Sri Lanka—Human Rights
Sri Lanka is a democratic island-state with a multiparty system. After attaining independence from the British empire in 1948, Sri Lankan ruling elites retained the colonial constitution while from time to time incorporating legislative acts. A new constitution adopted in 1972 provided for a parliamentary democracy, but leaders favored the Sinhalese majority in matters of employment, official language, and recruitment criteria in educational institutions.
As a result, the Tamils felt discriminated against and in 1983 launched a movement demanding a separate homeland in the northeastern provinces for Tamil speakers. Since then, millions of Tamils have become refugees in India, and many civilians have suffered heavy casualties. Increased fighting between government security forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) resulted in extrajudicial killings and displacement of more than 150,000 persons all over the country.
Torture, rape, and harassment by the police and security forces have become common. Emergency powers have been in force since 1983. Under the emergency regulations, state authorities have the power to arrest people, restrict their movements, and ban activities of unions. During 1999 and 2000, the media were censored, and coverage of the ongoing civil war, including arbitrary detention of journalists and closing of printing presses, was banned. In June 2000, because of international pressure, the government removed restrictions on foreign media. Such violations of human rights by state agencies contributed to the erosion of democratic institutions and undermined people's faith in democracy and the rule of law.
The LTTE bombed civilian public places in the north and east of the peninsula, killing more than a hundred civilians in suicide bombings in 2000. The LTTE also recruited children younger than fifteen years of age to serve in combat operations. The National Human Rights Commission in Colombo, including nongovernment officials and international human-rights organizations, investigated cases of abuse of civil liberties by state agencies and the LTTE with little result, because of apathy, noncooperation of state agencies, and the unabated civil war. Unless an amicable political solution is found to end the ethnic war, there is little hope for improvement in the human-rights situation in Sri Lanka.
Further Reading
Amnesty International. (2000) Amnesty International Annual Report, 2000. London: Amnesty International Publications.
Human Rights Watch. (2000) Human Rights Watch World Report, 2000. New York: Human Rights Watch.
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