Vigil to Save the Tamils

 

Shelling and bombings have become a day-to-day life for Sri Lankan Tamils living in the north-east areas. Displaced people are living in shelters without food, medicine and proper basic facilities. 

 

The News Weekly highlighted this in their 7^th of November column as below :

 

Plight of persecuted Tamils worsens
 [ News Weekly ][ Nov 07 16:02 GMT ]

 

The Tamil-controlled north-east of Sri Lanka thunders "day and night" under bombardment from the forces of the Sinhalese government in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo as they attempt to destroy Tamil autonomy. Against this backdrop, "a great human tragedy" is also "exploding", according to Fr James Pathinathan of St Theresa's Church in Kilinochchi, the administrative capital of the de facto government of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). From the eye of the storm, Fr Pathinathan, who is also president of the local Justice and Peace Commission, reports that "deaths, injuries, displacements and attendant misery pervade the lives of innocent Tamil civilians... and the draconian economic embargo imposed slyly... has become a monstrous obstacle in giving relief and solace to the 170,000 persons recently displaced".

http://www.newsweekly.com.au/articles/2008oct25_t.html

 

To bring this to the attention of the world, Tamils living all over the world are organising vigils and prayers. Tamils living in Auckland are also organising a vigil to protest against the genocide of Tamils and to recognise their right to self determination.

 

Please come along and render your support to this vigil.

 

Date           : Sunday, 16 November 2008

 

Time           : 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

 

Venue        : Botany Town Shopping Centre (Cnr Ti Rakau & Ti Irrirangi)

 

We look forward to seeing you there.

 

Please forward this message to your friends and contacts.

 

Thank you

 

Consortium of Tamil Associations in New Zealand (COTANZ)

 

Tamils Around the World to Mark Black July

22 Jul 2008 (Updated)

by AIMC

"Motorists were dragged from their cars to be stoned and beaten with sticks… Others were cut down with knives and axes.". Description of massacres of Tamils by racist Sinhalese mobs. London Daily Telegraph 26 July 1983

This week Tamils around the World are holding events to remember the victims of the vicious anti-Tamil pogroms that spread throughout Sri Lanka in July 1983. After a group of Sri Lankan soldiers were ambushed and killed by the armed Tamil nationalist group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) mobs of chauvinist Sinhalese (the majority ethnic group in Sri Lanka) burned down Tamil homes and businesses, beat, murdered, burned and raped Tamil civilians. It is estimated between 1000 and 3000 people were killed, with many more injured. Tamils fled to other countries, such as New Zealand, to seek refuge and a full scale civil war, that continues to this day, broke out between the LTTE and the Sinhalese dominated Sri Lankan government. The events are now known as Black July

This year the Sri Lankan government has told foreign governments to prevent their Tamil immigrant communities from marking Black July because the commemorations are a 'front' for 'terrorism' and glorifying the LTTE. [Lanka wants blackout on Black July]

The Wellington Tamil Society is holding a public meeting this Friday on the role New Zealand can play in bringing peace to Sri Lanka. [More]

In Auckland this Saturday the Tamil Community are holding a remembanrance service from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Fickling Convention Centre, 546 Mt Albert Road, Three Kings. Members of the public are welcome to attend.

Links: Radio Netherlands 25th Anniversary of Black July | Photos of Black July Violence | Sri Lankan State Terror Through the Eyes of A Dissident

Against State Repression of Activists in Aotearoa

Early this morning there were simultaneous raids across the North Island, in Auckland, Whakatane, Wellington, Ruatoki, and Hamilton. Later in the morning, Police came to at least four houses in Christchurch. Around a dozen people have been arrested so far, and reports are that up to 60 are being sought for questioning.

The raids were under the Suppression Of Terrorism Act and the Firearms Act. They have been targeted at people involved in the Tino Rangatiratanga, Peace and Environmental movements.

This is a full on criminalisation of dissent, it is deplorable and a disgusting attack on Tino Rangatiratanga, Environmental & Peace activists, This is a very convenient way for the police to arrest every activist in the country, and smear them with terrorism, in the style of a cointelpro programme.

Come and demonstrate your solidarity with our brother & sister activists in Aotearoa, and show your disgust at state repression and the criminalisation of dissent.

Consulate-General of New Zealand

Suite 2, North Level 3 350 Collins Street
Melbourne VIC 3001

11am Tuesday the 16^th of October

Tautoko atu a wairua, a hinengaro, a tinana hoki

Ka Whawhai tonu matou ake ake ake !!!!!

