new york லேபிளுடன் இடுகைகளைக் காண்பிக்கிறது. அனைத்து இடுகைகளையும் காண்பி

வியாழன், 19 செப்டம்பர், 2013

Tamils Rally Against Sri Lankan President in New York: TGTE

Tamils Rally Against Sri Lankan President During His Visit to UN in New York: TGTE

Gaddafi & Sri Lankan President Rajapakse

"This rally is to alert the UN leaders that among them is a war criminal posing as a Statesman"

This rally is to alert the UN leaders that among them is a war criminal posing as a Statesman"

— Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE)

NEW YORK, USA, September 18, 2013 /EINPresswire.com/ --

Rally: September 24th (Tuesday),from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (outside UN in New York)

ATTACHED: Video - Sri Lanka's Killing Field (By: UK's Channel 4).

1) Urges Ban Ki-Moon to appoint an International Commission of Inquiry under UN Article 99.
2) Urges the UN not to allow the Sri Lankan President to use his appearance at the UN to sanitize his international crimes.
3) According to UN Internal Review report over 70,000 Tamils were killed in five months.
4) 90,000 Tamil war widows. The Tamil women are subject to sexual abuse by the Sri Lankan security forces.

Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) announced today that a rally will be held outside the United Nations headquarters in New York to protest Sri Lankan President Rajapakse's visit to the UN General Assembly on September 24th.

This rally is to alert the UN leaders that among them is a war criminal posing as a Statesman and to highlight the gravity of the international crimes that the Sri Lankan President have committed against Tamils.

The rally will be held on September 24th (Tuesday), from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. (outside UN in New York).

"We urge the UN not to allow the Sri Lankan President to use his appearance at the UN to sanitize his barbaric international crimes. His is not just a war criminal, but a perpetrator of genocide" said a TGTE spokesperson.

According to a UN Internal Review report over 70,000 Tamils were killed in five months due to deliberate and intense carpet bombing of areas designated by the government as "no-fire zones", where Tamils assembled for safety.

The Sri Lankan Government also restricted food and medicine for Tamils, resulting in large numbers of people dying from starvation and many of the injured bleeding to death.

There are currently over 90,000 Tamil war widows. The Tamil women, especially female bread winners & their daughters are subject to sexual abuse by the Sri Lankan security forces.

In addition to the killings, thousands of Tamils have disappeared, women are abused, large numbers of Tamils are imprisoned without trial and abductions are continuing to this day.

Due to the shear number of civilian killings by the Sri Lankan Security forces, the UN Human Rights Council passed two resolutions on accountability for these crimes and is continuing the review.

There are also calls for the UN Secretary General to appoint an International Commission of Inquiry under UN Article 99, which give authority for the UN Secretary General to appoint an International Commission of Inquiry.

The Sri Lankan President is desperately trying to stall UN Human Rights Council and actions under UN Article 99 and is using international meetings like UN General Assembly to solicit support to protect him from the War Crimes Investigation.

"We are urging UN Secretary General to not to protect him but to appoint a Commission of Inquiry under UN Article 99" continued the spokesperson.

TGTE also urged UN leaders to ask Sri Lankan President about the UN Panel report that documented mass killings by his troops and the three documentaries in the "Sri Lanka's Killing Fields" series produced by UK’s Channel 4 TV. (ATTACHED: Video - Sri Lanka's Killing Field (By: UK's Channel 4).

Please remind him that mass killing of civilians is a war crime and a crime against humanity and refuse to protect him. If he claims innocence, then urge him to face international investigation to prove just that.

"Given the ongoing structural genocide we are urging the International Community to establish an International Protection Mechanism." said a TGTE spokesperson.

Tamils were singled out to face these abuses simply and solely on account of their Tamil nationality. Members of the Sri Lankan Security forces are almost exclusively from the Sinhalese ethnic community and the victims are all from the Tamil ethnic community.

Suthan Raj
Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE)
+(33) 651-0553-00
email us here

ஞாயிறு, 7 ஏப்ரல், 2013

Sri Lanka in Amnesty's Get on the Bus protest in New York

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 April 2013, 03:32 GMT]
More than 250 students from Massachusetts and other states including several Tamil youths Friday participated in Amnesty's "Get on the Bus for Human Rights" [GOTB] day of action focused on human rights in Uganda, China/Tibet, Sudan, Sri Lanka, and Burma. First rally in the afternoon targetted Sri Lanka, calling on the Sri Lankan government to end arbitrary detentions, torture, and enforced disappearances. The rally was held at the Permanent Mission of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, on the 3rd Avenue.

