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இலங்கை மனித உரிமை மீறல்கள் குறித்து பிரித்தானிய பாராளுமன்றத்தில் விவாதம் :

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  • கருத்துக்கள உறவுகள்

இலங்கை மனித உரிமை மீறல்கள் குறித்து பிரித்தானிய பாராளுமன்றத்தில் விவாதம் :

15 செப்டம்பர் 2011

ஒன்றரை மணித்தியாலம் ஒதுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இலங்கையில் இடம்பெற்ற மனித உரிமை மீறல்கள் பற்றிய விவாதம் பிரித்தானிய பாராளுமன்றத்தில் இன்று மாலை இடம்பெறவுள்ளது.

ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் மனித உரிமைகள் பேரவையின் 18 ஆவது கூட்டத் தொடர் இடம் பெறும் கால கட்டத்தில், பிரித்தானிய பாராளுமன்றத்தில் இலங்கையின் மனித உரிமைகள் பற்றியவிவாதத்திற்கு ஒன்றரை மணித்தியாலம் ஒதுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.வன்னியில் முள்ளிவாய்க்காலில் இடம் பெற்ற மோதலின் போது படைகள் பாரிய மனித உரிமை மீறல்களில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ளதாக குற்றம் சுமத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது.

ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் சபை, அமெரிக்கா, பிரித்தானியா, ஐரோப்பிய ஒன்றிய நாடுகள் மற்றும் உலகின் முன்னணி மனித உரிமை அமைப்புக்கள் என்பன இலங்கை மனித உரிமை மீறல்கள் பற்றிய தமது கரிசனையை வெளியிட்டு வருகின்றன.

புலம்பெயர்ந்த தமிழ் மக்கள் கோரும் சர்வதேச சுயாதீன போர்க்குற்ற விசாரணைக்கு வழிகோலும் மனித உரிமை மீறல்கள் தொடர்பாக பிரித்தானிய பாராளுமன்றத்தில் விவாதம் இடம்பெறவுள்ளதாகவும் தகவல்கள் தெரிவிக்கின்றன.

http://www.globaltamilnews.net/GTMNEditorial/tabid/71/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/67212/language/ta-IN/article.aspx

இலங்கையின் போர்க்குற்றங்கள் மற்றும் மனிதவுரிமை மீறல்கள் கவலை தருகின்றது! - பிரித்தானிய அமைச்சர் Alistair Burt

இலங்கையில் இடம்பெற்ற இறுதிக் கட்டப் போரின் போது மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்ட போர்க்குற்றங்கள் மற்றும் மனிதவுரிமை மீறல்கள் கவலையளிப்பதாக அமைந்துள்ளதாக தெற்காசிய விவகாரங்களுக்கான பிரித்தானிய அமைச்சர் Alistair Burt தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

இலங்கை தொடர்;பில் பிரித்தானிய நாடாளுமன்றத்தில் நேற்று (15.09.11) இடம்பெற்ற விவாதத்தின் போதே அவர் இவ்வாறு குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்.

அத்துடன், இப்போர்க்குற்றங்கள் மற்றும் மனிதவுரிமை மீறல்கள் தொடர்பில் விசாரணைகளை மேற்கொள்வதற்கு சிறிலங்கா அரசாங்கம் மேற்கொண்ட நடவடிக்கைகள் இதுவரை பூர்த்தியடையவில்லை எனவும் அவர் கூறியுள்ளார்.

இலங்கையில் நிலையான சமாதானத்தை உருவாக்குவதற்கு மேலதிக நடவடிக்கைகள் எடுக்கப்பட வேண்டும் எனவும் அவர் வலியுறுத்தியுள்ளார்.

அதேவேளை இலங்கையை ஒற்றுமையான நாடாக உருவாக்குவதற்கு பிரித்தானியா ஒத்துழைப்பும், சந்தர்ப்பமும் வழங்க வேண்டும் என கொன்சர்வேட்டிவ் கட்சியின் நாடாளுமன்ற உறுப்பினரான Brian Binley குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்.

போர்க்குற்றங்கள் மற்றும் மனிதவுரிமை மீறல்கள் தொடர்பில் பொறுப்புக் கூறுவதற்கு சிறிலங்கா அரசாங்கம் முயற்சிகளை மேற்கொண்டுள்ளதாக அவர் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்.