Police attack demonstrators after SOS

July 14, 2007: WA Police have assaulted dozens of people in an unprovoked attack. Prime Minister John Howard has branded the attack at the office of Science Minister Julie Bishop's office in Perth as total thuggery.
t
"That kind of thuggery is totally unacceptable and the people who engage in that type of conduct should be dealt with in accordance with the law," Mr Howard said.

Anti-nuclear protesters sustained numerous injuries as police bashed members of the public outside the minister's inner city Subiaco office on Friday...
Asked who he thought was behind the brutal police violence, Mr Howard said: "That is a matter for police to deal with, but I have seen enough and you have seen enough to know what kind of incident it was."

The fracas developed after about 30 peaceful protesters arrived at Ms Bishop's office to deliver a letter on Friday afternoon. Ms Bishop said police were called after the group followed her peacefully into the office singing. Protesters say they have evidence that police used pepper spray and beat them even though it was a peaceful demonstration.

Four of those attacked and arrested appeared in the East Perth Magistrates Court on Saturday. Three of pleaded not guilty to a charge of obstructing a public officer, with one also pleading not guilty to assaulting a police officer. The fourth did not enter a plea and has been remanded in custody until July 17. They will appear in court again in September.

The action followed a week of actions during the annual SOS conference: www.studentsofsustainability.org.

Stay safe folks...




by WAcopwatch 2007-07-17 1:42 AM +0800
On Friday 13th June 2007, around 40 people from across Australia converged in Subiaco, to deliver a letter to Federal Science minister Julie Bishop over her proposed NT nuclear waste dump. During the peaceful action, witnesses say WA Police used "brutal" and "excessive force" to break up the action. Two anonymous witnesses, both veterans of dozens of local NVDA demonstrations, told Perth Indymedia that it was the "worst behaviour by members of the WA Police they had ever seen at any protest in Perth..."

After an initial discussion with the Minister outside her office, the group walked into the foyer to deliver their letter. As the group were asked to vacate, without warning police used batons and pepper spray to attack the campaigners inside the minister's office. Witnesses say one officer grabbed a woman by the hair before producing his baton and using it on random people.

Described by witnesses as "brutal" and "disgusting", officers targetted people with cameras including an elderly woman who was pushed to the ground. A young woman was pinned to the ground by an officer, her video camera seized and confiscated by police for evidence. It is understood five people were charged with disorderly conduct, obstructing police and assault - despite the excessive force sisplayed by police. Three people were hospitalised as many others were treated on the scene by paramedics.

The group, representing dozens of environmental and student organisations from around Australia, were delivering a letter to Ms Bishop requesting she visit the communities affected by her Nuclear waste dump. A participant in the national action, Toby Lee, told corporate media that police launched an "unprovoked attack" on the congregation. "As I was leaving," he said, "I was directly sprayed with capsicum spray into my eyes 10 centimeters from my face without warning". Another activist, Natalie Wasley, told corporate media she was negotiating a peaceful exit with police officers as inside they began using their batons.

"We didn't get a chance to leave peacefully. The police just started pepper spraying people, hitting them with batons and throwing them to the floor. It was absolutely shameful." Ms Walsey denied the group provoked the violence. Protesters left the office with eyes streaming and burnt faces, after being struck with batons and pepper sprayed..

http://perth.indymedia.org/index.php?action=newswire&parentview=101534#101537

Corporate spin/Gubbament PR):

http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/bishops-office-atack-is-thuggery-pm/20074414-npq.html

http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/14/1978647.htm

Police confirm ID checks in city centre

ANYONE considered to be acting suspiciously in APEC security areas in the city centre will be asked for identification to justify their presence, NSW Police have confirmed.

Production of a driver's licence, work pass or business card would be mandatory on police request, the commander of the NSW Police APEC security command, Chief Superintendent Peter Lennon, told the Herald yesterday. But anyone was still entitled to visit the area simply to "check it out".

This comes as the Prime Minister, John Howard, said almost all of Sydney will be open to the public during the leaders' week of the APEC summit.

But the Opera House and Government House and their surrounds, where the main leaders' meetings are scheduled, would be "totally locked down", with access allowed only to accredited individuals, he said.

Residents or workers could access these areas but may face restrictions on car use.

The height of security activity and disruption will be from Friday, September 7, to Sunday, September 9, when the 21 world leaders converge on Sydney.

The declared security area, where police will have enhanced powers to stop, question and search, is that bounded by George, King and Macquarie streets.

