India urged to raise human rights issues in Sri Lanka

By pearlaction | January 16, 2009 |

[Amnesty International] As the Indian Foreign Secretary visits Sri Lanka this week, he has been urged to raise concerns over the safety of displaced civilians trapped in the Wanni, in discussions with the Government of Sri Lanka. In an open letter to Shivshankar Menon, Amnesty International has asked him to pay special attention to the…

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Massive displacement of civilians amid escalating conflict

By pearlaction | January 15, 2009 |

[ICRC] The ICRC has been helping them to maintain acceptable levels of hygiene, to keep in touch with relatives and to maintain hope. Fighting has prevented relief supplies from reaching the population in the Vanni for the past five days. “Civilians in the Vanni are weary from the conflict. Repeated displacements, often involving the loss…

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Journos Vow to Carry on Slain Editor’s Legacy

By pearlaction | January 15, 2009 |

[IPS] In Sri Lanka, strict compliance with international humanitarian law was all the more critical with the intensification of fighting in the Vanni region and reports of intermittent artillery fire in civilian populated areas in recent weeks. He said the scale of humanitarian needs was difficult to gauge, given restricted humanitarian access due to the…

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Security Council, in presidential statement, reaffirms commitment to protection of civilians in armed conflict, adopts updated aide-memoire on issue

By pearlaction | January 14, 2009 |

[ United Nations Security Council ] In Sri Lanka, strict compliance with international humanitarian law was all the more critical with the intensification of fighting in the Vanni region and reports of intermittent artillery fire in civilian populated areas in recent weeks. He said the scale of humanitarian needs was difficult to gauge, given restricted…

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