The "End Arbitrary Detention" flier distributed and carried during the rally on Sri Lanka, included the following:

GOTB is an annual day of human rights education and activism organized by Amnesty International USA Group 133 of Somerville, MA and a dedicated team of volunteer community organizers.

திங்கள், 25 ஜூன், 2012

என்னோட நியூயார்க் வந்துடும்மா...

ஏமாற்றுதல், மோசடி, நயவஞ்சகம் முதலான பல குற்றங்கள் புரிந்ததுடன் பெற்றதாயின் மனத்தைக் கொலை செய்த பாவி இருக்கும் ஊரிலும் பணியாற்றும் இடங்களிலும் இத்தகவலைப் பரப்புங்கள். இக் கொடுமையை நினைக்கும் பொழுது ஒன்றும் எழுத வரவில்லை. வேதனையுடன் இலக்குவனார் திருவள்ளுவன் / தமிழே விழி! தமிழா விழி! எழுத்தைக் காப்போம்! மொழியைக் காப்போம்! இனத்தைக் காப்போம்! /

என்னோட நியூயார்க் வந்துடும்மா...

[பட உதவி: கூகிள்]

புது தில்லி இந்திரா காந்தி பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையத்தின் T3 ஓய்விடத்திலிருந்த இருக்கையில் சரிந்து அமர்ந்திருந்தார் அந்த வயதான பெண்மணி. வாழ்வில் பெற்ற அனுபவங்கள் வரிவரியாக சுருக்கங்களை அவரது தோலில் ஏற்றியிருந்தது. பலவித நாடுகளிலிருந்து வந்த/செல்லும் எண்ணிலடங்கா மனிதர்களுக்கு நடுவே இந்தப் பெண்மணி எங்கே பயணம் செய்யக் காத்திருக்கிறார்? அவரது மனதில் ஓடிக்கொண்டிருக்கும் எண்ணங்கள்தான் என்ன? பார்ப்போமா?

“அப்பாடி…. எவ்வளவு வருடங்கள் ஆயிற்று இப்படி நிம்மதியாய் உட்கார்ந்து. வாழ்வின் தொடக்கத்திலிருந்தே ஓடி ஓடி, மணமுடித்து, “ஒண்ணே ஒண்ணு கண்ணே கண்ணு” என ஒரு மகனைப் பெற்று, வளர்த்து, ஆளாக்கி என ஓட்டம் தொடர்ந்து கொண்டே தான் இருந்தது. ஒரு வருடமா, இரண்டு வருடமா, கடந்த 72 வருடங்களாக ஓடிட்டே தான் இருந்திருக்கேன்….

ஆச்சு, ஒரே பையனும் கல்யாணம் பண்ணி நியூயார்க்-லயே செட்டிலாயிட்டான். ஆனாலும் எனக்கென்னமோ இந்த தில்லியை விட்டு போகணும்னு நினைச்சுக்கூட பார்க்கமுடியல. வயசு தான் ஏறிட்டு போகுதே, எப்படி தனியாக இருக்க முடியும்னு அப்பப்ப மனசுல தோணிட்டே இருந்தாலும், ஏனோ போக மனசு வரல. ஆனா இந்த ஒரு வருஷமா உடம்பு ரொம்பதான் படுத்துது. எவ்வளவு நாள் தான் ஓட முடியும், என்னிக்காவது ஒரு நாள் உட்கார்ந்து தானே ஆகணும்.

இப்படி ஒரு நாள் உடம்பு சரியில்லாம பக்கத்து வீட்டுக்காரங்க துணையோட ஆஸ்பத்திரி போன போதுதான் என் பையன் அமெரிக்காவிலிருந்து ஃபோன் பண்ணான். “ஏம்மா, இன்னும் எத்தனை நாள் தான் தனியா கஷ்டப்படுவே, இங்கேயே வந்துடேன்னு” கூப்பிட்டான். உடம்பு சரியில்லாத கஷ்டத்திலேயே சரின்னு சொல்லிட்டேன்.

அவனும் அங்கே இருந்தே, இன்டர்னெட் மூலமா நான் இருந்த எங்க சொந்த வீட்டை விக்கிறதுக்கும், பாஸ்போர்ட், விசா, எல்லாத்துக்கும் ஏற்பாடு பண்ணிட்டு, என்னை அழைச்சிட்டுப் போக ஒரு மாசம் முன்னாடி வந்தான். எல்லா வேலையும் கடகடன்னு முடிச்சு, இதோ இங்கே ஏர்போர்ட் வரைக்கும் வந்தாச்சு, அடுத்து நியூயார்க் தான்.”

