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abducted a Sri Lankan worker at an IDP camp, apparently because the person was Muslim. He was subsequently released. 213 In December 2006 the Karuna group started a drive against the “No Weapons” stickers used by most NGOs outside their offices and on vehicles. Two international aid groups told Human Rights Watch that the Karuna group had complained to them about the “pacifist” stickers, which they considered an “insult to their movement.” 214 In Colombo, Sri Lankan human rights activists have also been receiving death threats on the telephone from unknown callers. Three activists told Human Rights Watch that they had received such calls over the past year, and they knew of others who had received them too, but none of them reported the call to the police or wished their names to be published in this report due to security concerns. One activist who received a death threat told Human Rights Watch, There is no point in trying to get these death threats investigated. We know whoever is making these calls enjoys a degree of protection from law-enforcing authorities in the country. 215 Parliamentary Committee on NGOs In March 2005 parliament established a Select Committee of Parliament for the Investigation of the Operations of Non-governmental Organizations and their Impact. The committee was initially created to investigate tsunami funding and the role of foreign NGOs. The justification for the committee, as set out in the terms of reference, was the allegation that some NGOs were engaged in activities that are “inimical to the sovereignty and integrity of Sri Lanka” and “detrimental to the national and social well being of the country,” as well as adversely affecting “national security.” 216 213 Human Rights Watch interview with international aid worker, Batticaloa, February 28, 2007. 214 Human Rights Watch interviews with international aid worker, Batticaloa, February, 2007. 215 Human Rights Watch interview with human rights activist, Colombo, March 2007. 216 International Commission of Jurists, “Sri Lanka - Open letter on the Select Committee of Parliament for the Investigation of the Operations of Non-governmental Organizations and their Impact,” September 5, 2006. 97 Human Rights Watch August 2007
With the change of administration in November 2005, however, the committee altered tack and began to examine a range of NGOs not directly involved in tsunamirelated relief. Over the past 12 months, the committee has asked NGOs to submit internal records from the past 10 years, such as lists of publications and organized functions, including attendees. 217 NGO activists believe the government has encouraged an expansion of the committee’s purview as a means to pressure independent and critically-minded groups. The committee has asked at least eight international organizations to submit records for investigation. These include Caritas, Consortium for Humanitarian Agencies (CHA), Bergof Foundation, Centre for Policy Alternatives, National Peace Council, and ZOA. Some of the organizations have balked at the demand. The Berghof Foundation, for example, at first refused to appear before the committee, although it later agreed. The director for Sri Lanka, Dr. Norbert Ropers, told the committee that the foundation had an arrangement directly with the government so there was no need to appear. “We work here under a MoU [Memorandum of Understanding] signed between the Foundation and the Ministry of Constitutional Affairs and Industrial Development in July 2001 and is also registered under the Companies Act,” he said. 218 On January 27, 2007, the committee summoned the Dutch NGO ZOA to discuss allegations by the military that it had provided equipment to the LTTE (see above). According to ZOA, the committee members made the following allegations: 1. ZOA is a Christian organization only helping Tamil Christians; 2. ZOA built and supported a hospital for the LTTE in Kanchi Kudi Aru; and 3. ZOA built 500 houses for the families of fallen LTTE fighters in Kanchi Kudi Aru. 217 “Hunting NGOs or Restoring and Rewarding Non-profit Work, Daily Mirror, February 22, 2007. 218 “Berghof Questioned over Ducking Select Committee Summons,” Sunday Times (Colombo), May 13, 2007. Return to War 98
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Sri Lanka Return to War Human Right
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Karuna group ......................
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I. Summary What I am saying is, if
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extrajudicial killings to unlawful
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2002. Since January 2006 more than
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against them, and list the location
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Emergency Regulations (372 Tamils,
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The mother of an abducted boy from
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disappearances. The police released
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commission, highlighting examples o
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Methodology This report is based pr
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discriminating against Tamils in th
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intimidation to force civilians who
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International humanitarian law proh
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in which an LTTE cadre shot and kil
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the Savukady camp in Batticaloa to
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they would no longer be responsible
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In mid-May the government began a n
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On May 29, UNHCR commented on the g
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Grama Niladari Divisions (the small
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The salvos landed in and around the
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didn’t take him to the hospital b
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While describing the loss of civili
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saw no weapons, no bunkers or artil
Page 49 and 50: V. Enforced Disappearances and Abdu
Page 51 and 52: months of 2007. 84 A government com
Page 53 and 54: In one illustrative case documented
Page 55 and 56: The Valvettiturai police registered
Page 57 and 58: would send him by bus or train to T
Page 59 and 60: wife tried his cell phone several t
Page 61 and 62: then that his brother had paid, alt
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Page 65 and 66: It is evident that many of the [dis
Page 67 and 68: The government’s lack of commitme
Page 69 and 70: A lodge-owner who had 29 out of 36
Page 71 and 72: arguing that evicting Tamils from C
Page 73 and 74: VII. Emergency Regulations In Augus
Page 75 and 76: Given the wide ranging powers provi
Page 77 and 78: Large-scale arrests of Tamil youth
Page 79 and 80: held, how many had been charged wit
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Page 85 and 86: individuals and groups working to r
Page 87 and 88: At a public meeting on April 6, 200
Page 89 and 90: On April 30, 2007, unidentified gun
Page 91 and 92: “We have blocked it as per a gove
Page 93 and 94: conference said they had already ca
Page 95 and 96: astards with the law we need to use
Page 97 and 98: humanitarian worker with direct kno
Page 99: The government dismissed the allega
Page 103 and 104: IX. Karuna Group and State Complici
Page 105 and 106: stating that it “has no complicit
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Page 109 and 110: Over the past 18 months, the govern
Page 111 and 112: Lack of witness protection A key pr
Page 113 and 114: president cannot appoint any commis
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Page 119 and 120: 7. Death of 51 persons in Naddalamo
Page 121 and 122: Members of the IIGEP have also expr
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Page 129 and 130: • Urge the Sri Lankan government
Page 131: H UMAN R I GHTS WATCH 350 Fifth Ave
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