Sri Lanka War Refugees Held By Government – Rights Group

By pearlaction | December 23, 2008 |

[AFP] Thousands of Tamils fleeing heavy fighting in the north of Sri Lanka are trapped by the government and being denied basic provisions, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday. People who have fled areas under control of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels to seek safety in government-controlled regions are detained in army-run camps, the…

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Besieged, Displaced, and Detained: The Plight of Civilians in Sri Lanka’s Vanni Region

By pearlaction | December 23, 2008 |

[HRW] “This 49-page report documents the Sri Lankan government’s responsibility for the plight of the 230,000 to 300,000 displaced persons trapped in the Vanni conflict zone. They face severe shortages of food and other essentials because of government restrictions on humanitarian assistance. Individuals and families who have managed to flee areas controlled by the separatist…

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The Department of State warns American citizens traveling to Sri Lanka

By pearlaction | December 22, 2008 |

[ United States Department of State] The Department of State warns American citizens traveling to or living in Sri Lanka about the continuing danger of terrorist attacks throughout the country. The Department of State urges American citizens to evaluate carefully the risks of travel to Sri Lanka and specifically warns Americans against travel to the…

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A war against the judiciary

By pearlaction | December 19, 2008 |

[AHRC] The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, in a judgement that is considered controversial this week (December 17) ordered that petrol prices should be reduced to Rs 100/= per litre to be effective from midnight the same day. The prevalent price for petrol with a octane count of 90, was Rs 122/= and petrol with…

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Plight of Sri Lanka’s war widows

By pearlaction | December 18, 2008 |

[BBC] “My husband was a fisherman. About three years ago, when he returned from a fishing trip, somebody checked his identity card and shot him dead,” says Jeyarulai Puwanendran, weeping. The single mother, 23, is a resident of Kiran, Batticaloa, in Sri Lanka’s eastern region. “I have a four-year-old daughter. I don’t get help from…

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