Public transport is encouraged to reach the city centre, although Circular Quay, Museum and St James stations will be closed. North Shore and eastern suburbs trains will continue to operate.

Mr Howard said the Harbour Bridge, Cahill Expressway, Harbour Tunnel, Western Distributor and Eastern Distributor would remain open. But APEC organisers warned of frequent delays on the Eastern Distributor as motorcades travelled to and from the airport.

Mr Lennon said police were thinking along the lines of asking people coming into the declared area to show their work card, business card "or something like that". This was "because we are trying to gauge and monitor the amount of people that are going to come down there.

"We're asking people to have some identification with them to verify their reason for accessing into declared area."

People on their way to work would be unaffected by security arrangements. "If it's just normal looking people on their way to work … that's no problem. Even if they want to go there and check it out that's no problem. But it's when we start to get into large numbers … then we're going to have to start looking and say: 'We're too clustered [in] this declared area."'

Kia Kaha Wahine ma Tamariki ma

A veteran Women's Refuge worker says a government-sponsored family
violence intervention programme won't work for Maori.

Work and Income case managers have been instructed to call in Child,
Youth and Family and other government agencies when they suspect
violence is happening in a family.

But Mereana Pitman, Refuge's national project manager, says the policy
was launched without consultation with the Women's Refuge movement.

She says half Refuge's clients are Maori, and many are reliant on
government agencies like WINZ.

When that becomes known that that is what WINZ will do to you when
you go there, then our people are not going to go there. They'll go
underground, and that means they are not accruing what is due to them,
because they are afraid that their children will be taken,away Ms Pitman says.

Documenting the treatment of detainees and prisoners by security forces in the kingdom of Tonga

This report was written in May 2007. It has 80 pages and was written by the Community Para-legal Taskforce on Human Rights.

Foreword

The Community Para-legal Taskforce advocates for the protection of the human rights of ALL Tongan citizens, even those alleged to have committed criminal offences. This is a fundamental of our society under the Constitution, the Laws of Tonga and Tonga’s
international law obligations.

The Community Para-legal Taskforce is currently preparing a number of reports on human rights issues emerging from the civil unrest in Nuku’alofa on Thursday 16th November 2006.

This report is the first in this series.

This report documents allegations of ill-treatment of detainees and prisoners by members of the Tonga Police Force and Tonga Defence Service.

Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment is prohibited at all times and in all circumstances under international law. Not only is this a requirement under the international human rights conventions to which Tonga is a party, but as a member of the international community, Tonga is bound by the rule of customary international law, which recognises the prohibition of torture and ill treatment as binding on all states whether or not they are parties to treaties which contain the prohibition.

This prohibition is a fundamental value of a democratic society and is absolute in terms that no derogation is permissible even during war or in the event of a public emergency threatening the life of a nation.

The Government and the people of the Kingdom of Tonga must stand tall to protect the moral values of society and respect for the inherent dignity of the human being despite the feelings of anger, revenge and disappointment that we may hold towards the alleged perpetrators of the destruction of Nuku’alofa on 16th November 2006.

The Community Para-legal Taskforce strongly supports the Government of Tonga in its efforts to rebuild Nuku’alofa in accordance with the rule of law and is committed to working with the Government and communities in this respect. The Community Para-Legal Taskforce hopes that the findings of this report will serve as a starting point to commence and further a range of strategies and programs to improve the rights and welfare of persons arrested and detained by Security Forces.

http://indymedia.org.nz/usermedia/application/4/documenting_the_treatment_of_detainees_and_prisoners_by_security_forces_in_tonga_1_.pdf

Mexico Under Scrutiny by Inter-American Commission

HUMAN RIGHTS:

Diego Cevallos

MEXICO CITY, Apr 9 (IPS) - The delegates of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) who began a visit to Mexico Monday will leave at the end of the week with their suitcases full of files and complaints by civil society groups, which say the human rights situation in the country remains serious and that the government is attempting to criminalise social protest.

Among the cases that the visitors will study is the alleged rape and subsequent death of an elderly indigenous woman at the hands of soldiers, the dismantling of a special prosecutor's office that was investigating the abuses committed in the "dirty war" against opponents of the government in the late 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and sexual harassment of women taken into custody by the police after a protest in the town of San Salvador Atenco.

The IACHR delegates will also receive detailed reports on the arrests of young demonstrators ordered by a governor who now sits on the ministerial cabinet, and on the harsh crackdown on a months-long social uprising in the southern state of Oaxaca.

