LTTE's Pressure Group Politics!

Amnesty criticizes LTTE for deliberately targeting civilians Friday, April 11, 2008, 16:16 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
The London based human rights group Amnesty International (AI) has criticized the LTTE for deliberately targeting civilians.
“It is not unlawful to target combatants for attack, where legal means and methods are used; however specific rules aim at protecting civilians and other non-
combatants,” AI said in a statement regarding the assassination of Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle in which several civilians were also killed.
“They must not be the object of attack. Indiscriminate attacks, including attacks on military objectives that are expected to cause excessive loss of civilian lives or
damage to civilian objects (the principle of proportionality) are similarly prohibited, as is the use of civilians as human shields,” it continued.
“As a result of intensifying fighting, a historic statue of the Virgin Mary has been removed for safety from the Madhu shrine. The LTTE is reported to have used
communities around the Church as ‘human shields’ and Amnesty International has in the past raised concerns about the recruitment of children by the LTTE from
families living in the locality.”
“AI notes that under international humanitarian law, parties to armed conflicts, including non-international ones such as in Sri Lanka, must take special care to protect
cultural property, including buildings dedicated to religion, from damage unless there is imperative military necessity to do otherwise,” the statement said.

NY Amnesty rally protests violence against journalists in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 April 2008, 03:10 GMT]

Several hundred human rights activists participated in a protest event "Get On The Bus (GOTB)" sponsored by Amnesty International, in New York Friday afternoon
outside the Sri Lanka consulate in midtown, protesting against violence against media in Sri Lanka, attendees to the event said. The protesters visited three other
country missions in New York, Libyan Mission (political prisoners), Darfur (international justice and accountability), and Myanmar (people of Burma/democracy).
The protesters highlighted the month-long detention of J.S. Tissanayagam and the killing of 'Sudar Oli' correspondent Subramaniyam Sugirdharajan in Trincomalee in 2006.
The Amnesty delegation spokeswoman, after meeting with the Sri Lankan Consul-General, said that the offiical assured her that the charges against Mr.
Tissainayagam would be investigated, and that within the next two weeks, Tissainayagam would receive medical treatment for his current health issues.
Miriam Young of the US NGO Forum on Sri Lanka, addressing the demonstrators at the St. Barts Church on Fifth Avenue, said that the Emergency Regulations
under which Mr. Tissanayagam is being held are in contravention of international standards.
She said that Amnesty members must press the US government to pressure Colombo to either bring charges on Mr. Tissanayagam or to release him immediately. If
there is a trial, a representative from the US Embassy must attend the trial every day, she said.
Ms. Young added that although the U.S. has no strategic interests in the island, it still provides training and surveillance equipment to the Sri Lankan armed forces and
so has influence over its actions. She emphasized that a healthy democracy requires freedom of expression and that this freedom is under threat on the island.

Britain cautions travel to Sri Lanka

Sat, 2008-04-12 06:10 London, 12 April, (Asiantribune.com):

Britain has cautioned its subjects on visiting Sri Lanka. It has revealed of a high threat of terrorism in the island nation.*
Travel advisory cautioning those visiting Sri Lanka has been issued by Britain. The advisory warns against all travel to the north and east of Sri Lanka, and to Yala
National Park and the areas around it. It states that for the purpose of this travel advice:” We consider the north to be all areas north of the A12 road (which runs
from Puttalam in the west to Trincomalee in the east) including the Jaffna peninsula. We consider the east to be the districts of Trincomalee and Batticaloa, as well as
coastal areas of Ampara district east of the A25 and A27 roads. We define the areas around Yala National Park as that east of the A2 and south of the A4. See the
Terrorism and Local Travel sections of this advice for more details.”
The travel advice summary given by Britain states that there is a high threat from terrorism in Sri Lanka. In 2008 fatal attacks have become more frequent. They have
occurred in Colombo and throughout Sri Lanka, including in places frequented by expatriate and foreign travelers. Further attacks may occur at any time. There is an
increasing risk of British nationals being caught up in an attack.
It adds: ‘There is heightened security in Sri Lanka and you are advised to comply with government and security force instructions. There have been detentions
particularly of people of Tamil ethnicity. You should ensure that you carry some form of official identification with you at all times. If you are detained, you should ask
the authorities to contact the British High Commission.”
The Travel Advisory urges British nationals, who are resident and/or working in Sri Lanka, or visiting for over one month, should register with the British High
Commission in Colombo.
About 90,000 British nationals visit Sri Lanka each year (source: Sri Lanka tourism board). The main types of incident for which British nationals required consular
assistance in Sri Lanka in 2007 were: replacing lost or stolen passports; deaths, mostly from natural causes; and arrests or detentions.
- Asian Tribune -

*Note: High Light ENB