Desecrating ashes of a mother in Jaffna – Immediate inquiry necessary .
NfR – Net working for rights in Sri lanka
Exile network for media and human rights in Sri Lanka
Press release/ 24 February 2011
Sri Lanka: Desecrating ashes of a mother in Jaffna – Immediate inquiry necessary .
NfR, Network of exiled Sri Lankan journalists and human rights defenders, expresses its serious concern about the incident on the 22nd
instant, of the ashes of a cremated mother in Jaffna being desecrated and the putting of the bodies of 3 dogs killed by shooting
on the cremation spot. In accordance with the Hindu tradition, the ashes of a cremated body are collected the next day
to be dissolved in a river or sea. According to media reports the ashes had been scattered by military vehicles running over the spot.
NfR sources in Jaffna confirmed the truth of this incident and indicated that no one wants to speak about it openly because of fear.
The mother known as Parvathi Ammal, happened to be the mother of Velupillai Prabaharan , leader of the LTTE.
It is clear this dastardly act was carried out just because of one of her siblings happened to be this Parbaharan.
Mrs. Vallipuram Parvathi, who has been ill for some time passed away on last Sunday the 20th February 2011.
Condemning this kind of inhuman brutality does not mean that one condones the actions of the LTTE or its leader Prabaharan.
NfR condemns this despicable act of desecrating her cremation site which goes against basic civilized norms and behaviors.
Respect for dead is an age old human tradition. This uncivilized behaviour goes against the noble Buddhist precepts
which the present leaders of the country are claiming to follow. The symbolic message this uncivilized behaviour
will convey, especially to the people in Jaffna and Sri Lankan Tamils in general, and the people of the world outside in particular,
is that the Tamils are subjugated people who are not even allowed to exercise their basic cultural right to respect their dead.
Even the rules of war specify respect for the dead enemies. Indeed, no Sinhalese would accept such an act to happen
on their dead and would protest vehemently against such incidents. However, in the current political climate in Sri Lanka,
Tamil people cannot speak out because of the existing fear-psychosis. Nor can the right think citizens of the country do so
without facing undesirable consequences. In highly militarized Jaffna, the general perception would be that it is the
security forces that should be held accountable to this act. Several media outlets had reported that the military prevented
people from participating freely at the funeral of the dead lady.
NfR views this incident as a continuation of military responses to Tamil peoples grievances and sending a signal of continued
suppression of cultural rights of Tamils in Sri Lanka.
NfR demand that an immediate and impartial inquiry be held into this incident in order to find out the culprits responsible
for this highhanded behavior. The findings of such inquiry should be made public and those responsible should be dealt
with in a manner that would be a deterrent to similar incident in the future. Failing to initiate such an inquiry
and bring the culprits to book would lead to the inevitable conclusion that this is an another atrocity committed
by the security forces in collusion with the government of Sri Lanka.
Issued by Steering Committee, NfR Sri Lanka
Steering committee : Kshama Ranawana ( Canada) Lionel Bopage ( Australia), Nadarasa Sarawanan (Norway), Nadarajah Kuruparan(UK) Padmi Liyanage (Germany),
Raveendran Pradeepan (France), Rudhramoorthy Cheran (Canada), Saman Wagaarachchi ( USA), Sunanda Deshapriya ( Switzerland)
NfR statement 24.02.2011 Desecrating ashes of a mother in Jaffna – Immediate.pdf
An year has passed since HR defender Patti Razeek disappeared
NfR – Net working for rights in Sri lanka
Exile network for media and human rights in Sri Lanka
Press release/ 11 February 2011
Sri Lanka: An year has passed since HR defender Patti Razeek disappeared
Disappearance of journalists and human rights defenders continue unabated in Sri Lanka today. One year ago, on 11th February, 2010 Pattani Razeek, a member of the Executive Committee of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development and one of the Trustees of the Community Trust Fund based in Puttalam was intercepted at Polonnaruwa by a white van while he was travelling with members of the staff of the Community Trust Fund. Pattani Razeek, is reported to have disembarked from his vehicle and gone up to the white van to check why his vehicle was intercepted. Following a conversation he had with the occupants of the white van, he had told his staff that he would be travelling in the white van up to Valaichena and had asked his staff to meet up with him there. That was the last time they saw him.
NfR expresses it serious concern that disappearance of Mr.Razzek has not been investigated by the authorities and he has been missing for a year by 11th February 2011.