அத்துடன், இடம்பெயர்ந்த மக்களின் பிரச்சினைகள் மற்றும் அரசியல் தீர்வு தொடர்பில் சிறிலங்கா அரசாங்கம் நடவடிக்கைகளை மேற்கொண்டுள்ளதாக அவர் தெரிவித்தார்.

இதற்கு அனைவரும் ஆதரவு வழங்க வேண்டும் எனக் குறிப்பிட்ட அவர், வெளியில் இருந்து பிரயோகிக்கப்படும் அழுத்தங்கள் நிறைந்த சூழல் இலங்கைக்கு சாதகமாக அமையாது என்றும் கூறியுள்ளார்.

அதேவேளை, இலங்கையில் இடம்பெற்ற போர் முடிவுக்கு வந்து இரு வருடங்கள் கழிந்துள்ள நிலையில், அங்கு இடம்பெற்று வருகின்ற சம்பவங்கள் தொடர்பில் பிரித்தானியாவின் நாடாளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர்கள் கவலை வெளியிட்டுள்ளனர்.

இந்நிலையில், இலங்கையில் இடம்பெற்ற இறுதிக் கட்டப் போரின் போது மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்ட போர்க்குற்றங்கள் மற்றும் மனிதவுரிமை மீறல்கள் தொடர்பில் சர்வதேச விசாரணைகள் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட வேண்டும் என பிரித்தானியப் பிரதமர் டேவிட் கமரூன் முன்னர் வலியுறுத்தி இருந்தமை குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

.

http://ponguthamil.com/news/contentnews.asp?sectionid=1&contentid={BAB8DDA6-8FD4-4D30-8EE2-D176E2377D43}

British Parliamentarians debate human rights situation in Sri Lanka

Executive Summary of Debate & Key Quotes

A number of British Members of Parliament raised concerns regarding the state of human rights in Sri Lanka, during a backbench debate on ‘Human Rights in the Indian Sub-continent’ in the House of Commons on Thursday 15th September.

MPs, representing the two largest parties at Westminster – Labour and the Conservatives – called for justice for all people in Sri Lanka and the establishment of an independent, credible and thorough investigation into the allegations of war crimes committed by Government and Tamil Tiger forces during the final months of the armed conflict in 2009.

Many of the MPs who spoke stated that such an inquiry should be held under international auspices given the nature of the allegations and the serious concerns regarding the credibility of Sri Lanka’s LLRC. In addition Robert Halfon MP, Brian Binley MP, Siobhain McDonagh MP (Vice Chair of the Tamil APPG) and Stephen Twigg MP (Shadow Minister for Human Rights) all agreed that accountability and justice for these alleged crimes is essential as a means to ensure that other countries in the future are deterred from perpetrating such crimes against its people.

Lee Scott MP (Chair Tamil APPG), Siobhain McDonagh, Robert Halfon and John McDonnell MP all expressed their unease about the progress of resettlement and rehabilitation, the detention of alleged Tamil Tiger ex-combatants and the militarisation of former Tamil lands. Whilst James Wharton MP and Mr Binley stated that the Government of Sri Lanka had made progress in terms of resettlement and reconstruction, they both agreed that a lot more work needed to be done.

Ms McDonagh, Mr Halfon and Barry Gardiner MP raised the issue of the democratic deficit in Sri Lanka, given the intolerance towards minority groups on the island and the centralisation of power in the hands of the Rajapaksa family.

In light of some of the serious concerns raised above, Virendra Sharma MP, Robert Halfon both called for Sri Lanka to be suspended from the Commonwealth and Siobhain McDonagh and Mr Halfon stated that there should be a boycott of the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka. In addition, Siobhain McDonagh requested that the British Government revoke the diplomatic accreditation of Brigadier Prassana Silva, the Defence Attache to the UK, in light of war crimes allegations against him in the UN Panel of Experts report on Sri Lanka.

Speaking on behalf of the British Government, Alistair Burt reiterated Britain’s support for an independent and credible investigation into war crimes as a means to ensure reconciliation and peace and welcomed the UN Human Right’s Councils consideration of the UN Panel of Experts report on Sri Lanka. Whilst de-mining and reconstruction were progressing, Mr Burt stated that “key challenges remain”, particularly in relation to resettlement, human rights and the resolution of a political settlement between communities on the island.