அவரோட எண்ண ஓட்டத்தை தடை செய்யறமாதிரி, பாதுகாப்பிற்கு நின்றிருந்த ஒரு போலீஸ்காரர், அந்தப் பெண்மணியை “மாதாஜி ரொம்ப நேரமா இங்கே உட்கார்ந்து இருக்கீங்களே, ஏதாவது உதவி வேணுமா?”ன்னு கேட்டார். அட பழைய நினைவுகளில் மூழ்கியதில் நேரம் போனதே தெரியலையேன்னு நினைச்சு சிரிச்சுக்கிட்டே, “என் பையனோட நியூயார்க் போகக் காத்திருக்கேன், உள்ள போய் போர்டிங் பாஸ் மத்த ஏற்பாடெல்லாம் பண்ணிட்டு வரேன்னு போயிருக்கான், இப்ப வந்துடுவான்”_னு சொல்ல, அவர் விடாம “உங்க பையன் பேர் சொல்லுங்கம்மா, நான் விசாரிச்சு சொல்றேன்னு” பேர் கேட்டுட்டு உள்ளே போனார்.

[பட உதவி: கூகிள்]

உள்ளே போய் அரை மணி நேரம் கழித்து வந்த போலீஸ்காரர் முகத்தில் ஒரு வித அதிர்ச்சியும், அயர்ச்சியும். ”ஏம்மா, நல்லாத் தெரியுமா, உங்க பையன் உங்களுக்கும் டிக்கெட் வாங்கி இருக்காரான்னு?, ஏன்னா அவர் ஒரு மணி நேரம் முன்பு கிளம்பின நியூயார்க் விமானத்திலே போய்ட்டாரே…” ன்னு சொன்னதைக் கேட்ட பெண்மணிக்கு மாத்திரமல்ல, நமக்கும் அதிர்ச்சி.

அந்த வயதான பெண்மணிக்கு உட்கார்ந்திருந்தாலும், தரை கீழே நழுவி உள்ளே விழுந்துவிட்டது போன்ற உணர்வு. “நல்லா விசாரிச்சீங்களா, என் பையன் அப்படி எல்லாம் பண்ண மாட்டானேன்னு” கேட்க, ”நல்லா விசாரிச்சேம்மா, அந்த விமானத்துல அவருக்கு மட்டும் தான் டிக்கெட் வாங்கி இருக்காரு, உங்களுக்கு வாங்கவே இல்லை, விமானம் போயிடுச்சேம்மா” என்று சொல்லி, ”உங்களுக்கு வீட்டுக்கு போகணும்னா சொல்லுங்க, வண்டி ஏற்பாடு பண்ணித் தரேன்னு” சொல்லியிருக்கார்.

இத்தனை வருடம் கஷ்டப்பட்டு, வளர்த்து ஆளாக்கி விட்ட மகன் பணத்திற்காக இப்படிச் செய்வான்னு எதிர்பார்க்காத அந்த பாட்டி அதிர்ச்சியில் அங்கேயே மயங்கிச் சரிந்தார். செல்வதற்கு வீடும் இல்லாமல், கையில் பணமும் இல்லாது என்ன செய்ய முடியும் அந்த மூதாட்டியால்?

பணத்திற்காக பெற்ற தாயையே இப்படி நட்டாற்றில் விட்டுச் சென்ற அவலம் இந்தத் தலைநகர் தில்லியில் உண்மையாகவே நடந்தது. வடக்கு தில்லியில் நிறைய அடுக்கு மாடிக் குடியிருப்புகளில் ஒன்றில் இருந்த ஒரு பெண்மணிக்கு நேர்ந்த கதி இது. விஷயம் கேள்விப்பட்டு அந்தக் குடியிருப்பில் இருந்த சில பெரியவர்கள் அந்த மூதாட்டியை அழைத்து வந்து மேற்கொண்டு என்ன செய்யமுடியுமோ அதைச் செய்தார்கள். இப்படியும் ஆட்கள் இருக்கத்தான் செய்கிறார்கள்.

பெற்ற தாயை இப்படி நடுத்தெருவில் விட்டுப்போன அந்த படுபாவியை என்ன செய்யலாம்? நீங்களே சொல்லுங்கள்.

மீண்டும் சந்திப்போம்…

வெங்கட்.

