995	3565	934	3481	779	5028	500000
1996	18870	1678	4074	894	3265	335000
1997	5430	1463	4056	811	1731	255000
1998	9382	1338	2161	342	2909	34500
1999	16639	177	1661	339	1864	51000
2000	4217	134	1573	336	2442	192000
2001	182	5	88	131	120	67000
2002	16		32	21	101	16959
2003	22	5	45	4	52	0
2004	16	4	87	10	61	0
2005	177	194	243	45	338	0
2006	1175	1064	1292	85	2095	279200
2007Aug.	3368	316	565	30	-----	110000
Total	116966	26840	56153	12597	63565	2780009
(actual figures higher than documented)
Tamil Centre for Human Rights - TCHR Centre Tamoul pour les Droits de l'Homme
* = Communal riots ** = Indian Peace Keeping Forces - IPKF
*** = Only 2% of the disappeared have been found 16

Journalists and other staff

killed, attacked and harassed in Sri Lanka

1990-2000

Tamil Centre for Human Rights – TCHR / Centre Tamoul pour les Droits des l'Homme, France

(many more to be included)

 

Date	Name of victim	Reporting for	Incident
18/02/1990	Richard de Zoysa (journalist for UN funded Rome based agency - IPS)	International Press Service	Abducted in and shot dead in Colombo by the Sri Lanka military intelligence.
14/05/1999	Sri Lal Priyantha	Lakbima	Arrested by the Police
15/07/1999	Ten journalists	Freelance & News	Assaulted by the Police
21/07/1999	Several journalists	Freelance & News Papers	Victims of violence by PSD (Presidential Security Division)
07/09/1999	Rohana Kumara	Editor-Satana	Shot dead in suburb of Colombo believed to by the PSD
27/09/1999	Susannah Price (British)	BBC	Received death threats by telephone
02/11/1999	Nadarajah Atputharajah	Thinamurusu	Shot dead by EPDP in Colombo
03/04/2000	Aiyathurai Nadesan	Virakesari	Grenade attack at his home in Batticaloa
20/10/2000	Mylvaganam Nirmalarajan	BBC & IBC, UK	Shot dead at his home in Jaffna by EPDP

 

Journalists and other staff killed, attacked and harassed in Sri Lanka - 2001

Tamil Centre for Human Rights – TCHR / Centre Tamoul pour les Droits des l'Homme, France

(many more to be included)

 

Date	Name of victim	Reporting for	Incident
02/01/2001	N. Thiruchelvam	Lake House	Arrested and tortured in Colombo
20/01/2001	M. Vithiyatharan	Editor-Uthayan	Arrested by Police in Jaffna
21/03/2001	A. Fasmi	Thinakural	Arrested by Sri Lanka Army in Mannar
16/04/2001	Marie Colvin (American)	Sunday Times UK	Shot and injured by Sri Lankan army
23/05/2001	Office of the weekly	Athavan	Hit by a lobbed smoke bomb
07/06/2001	Pirabaharan	Freelance	Attacked by gangsters in Bogawantala
17/06/2001	Dharmaratnam Sivaram	Freelance	Two armed men entered the house, looking Sivaram.
17/07/2001	Aiyadurai Nadesan	Virakesari	Interrogated by the Army in Batticaloa
03/08/2001	A. Manoharan	Lake House	Received death threat
26/12/2001	Dharmaratnam Sivaram	Freelance	Beaten with clubs and knives in Batticaloa
26/12/2001	M. Wijetharan	Thinakathir	Beaten with clubs and knives in Batticaloa

 

 

 

 

 

 

17

 

 

 

 

Journalists and other staff killed, attacked and harassed in Sri Lanka - 2002

Tamil Centre for Human Rights – TCHR / Centre Tamoul pour les Droits des l'Homme, France

(many more to be included)

 