The link to the full Hansard report can be found here:

http://www.publicati...#11091558000003

Key quotes from MPs and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, with responsibility for Sri Lanka:

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Alistair Burt):

  • I assure the House that I have a regular and very frank relationship with Foreign Minister G. L. Peiris. We discuss all the significant issues that have been raised today. The allegations of war crimes and other human rights violations committed by both sides in the military conflict are of great concern to us. The UK has consistently made its position clear: Sri Lanka needs to address accountability through an independent, thorough and credible process that meets international standards and allows the people of Sri Lanka to move towards reconciliation and lasting peace and security.
  • We hope that all those displaced by the conflict who have returned to their home areas will be resettled in permanent accommodation in the near future. De-mining and reconstruction of key infrastructure in the north is progressing. However, just as it is fair to note progress, so it is fair to note that it has not been complete everywhere and that serious challenges remain,
  • We believe that further action is required to make peace sustainable. In particular, minority political grievances need to be resolved, the mechanisms for protecting and promoting human rights need strengthening, and Sri Lanka’s communities must collectively deal with the legacy of such a long conflict
  • The LLRC report, which will be published in November, must set out clear steps towards accountability in respect of allegations of war crimes.
  • While we share international concerns about the credibility of the LLRC, it is a Sri Lankan-led process and we want the Sri Lankan Government to use it to address allegations effectively and allow their communities to live and work together.
  • The international community can also provide support to Sri Lanka. The comprehensive report of the UN panel of experts is most welcome, and we welcome the UN Human Rights Council’s consideration of those recommendations. We understand that this, and the disturbing Channel 4 footage, on which I made some fairly straightforward comments at the time, will be considered by the LLRC before it produces its report in November. It is a step in the right direction that we wish to encourage.

Steve Baker (Wycombe) (Conservative):

  • I will say only that I support my Tamil constituents’ demand for an independent international investigation.

Mr Lee Scott (Ilford North) (Con):

  • I have said that there should be an independent international inquiry […] There must be justice for all in Sri Lanka.
  • […] It is now some two years since the conflict ended—to decide whether somebody is a terrorist or whether they should stand trial; nor should it take two years for those trials to take place.
  • […] would also like to ask what has happened to the elderly and disabled people who were left behind at the end of the conflict, on 18 May 2009, because they are still unaccounted for.

Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con):

  • […] as well as the thousands and thousands of Tamils who were killed by the Sri Lankan regime, 17,000 Tamils are still caged behind barbed wire and another nearly 200,000 in transit camps have been refused permission to return to their homes.
  • If we judge a democracy by its rule of law, property rights and religious tolerance, the Sri Lankan Government fails on all three. First, the Sri Lankan military is above the rule of law. As Members have said, 17,000 Tamils are still caged in barbaric camps. We still hear reports of Tamil civilians being summarily executed or disappearing, and that follows the genocide of 40,000 Tamils in the past decade. Secondly, property rights do not exist. Large areas of Tamil land and housing are still occupied by the Sri Lankan military.
  • […] Sri Lanka is not a proper democracy. […] there is no tolerance of minorities. An estimated 180,000 Tamils are still displaced, either in transit camps or sheltering, and the names of prisoners have still not been published, so families cannot find out if their relatives are alive.
  • There is a saying that one judges a man by the friends he keeps. In the same way, one can judge a Government by the allies they keep. In the past decade, Sri Lanka’s key allies have been Iran, North Korea and Colonel Gaddafi. Colonel Gaddafi gave Sri Lanka £500 million in financial assistance for so-called development projects. In return, Sri Lanka strongly opposed the no-fly zone in Libya and offered him sanctuary. Even after Gaddafi was threatening Benghazi, Sri Lanka organised mass rallies in his support, protesting against NATO intervention. We all know the story of North Korea, yet Sri Lanka was happy to sign a major weapons contract with it in 2009. We also know the story about Iran, yet Sri Lanka signed business and oil contracts with that country in defiance of international sanctions. Despite that, Sri Lanka continues to be a member of the Commonwealth and the United Nations.
  • Having taught the Sinhalese to hate the Tamil minority, the Sri Lankan Government used the Tamil Tigers, who are opposed by moderate Tamils, and whose systematic killing of civilians we all condemn, as the excuse for a litany of horrific events and actions.
  • […] we should also boycott the Commonwealth leaders summit in Sri Lanka in 2013.