It is presumed that Pattani Razeek had been abducted on account of his legitimate and peaceful work in the field of human rights. Though the members of his family had promptly made a complaint to the Police, he has not been found so far. However, the Police had filed a ‘B’ Report to the Magistrate of Puttalam in response to the complaint of Razeek’s disappearance. It is said that the ‘B’ Report indicates that one Shahabdeen Nowshard, a former employee of the CTF and a person connected to a leading Muslim politician, is alleged to be responsible for the disappearance. The Police had based their suspicion on Nowshard as he had been found to have made a telephone call using Razeek’s mobile telephone after he had disappeared. Following this, Nowshard had made an application to the Magistrate for ‘anticipatory bail’ which had been refused. He had then appealed to the High Court of Puttalam for a revision of that order. This appeal is to be heard on the 10th February, 2011.
NfR is holds the view that the Police are not pursuing their search for Pattani Razeek seriously on account of the political connections of the suspect Nowshard. In the meantime it is reported that the family members of Razeek had been receiving telephone calls asking for ransom for the release of Razeek.
Abductions, disappearances and demands for ransom have become very common in Sri Lanka these days leading to a sense of insecurity among the people. Such incidents are rarely investigated seriously by the police. It is urged that the State should take serious note of such incidents and bring the perpetrators to book. Not taking action against the perpetrators only indicates the absence of the rule of law in Sri Lanka today. Besides, the Police and the Military are under the direct control of the Ministry of Defence which is headed by a supposedly efficient Secretary. Allowing such incidents to go uninvestigated and unchecked would leads to the inevitable conclusion that the State has a hand in these incidents.
Issued by
Steering Committee, NfR Sri Lanka
Steering committee : Kshama Ranawana ( Canada) Lionel Bopage ( Australia), Nadarasa Sarawanan (Norway), Nadarajah Kuruparan(UK) Padmi Liyanage (Germany), Raveendran Pradeepan (France), Rudhramoorthy Cheran (Canada), Saman Wagaarachchi ( USA), Sunanda Deshapriya ( Switzerland)
NfR statement 11.02.2011 An year has passed since HR defender Patti Razeek disappeared.pdf
“Vaara Uraikal” Editor assaulted
NfR – Net working for rights in Sri lanka
Exile network for media and human rights in Sri Lanka
Press release/ 10 February 2011
Sri Lanka: "Vaara Uraikal" Editor assaulted
For a third time in less than two years, the "Vaara Ureikal", the only provincial newspaper in the Eastern region has come under attack. In the latest instance,on February 8, 2011 the Editor of the newspaper, M.I Rahumathulla has had chilly powder thrown at his face and has been assaulted with iron rods.
Networking for Rights views this assualt, yet another attempt to silence the media, as a violation of human rights and strongly condemns the attack.
This newspaper which has been fighting corruption in the Muslim dominated Kathankudi and Batticaloa areas has been subjected to many threats over the years. Unidenfied men, armed with swords and clubs broke into the newspaper office which is located at Mr. Rahumathulla’s residence on April 1, 2009 and assaulted him severly. Though a complaint was made to the Kathankudi police, no arrests have been made as of today. On September 13, 2010, the newspaper was attacked by a gang believed to have political patronage. At the time, Mr. Rahumathulla told the media that he held a deputy minister of the ruling political party in the area responsible, as the newspaper was allegedly attacked for its coverage on corruption in the Co-operative sector.
The continued attacks on "Varra Ureikal" is an extension of the prevailing violent environment in Sri Lanka. Media personalities,human rights activists and opposing political party members are constantly harassed and assaulted for daring to dissent and expose wrong-doings. Networking for Rights calls on the government to launch an immediate and genuine investigation into the attack and bring the culprits to book. It also reiterates its stand that this culture of violence and impunity should end immediately, and freedom of expression restored as a pre-condition for a successful post-war reconciliation in Sri Lanka.
Issued by
Steering Committee, NfR Sri Lanka
Steering committee : Kshama Ranawana ( Canada) Lionel Bopage ( Australia), Nadarasa Sarawanan (Norway), Nadarajah Kuruparan(UK) Padmi Liyanage (Germany), Raveendran Pradeepan (France), Rudhramoorthy Cheran (Canada), Saman Wagaarachchi ( USA), Sunanda Deshapriya ( Switzerland)
NEWS 
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