Date	Name of victim	Reporting for	Incident
06/01/2002	Assif Hussein	Sunday Observor	Assif Hussein was warned for writing an article about the Buddhist temple in Kandy
30/01/2002	Ranjan Jayakody	TV channel ITN	Attacked while he was reporting on an irrigation project in the northern town of Gampaha
01/02/2002	Ervin de Silva	Divaina	Attacked by two army deserter and a policeman for written a report exposing a local case of corruption.
30/03/2002	Sarath Chinthaka	Daily Mirror and Lankadeepa	Three armed, masked men believed to be security forces, entered the home forcefully and threatened his wife, who was alone in the house with a child - demanding the recording of a controversial speech by President Kumaratunga. As they couldnt find the cassette, they broke a cupboard, took a dozen cassettes and a recorder, and threatened to kill Chinthaka.
07/04/2002	Sunil S. Thanthrige H.R. Perera	Lankadeepa Daily Mirror	An angry crowd of demonstrators attacked dashing their cameras to the ground.
22/04/2002	Buddhika Weerasinghe	Freelance	Police threatened five reporters who were covering a demonstration outside the prime minister’s residence in Colombo
26/06/2002	P. Sathsivanamdam	BBC & Virakesari	Armed men attacked his house in Muttur
00/06/2002	A.J.A. Abeynayaka	Divaina	Believed to Police prowled around his home iring shots in the air, on several occasions. This harassment was due to his reporting against Kadana police.
00/06/2002	Senathirajah Jeyanandamoorthy	Virakesari & Tamilnet	Journalist neighbour's home was set on fire. Believed to a wrong target
10/07/2002	Nishanta Kumara	Ravaya	Three men, including a member of the ruling UNP known as Sanil, attacked and threatened him with a knife - one asked if he was the human rights "dog" who was trying to send his brother-in-law to prison.
02/09/2002	Chandramorgan & ABC Radio Correspondent	Valampuri ABC Radio	Attached by while they took photographs of the police using tear gas on a crowd of demonstrators.
03/11/2002	Malini Herath	Dinamina	Thugs attacked the home
24/11/2002	Sandhya M. Weeratunga Rukmal Gamage	Dinakara Dinakara	Received telephone threats after their newspaper carried a report about a government minister. Thugs attcked Dinakara’s vehicles driver on 26 November, and asked about the journalists.

 

 

18

Date	Name of victim	Reporting for	Incident
03/12/2002	Wijitha Ranaweera Roshan Garusingha Jagath Kalansooriya	Dinamina Lakbima TV station ITN	Attacked while covering their use of violence by the supporters of a local leader of the ruling party to disrupt a local election. Ranaweera and Kalansooriya were hospitalised.
10/12/2002	Velupillai Thavachelvam	UK-based IBC Tamil Radio	Police attacked while covering a protest in Nelliady, Jaffna against the EPDP presence in the peninsula. He was admitted to hospital in Point Pedro.

 

 

 

 

Journalists and other staff killed, attacked and harassed in Sri Lanka - 2003

Tamil Centre for Human Rights – TCHR / Centre Tamoul pour les Droits des l'Homme, France

(many more to be included)

 

Date	Name of victim	Reporting for	Incident
07/01/2003	S. Jayananthamoorthy	Virakesari	Grenade attack at his home in Batticaloa
24/04/2003	Asoka Fernando	Sunday Leader	Threatened by a priest while covering a visit to Gangarama temple in Colombo
07/05/2003	Ponnaiah Manikavasagam	BBC Tamil Service	EPRLF (V), a paramilitary group threaten to kill
10/05/2003	Ponnaiah Manickavasagam	BBC - Tamil	Received death threats in Vavuniya
00/06/2003	Poddala Jayantha	Silumina	Received death threats for reporting on corruption
27/07/2003	Lasantha Wickrematunga	Editor – Sunday Leader	Minister of Fisheries Mahinda Wijeskera had threatened to kill him.
01/08/2003	Lasantha Wickrematunga	Editor – Sunday Leader	A Minister threatened to kill him
29/10/2003	Athula	Hiru FM radio	Wounded when Sinhala-Tamil cultural festival attacked
08/11/2003	Paul Harris	Daily Telegraph, UK and Jane’s Review	Forced to leave the country because the authorities refused to renew his visa.
19/11/2003	Velupillai Thavachelvam	UK-based IBC Tamil Radio	Military intelligence personnel detained him at the Muhamalai checkpoint in Jaffna.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19