புது தில்லி.

செவ்வாய், 1 மே, 2012

Amnesty rally in New York demands justice for Trinco-5 victims

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 April 2012, 00:14 GMT]
More than seven hundred Amnesty International human rights activists, including many high school students from the New England area, held a rally in front of Sri Lanka UN Mission Friday, demanding justice for Ragihar Manoharan and four of his friends extra-judically executed by Sri Lanka military on the 2nd January 2006. The protesting students demanded Colombo to bring perpetrators of the crime to justice. Sri Lanka was one of the rights violators, besides China/Tibet, Indonesia and Burma, targeted by the "Get on the Bus for Human Rights (GOTB)" rally organized by the Boston Chapter of Amnesty International.

Amnesty rally held Friday in NY

The event included a morning session at the Cooper Union featuring a panel of speakers on each action.

The Sri Lanka action featured a videotaped message from Dr. Manoharan, Ragihar’s father, thanking AI USA for its lobbying efforts on behalf of the Trincomalee student victims.

This was followed by J.S. Tissainayagam, a freelance Journalist incarcerated in Sri Lanka for writing on human rights.

Mr. Tissainayagam spoke about the ‘Trinco Five’ killings, the failure of the Sri Lankan Government to investigate these killings and Ragihar’s father Dr. Manoharan’s campaign for justice. He also narrated his own story on how he was imprisoned by the Sri Lankan Government under the prevention of terrorism act in 2008, Amnesty International campaign for his freedom, GOTB actions featuring his case for three consecutive years and his eventual freedom in 2010 due to the mounting international pressure.

Afternoon session started with a rally in front of the Sri Lanka Mission to the UN. Many Tamils from the NY, NJ area also joined the AI activists in chanting ‘Justice for Ragihar’, ‘Justice for Trinco Five’, ‘Sri Lanka, the world is watching you” and ‘UN, Investigate war Crimes’. Representatives from GOTB also met with the Sri Lanka UN mission officials to emphasize the need for Justice for ‘Trinco Five’.

GOTB is an annual day of human rights education and activism organized by Amnesty International USA Group 133 of Somerville, MA and a team of volunteer community organizers.

Now in its seventeenth year, GOTB draws upwards of 1200 participants riding buses, commuter trains, and carpooling down to New York City each year. The Boston Tamil community members have been part of the GOTB event for the last several years promoting human rights not only in Sri Lanka but all over the world.

Indonesia action featured release of Filep Karma, a prominent advocate for the rights of Indonesia's Papuan population, who is serving 15 years in prison for raising a flag. The Burma (Myanmar) action called for the release of Khun Kawrio, Ko Aye Aung, and All Prisoners of Conscience. The China action focused on the release of Dhondup Wangchen, a Tibetan documentary filmmaker who has been sentenced to six years imprisonment for “subversion”.

Tissainayagam is currently a Fellow at Harvard's Weatherhead Center for International Studies. Tissainayagam was Amnesty's Prisoner of Conscience, and was released after President Obama mentioned his name on the 2009 Press Freedom Day saying his case was " emblematic of the hundreds of journalists who face intimidation, censorship, and arbitrary arrest."

Related Articles:
14.04.11 SLA killed my son - Dr. Manoharan
07.03.08 TID detains Sunday Times columnist, video photographer

செவ்வாய், 15 நவம்பர், 2011

"Charming Betsy" not so charming towards defendant Silva

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 November 2011, 00:05 GMT]
November 17th is D-day to the costly defense marshaled by alleged war-criminal ex-General Shavendra Silva. He must submit a reply to plaintiffs' brief filed on the 8th during the pre-trial motion phase of the civil case initiated by two Tamil plaintiffs in the Southern District Court of New York. Facing a strong legal response by the plaintiffs' attorney, Ali Beydoun, to establish personal jurisdiction for the court to hear the case, including arguments against claimed immunity, and alternate arguments based on an exception to immunity under international laws when egregious crimes are committed, defense attorneys have a formidable legal task ahead to convince the Judge to dismiss the case, informed legal sources said. Plaintiffs have used in the jurisdictional argument, "Charming Betsy," a case that provides binding precedent to the interpretation of international law.

Timothy G. Nelson, defendant's attorney

Shavendra Silva, retired Army General

"The irony of asserting diplomatic immunity in war crime-based civil litigation against Silva, a UN official, illuminates the flagrant disparity between the international community's (IC's) rhetorical pledges to uphold fundamental human rights, and the reality of the IC's reluctance to enforce these rights when the IC perceives that upholding these rights will contravene geopolitical considerations," a spokesperson for US-based activist group, Tamils Against Genocide (TAG) said.