Gavin Barwell (Croydon Central) (Con):

  • […] our constituents have a right to know who was responsible for the deaths of their family members in Sri Lanka and that the record of the Sri Lankan Government to date suggests that they will not get that answer from the Sri Lankan authorities.

Nick de Bois (Enfield North) (Con):

  • […] the most important thing that should come out of today’s debate is the need not to lose sight of justice for all.

James Wharton (Stockton South) (Con):

  • The end of the campaign has brought great benefits to Sri Lanka. We have seen the eradication of terrorism on the island, and elections are taking place in the north and east, as those areas join what is becoming a mature democracy throughout the rest of Sri Lanka. […]The reconciliation and accountability that is such an important part of Sri Lanka moving forward has begun. […]A lot of progress still needs to be made. We must not be an uncritical friend of Sri Lanka’s, but we must be a friend of Sri Lanka and of the Sri Lankan people.

Mr Brian Binley (Northampton South) (Con):

  • Sri Lanka is a country that is coming to terms with the consequences of considerable strife and conflict. It takes time to overcome the horrors of conflict.
  • I think that the Channel 4 programme is open to question and that those questions have not been answered. However, the United Nations report is credible and we should be cognisant of that fact. The British Government have also recognised that, and it is right to call for an independent, thorough and credible investigation into the allegations of violations of human rights laws. I totally support such an investigation, but it should be into the violations on both sides of the conflict.
  • The process of reconstruction is taking longer than we would like, but Sri Lanka is a small country and we need to recognise that its resources are limited too. I believe that we should give Sri Lanka every opportunity and support to help them create a united country. I hope that that succeeds, as we must all do, but equally I hope that the independent inquiry will take place, because it will put to rest some of the propaganda that is actually hindering progress in that nation.
  • (Robert Halfon) On many issues, my hon. Friend and I are at one, but on this one I think we take a very different view. He has quoted one United Nations individual, so may I quote the former President of Finland who is an international mediator? He has said: “Countries operating outside international norms watch each other carefully. They will be taking courage from Sri Lanka’s apparent success at avoiding international reproach. This is a worry for all those who want to see more democracy, greater respect for human rights and less violence in the world.” Mr Binley: Of course, I accept that statement from my hon. Friend with no problem whatever.

Stephen Twigg (Liverpool, West Derby) (Lab/Co-op) (Shadow Minister for Human Rights):

  • A number of hon. Members referred to the Channel 4 film, “Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields”, which was broadcast in June, bringing images of atrocities committed against civilians in Sri Lanka in the concluding months of the decades-long war. The footage was truly appalling and the 25-year conflict has left Sri Lanka scarred. The military conclusion of active hostilities between the Government and the LTTE was reached in 2009, but only after mass atrocities and alleged war crimes by both sides. This leaves Sri Lanka with dual tests of accountability and reconciliation. Civilians, be they Tamil, Sinhalese or Muslim, have paid the heaviest price. For them, justice must be realised.
  • […] the international community has a responsibility to secure justice.
  • Justice must be sought because that is the right thing to do, but it is also right that we should pursue justice as a means of deterrent. Writing recently in The Times, Lord Ashdown made a poignant observation: “The point about law is that it exists not just to deliver justice after the event but also to govern behaviour beforehand”. Restrictions on journalists in Sri Lanka meant that this was a war without witness. Testimony brought about through the mechanism of accountability will shed light on the dark events that have scarred Sri Lanka’s recent history—testimony that reveals the human rights atrocities that were committed in Sri Lanka and testimony that leads to justice.
  • Can the Minister share with the House any recent discussions the Government have had with the Sri Lankan Government on their plans for reaching a political settlement and devolving power? Has the Minister made any representations about the number of people still being held in so-called rehabilitation centres? Is he satisfied that there is sufficient media freedom in Sri Lanka?
  • the Arab spring has reminded us that the thirst for freedom, democracy and human rights is not western but universal. It also reminds us that in many parts of the world there are real concerns about double standards in the policies of the major powers. It is vital that we take a consistent approach to human rights, and the desire for that consistency has been reflected in this debate.