Journalists and other staff killed, attacked and harassed in Sri Lanka - 2004

Tamil Centre for Human Rights – TCHR / Centre Tamoul pour les Droits des l'Homme, France

(many more to be included)

Date	Name of victim	Reporting for	Incident
00/02/2004	S. Sivapalan S. Manoharan	Thinakural Namathu Eelanadu	Beaten with batons by police as they were covering an incident in Manipay. Their accreditation, was taken from them. Their notebooks and cameras were destroyed.
03/05/2004	Dharmaratnam Sivaram	Freelance	Police raided him in Colombo
31/05/2004	Aiyathurai Nadesan	Virakesari & IBC Radio, UK	Shot dead by paramilitary working with Sri Lankan military
16/08/2004	Kandasamy Iyer Balanadarajah	Thinamurasu.	Shot dead in Colombo while on his way to work
12/10/2004	Udaya Kumara Abeyratne	Divaina	Attacked by members of a Pentecostal church near Colombo
25/10/2004	Frederica Jansz Heshani Edward	Sunday Leader Freelance	Attacked while investigating the alleged implication of telecommunications tycoon Thilanga Sumathipala
29/10/2004	Yamuni Rashmika Atula Vithanage	Lanka Radio Hiru FM	Both injured during an attack by members of the ultra nationalist party, Sihala Urumayah
24/12/2004	Kithsiri De Mel	Daily Mirror	Attacked while photographing clashes between police and a crowd in funeral of Buddhist monk.

 

Journalists and other staff killed, attacked and harassed in Sri Lanka - 2005

Tamil Centre for Human Rights – TCHR / Centre Tamoul pour les Droits des l'Homme, France

(many more to be included)

Date	Name of victim	Reporting for	Incident
28/04/2005	Dharmaratnam Sivaram	Freelance: Tamilnet, Daily Mirror,Virakesari,	Abducted and shot dead in Colombo by the paramilitary working closely with Sri Lankan military intelligence.
12/08/2005	Mr & Mrs Selvarajah	SLRC	Shot dead in Colombo in their travel agency
23/08/2005	Y Premachchandran	Sudar Oli	Attacked by JVP while photographing a JVP protest rally
29/08/2005	D. Selvarathnam – Secuirty Guard	Sudar Oli	Two grenades were thrown at the building and watchman was injured
16/10/2005	S. A. Dias, publication manager	Sunday Leader	Dias was assaulted and the printing press was set on fire
01/11/2005	Ranee Mohamed, Berty Mendis	Sunday Leader	Assaulted with batons and swords
15/12/2005	Namathu Eelanadu	Namathu Eelanadu	Army officers searched the office in Jaffna interogated several staff.
17/12/2005	B. Parathipan, a lawyer - renowned journalist Kulukulan Prameshwaran	Thinakkural   Thinakkural Thinakkural	Held in custody overnight after being stopped at a Colombo checkpoint.
19/12/2005	T. Sabeswaran Winston Jeyan J. Jerad	Thinakkural Thinakaran Namathu Eelanadu	Assaulted by members of the security forces, their quipments were also damaged
22/12/2005	K. Navarathnam	Thinakkural	Newspaper deliveryman was shot dead by Sri Lanka security forces

 

 

20

 

 

Journalists and other staff killed, attacked and harassed in Sri Lanka - 2006

Tamil Centre for Human Rights – TCHR / Centre Tamoul pour les Droits des l'Homme, France

(many more to be included)

Date	Name of victim	Reporting for	Incident