"Notwithstanding the outcome, these advances in the stages of civil procedure against Silva in a US court is the first instance in post-independence Sri Lankan history of a Sri Lankan Army official being held accountable in front of a neutral magistrate for atrocity crimes targeting Tamils. As this case suggests, what appears increasingly certain two years into Mu'l'livaaikaal's aftermath, is that justice for Tamils will be enforced from outside Sri Lanka, and not within," the TAG spokesperson added.

In this case, which references domestic and international treaties and laws, the court and attorneys will be diligent in carefully interweaving but not mixing the following two issues in the legal analysis:

jus cogens law (accepted by the international community of states as a norm from which no derogation is permissible, and includes the prohibition of genocide, torture, crimes against humanity, and war crimes) applies to U.S. courts and presides over the hierarchy of legal norms in that space.
interpreting domestic and international laws within American jurisdiction requires recognition of the enacting history and of evolving legal standards. Past cases provide binding or persuasive precedent to some of the 'conflicts' in sources of law.

Shavendra's Motion to Dismiss

Opposing motion to defendants motion to dismiss

Within this broad legal framework, plaintiffs' brief outlines arguments that defendant Silva cannot claim absolute immunity, and therefore the court possesses jurisdiction, as follows:

Ali Beydoun, lead counsel for plaintiffs

In Murray v. Charming Betsy, 6 U.S. 64, 118 (1804), the Supreme Court of the United States, said that "an act of Congress ought never to be construed to violate the law of nations if any other possible construction remains." Charming Betsy provides binding precedent on this case.

Shavendra Silva with Jegath Dias recalled to Colombo on fear of war crime prosecution

Plaintiffs in this case argue that the Court's determination of Defendant Silva's motion to dismiss must take into account not only the treaties and the bilateral agreement that Defendant Silva cites, but also the jus cogens norms, which have binding force upon all states and protect fundamental human rights. Jus cogens norms require defendant Silva to be held accountable for his crimes in Sri Lanka.

The case against Shavendra Silva was filed on behalf of two Tamil plaintiffs by Ali Beydoun, director at American University Washington College of Law’s UNROW Human Rights Impact Litigation Clinic and a Senior Partner at SPEAK Human Rights & Environmental Initiative.

The D-day is also nearing for the District Court of the District of Columbia to rule in early December on the service of process to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse, regarding whether Rajapakse should have legal representation to answer charges filed in the civil suit by three Tamil plaintiffs.

Chronology:

14.11.11 "Charming Betsy" not so charming towards defendant..

09.11.11 Shavendra not entitled to immunity, argue attorney..

02.11.11 Shavendra raises immunity defense to escape tortur..

24.09.11 Torture case filed against Sri Lanka's ex-General ..

13.05.11 Kohona admits to sending "Killer SMS"

04.05.11 German Rights Group accuses Dias of war-crimes

24.02.11 Ban and Nambiar confer with generals and officials..

22.02.11 Diaspora legal activists speak to Palaka'ni on ICC..

21.02.11 Kohona could face court over Tamil Tiger deaths - ..

13.02.11 TAG, SCET's legal brief asserts ICC obligated to p..

08.12.10 Dual citizen Kohona falls under ICC jurisdiction o..

06.12.10 Suspect Sri Lanka war-criminal in UN post under US..

26.11.10 UN post confers no absolute immunity from war crim..

21.11.10 New York media alerts UN posting of 'War Criminal'..

30.10.10 Denmark Tamils take legal step to file war-crimes ..

15.09.10 European Court to review Jagath Dias case

27.08.10 Sri Lanka's presumptive war-criminal to take UN jo..

01.08.10 Dias case filed in European Court, German Ambassad..

24.07.10 Tamils sue Germany for accepting alleged war crime..

21.07.10 Tamil Country Councils, TAG announce legal partner..

Related Articles:
19.10.11 Rajapakse says will defy Court Order, Shavendra hires NY law..
14.10.11 US Court authorizes use of TamilNet to serve Rajapakse
01.10.11 Rajapakse, an enemy of all mankind, filed U.S. Court papers ..
20.09.11 Rajapakse has no immunity against war crimes prosecution, sa..

