Sri Lanka No. 1 Human Rights Violator in South Asia

http://www.achrweb.org/press/2008/SAARC-2008.html
Sri Lanka: No. 1 Violator
With 52 points, Sri Lanka is South Asia’s worst human rights violator. Sri Lanka had the worst human rights records for violations of the right to life, the rights of the child, attacks on human rights defenders and violations of the rights of the minorities. On press freedom, it ranked second worst violator only after Bhutan – which has no independent press. These increased violations are a direct consequence of the war. Civilians in Sri Lanka are deliberately targeted by all sides to the conflict.
“Discrimination lies at the heart of the war with the Tamils and the introduction of restrictions on Tamils travelling to Colombo are a powerful symbol of government intent. The political ramifications of the exclusion - not least in terms of prospects for a peaceful settlement of the conflict - of an entire ethnic group from the nation’s capital are of deep concern.” – stated ACHR.
In Sri Lanka, attacks on freedom of expression were of particular concern and led the killing of seven journalists in 2007.
There are no precise figures on the number of civilians killed because reporting on war is banned.
“The beginning of any solution is good information. Not only is Sri Lanka’s conflict resulting in systematic violations of human rights of civilians, but by deliberately oppressing journalists and freedom of expression, this measure closes off any means for the government to have access to independent information and understand the extent of the problem and the negative consequences of its own actions.” - said Suhas Chakma, Director of the Asian Centre for Human Rights.
In April 2007, Police Chief Victor Perera stated that the Police have to go beyond the law to combat crime.
“This is an extraordinarily dangerous and irresponsible instruction to a police force with a reputation for high levels of discrimination, human rights violation and disregard for the rule of law”.
The results are there: disappearances began to rise again: 540 persons disappeared across Sri Lanka from January to August 2007 with ethnic Tamils suffering disproportionately –78.89% compared with 1.85% (Sinhalese) and 3.52% (Muslims) with 50% of the cases being reported from Jaffna district alone.
“Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Commission became the first one in South Asia to be downgraded to Observer Status by the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions the international body governing National Human Rights Institutions citing government influence on its independence. The Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission is the worst one in South Asia”
“In no other South Asian country, so many human rights defenders have been killed. By September 2007, at least 43 aid workers were killed and 14 others were missing in Sri Lanka since the escalation of the conflict.” – asserted Mr Chakma.
Sri Lanka has the highest number of child soldiers in South Asia with 6,248 recorded cases of recruitment of by the LTTE and 453 cases by the Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), the Karuna faction. “It is government policy to allow the Karuna group and the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) to recruit child soldiers.” – stated ACHR.