Barry Gardiner (Brent North) (Labour):

  • […] Amnesty International’s country report on Sri Lanka this year will be of equal concern to both the Tamil and Sinhalese communities […] The report says that in the immediate aftermath of the elections, the Rajapaksa family, “which controlled five key ministries and more than 90 state institutions,” introduced a constitutional amendment in September that “removed the two-term limit on the presidency

Siobhain McDonagh (Mitcham and Morden) (Lab):

  • The civil war in Sri Lanka was one of the region’s most dreadful conflicts of recent times. In its last five months alone, 100,000 people were killed, 40,000 of them civilians. War crimes took place.
  • I commend Channel 4, and reporters such as Jonathan Miller, for continuing to investigate the harrowing story. Even after the war, more than 300,000 Tamils were held in camps, and although most have been released, the International Crisis Group says that they were sent to places that were “devoid of the most basic amenities.”
  • Many still live under canvas, and 3,000 are still in “rehabilitation” camps, held without charge and without any access to legal help. Sri Lanka’s military continue to control civilian life in Tamil areas, including aid, and routinely steal Tamil property for use by military personnel and their families.
  • The President of Sri Lanka, a probable war crimes suspect, has taken on enormous powers over the judiciary and policing, limiting the courts’ ability to prevent abuses of civil rights
  • The Government say of the LLRC’s job that “what happened in the past must be relegated to history”, although, as the UN stresses, “not to hold accountable those who committed serious crimes...is a clear violation of Sri Lanka’s international obligations and is not a permissible transitional justice option.”
  • The world must say to other Governments that there is nothing to be gained from taking the Sri Lankan option of brutal repression and war crimes.
  • The last UK Government, thanks—to be fair—to the leadership of my right hon. Friend the Member for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath (Mr Brown), brought an end to GSP plus, the generalised system of preferences that led to a preferential trading agreement between Europe and Sri Lanka, voted against the International Monetary Fund’s $2.5 billion deal with Sri Lanka, and prevented it from hosting a Commonwealth summit. Britain must not lose that lead.
  • Switzerland and Germany have just forced Sri Lanka to recall a senior diplomat after accusations that he made troops fire on civilians and took part in torture and summary executions. However, another man implicated in similar crimes, Major-General Prasanna Silva, has just been appointed a military attaché to the UK. I call on the Minister to reassure the House that he will not permit Major-General Silva to serve here. I want Britain to prove its place at the head of the international community, and I hope that the Minister can enable it to do so by removing this man’s diplomatic privileges.
  • Those of us who believe in justice want the people responsible to be held to account, just as all of us would agree about Colonel Gaddafi, Radovan Karadzic and Charles Taylor.
  • Sri Lanka still wants to host the Commonwealth summit in 2013. We should be clearly saying “No, not until there is a fully independent, UN-led international inquiry.” I hope that if one thing comes out of today’s debate, it will be that commitment

Fiona Mactaggart (Slough) (Lab):

  • […] although my Sri Lankan constituents, who come from both Sinhala and Tamil communities, are well aware of my passionate commitment to human rights in that country.

Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West) (Lab/Co-op):

  • […] the International Committee of the Red Cross was for far too long denied access to prisons in Sri Lanka, which held many of those whom the Sri Lankan Government had chosen to detain.

John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington) (Lab):

  • […] various recommendations were made by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, a number of them have not been implemented. For example, the simple recommendation that a list of names of those in detention should be published still has not been implemented. As a result, a number of my constituents are still anxious to find out what has happened to their families and where they are in detention.
  • When people are released from detention, despite reassurances that they will be assisted with resettlement, that is not happening in every case. Some are living in very distressing circumstances, but they are getting no assistance. Furthermore, there is a continuing problem of land having been taken over, particularly by the military, and reallocated to the majority community
  • I would welcome our own Minister putting pressure on the Sri Lankan Government to address those issues and to get back into negotiations with the Tamil National Alliance, which has withdrawn from the current negotiations because of the Government’s intransigence. In that way, we might be able achieve an atmosphere of peace and reconciliation again.

Virendra Sharma (Southall) (Lab):

  • In the light of all the reports, television coverage and films shown on Channel 4, and the international condemnation, does the hon. Gentleman agree that this is the right time to demand that the Sri Lanka Government be expelled from the Commonwealth until they accept the international court?

Edited by akootha

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