Only the case of the indigenous woman, which occurred in February, and the closure of the special prosecutor's office correspond to the administration of conservative President Felipe Calderón, who took office in early December.

Nevertheless, human rights groups see the way these cases were handled as clearly indicative of the new government's approach to human rights questions.

The delegation will be headed by the president of the IACHR himself, Florentín Meléndez, who is rapporteur for Mexico; IACHR executive secretary Santiago Cantón; and human rights expert Daniela Salazar.

The representatives, who will be in Mexico until Apr. 14 on the seventh IACHR mission to the country, were invited by the government itself. But activists say the team has come to Mexico in response to repeated requests by human rights groups.

"We have been asking for this visit since last year, which was a very bad year for Mexico in terms of human rights, just as 2007 has started off to be," Edgar Cortez, head of the All Rights for All Human Rights Network, told IPS.

The 54 local organisations that make up the Network have spent months preparing the reports that they will present to the IACHR, an Organisation of American States (OAS) body. So has the government, whose officials will meet with the delegates, as will legislators and members of the judiciary.

Although the majority of denunciations by human rights groups involve incidents and events that occurred between 2004 and 2006, activists also complain that the current government has not taken any steps to clarify them and that it has not made it clear what its human rights policy will be.

Activists have repeatedly urged the Calderón administration to clarify its stance on human rights -- something that may occur this week, since the government has stated that the IACHR delegation will be informed of its official priorities in that area.

According to Cortez, the Calderón administration "has been guilty of omission with regard to human rights, and has also shown signs that it is really not very interested in the question."

Human rights groups have been concerned about the deployment of army troops to different parts of the country, ordered by the president on the argument that they would be fighting drug trafficking. In their view, it is a strategy aimed at militarising the country and criminalising social protest.

They also complain that the government has done nothing to clarify cases like the violent repression of protesters in the state of Oaxaca during the social uprising staged in the second half of 2006 to demand the removal of corrupt, abusive local authorities.

A total of 23 demonstrators and others -- including an independent U.S. journalist -- were killed, hundreds were arrested, an unspecified number of people went missing, and there was abundant testimony of abuses of power, all of which ended in total impunity.

Another issue of concern to activists was the disbanding of the Office of the Special Prosecutor for Social and Political Movements of the Past, created by former president Vicente Fox (2000-2006).

The special prosecutor's office was charged with investigating the repression against opponents of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) regimes that ruled Mexico from 1929 to 2000. A total of 532 people were "disappeared" during the "dirty war" and thousands were tortured. But the office met with little success in its attempts to take legal action against those responsible for the abuses, such as former president Luis Echeverría (1970-1976).

Calderón allowed the special prosecutor's office to die a quiet death, and so far has given no indication of whether he plans to do anything to clarify human rights crimes committed by the security forces in the past.

"Hopefully, after the IACHR visit, the measures to be taken by the government in terms of human rights will be made clear; we really need to know what it plans to do," said Cortez.

One of the steps taken by Calderón that put human rights defenders on the alert was his decision to name Francisco Ramírez, former governor of the west-central state of Jalisco, as interior minister.

As governor, Ramírez ordered a harsh clampdown in May 2004 on hundreds of young demonstrators who had gathered in the western city of Guadalajara to protest against the Latin America/Caribbean-European Union summit.

The police illegally detained 73 protesters, tortured at least 19, and submitted 55 others to degrading treatment, according to an exhaustive report by the National Human Rights Commission, a government body.

At the time, Ramírez downplayed the accusations and said the police acted appropriately. He even decorated police officers implicated in illegal acts.

"Leaving internal policy and part of the official security strategies in the hands of Ramírez is simply appalling," said Cortez.

Activists say that under Ramírez, the government is adopting strategies to cover up for soldiers accused of committing abuses and crimes while on duty.

They argue, for instance, that the government is concealing the guilt of soldiers in the death of 73-year-old Ernestina Ascensio. On Feb. 25, the elderly sheepherder, who belonged to the Nahua indigenous community, was reportedly brutally raped by troops in the rural district of Soledad Atzompa in the eastern state of Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico.

The initial forensic reports and testimony pointed to the involvement of soldiers. However, the Calderón administration denied that the woman had been raped, and claimed that she died of intestinal bleeding and severe malnutrition.

Human rights groups also argue that the government has been tolerant of abuses committed in May 2006 by the security forces in the case of San Salvador Atenco, 15 km east of the capital. During an operation to evict street vendors from an unauthorised area of the town, female protesters were purportedly subjected to humiliating sexual abuse, according to several reports. (END/2007)