External Links:

US:		Alexander Murray v. The Schooner Charming Betsy
Justia:		Murray V. The Charming Betsy, 6 U. S. 64 (1804)

வெள்ளி, 11 நவம்பர், 2011

Shavendra not entitled to immunity, argue attorneys for Tamil plaintiffs

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 November 2011, 11:56 GMT]
Attorneys for two Tamil plaintiffs Tuesday filed a formal response to Sri Lankan ex-Major General Shavendra Silva’s motion to dismiss the war crimes lawsuit against him in the Southern District of New York, and international human rights groups united to urge the United Nations to suspend the credentials of Silva, who is Sri Lanka’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Silva is facing allegations in federal court for war crimes including torture, extrajudicial killing and the intentional shelling of civilians during Sri Lanka’s armed conflict.

Opposing motion to defendants motion to dismiss

Press release on Silva filing

NGOs letter to UNSG to suspend Silva's credentials

“The United Nations has a war criminal within its ranks. This is a moral and legal offense,” said Ali Beydoun, director at American University Washington College of Law’s UNROW Human Rights Impact Litigation Clinic and a Senior Partner at SPEAK Human Rights & Environmental Initiative. “As the largest international body protecting peace and justice, the United Nations has a duty to allow a full investigation into General Silva’s war crimes. Silva should not be allowed to manipulate diplomatic immunity to use it as a shield for his crimes.”

Shavendra's Motion to Dismiss

SDNY Complaint against Silva

Beydoun is lead counsel in the pending lawsuit against Silva for the extrajudicial killing of a civilian in the Army’s bombing of a hospital and for the torture and extrajudicial killing of a person hors de combat in the final stages of Sri Lanka’s armed conflict.

Shavendra Silva, retired Army General

Arguing that the Court must interpret US statutes in accordance with international law, which necessarily includes jus cogens norms, the attorneys cited, Murray v. Charming Betsy, 6 U.S. 64, 118, "an act of Congress ought never to be construed to violate the law of nations if any other possible construction remains" and added that the Courts should interpret U.S. law, whenever possible, in a manner consistent with international obligations.

Plaintiffs attorneys argued that International law precludes application of immunity to a defendant accused of torture and war crimes raising the following legal points:

Plaintiffs Base Their Claims on Violations of Universal Human Rights Treaties
Defendant Silva Bases His Arguments on Instruments that Enjoy a Lower Status in the Normative Hierarchy of International Law
Defendant Silva Invokes the Protection of Principles that Yield to Jus Cogens Norms and Do Not Immunize Him

“Overwhelming evidence showing that the Government of Sri Lanka perpetrated war crimes and crimes against humanity compels the suspension of General Silva’s credentials,” ten human rights organizations including the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, Human Rights USA, World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), Center for Constitutional Rights, TRIAL, the Yale Law School’s Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic, the Campaign Against Criminalising Communities and the Society for Threatened Peoples wrote in a joint letter addressed to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “Permitting General Silva to retain his credentials would send a message to law-breaking governments around the world that the United Nations will not defend the cause of justice and that it will shelter war criminals and perpetrators of mass atrocities,” the letter to Ban Ki Moon further said, as noted by the attorneys in the Press release.

Instead of investigating the war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan Army, the Sri Lankan Government has been sheltering military officers with diplomatic positions. Sri Lanka has posted 22 former high-ranking military officials to diplomatic posts around the world. This has catalyzed international efforts for justice for Tamil victims in Sri Lanka. Litigation similar to the suit against General Silva has sprung up in domestic courts around the world, including Germany, Switzerland and Australia. A global movement for accountability for Sri Lanka’s war criminals is building, a press release issued by SPEAK and American University Washington College of Law UNROW Human Rights Impact Litigation Clinic said.

Chronology:

09.11.11 Shavendra not entitled to immunity, argue attorney..

02.11.11 Shavendra raises immunity defense to escape tortur..

24.09.11 Torture case filed against Sri Lanka's ex-General ..

13.05.11 Kohona admits to sending "Killer SMS"

04.05.11 German Rights Group accuses Dias of war-crimes

24.02.11 Ban and Nambiar confer with generals and officials..

22.02.11 Diaspora legal activists speak to Palaka'ni on ICC..

21.02.11 Kohona could face court over Tamil Tiger deaths - ..

13.02.11 TAG, SCET's legal brief asserts ICC obligated to p..

08.12.10 Dual citizen Kohona falls under ICC jurisdiction o..

06.12.10 Suspect Sri Lanka war-criminal in UN post under US..

26.11.10 UN post confers no absolute immunity from war crim..