| Deteriorating Conditions in the Internment Camps in Sri Lanka |
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The Australasian Federation of Tamil Associations (AFTA), the umbrella body representing the peak Tamil Associations in across Australia and New Zealand, would like to bring to the attention of the international community, the plight of the 250,000 displaced Tamils still held in detention camps in northern Sri Lanka. "... AFTA calls on the media to expose the deteriorating plight of the detained internally displaced Tamil people in Sri Lanka and to raise this matter with the Australian and New Zealand Governments and the NGO community so that strong diplomatic action against Sri Lanka is pursued without further delay to avoid another humanitarian catastrophe..."
"With all these people penned up unnecessarily in terrible conditions, the situation in these camps is getting tense and ugly," said Brad Adams, Asia director at HRW. "If they aren't out of there before the monsoons hit, their lives and health will be in serious danger", he added further. According to the UN, by the end of September - more than four months after the military defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) - the government continued to hold 255,551 displaced persons in camps and hospitals, the majority in a large complex of camps called "Manik Farm" in Vavuniya district. "Immediate and substantial progress in restoring freedom of movement for the displaced is an imperative if Sri Lanka is to respect the rights of its citizens and comply with its commitments and obligations under international law", said Walter Kälin, the representative of the UN secretary-general on the human rights of internally displaced persons, on September 29, after visiting some of these camps. He has been critical of the slow pace of release of IDPs from these camps by the Sri Lankan authorities. According to a HRW News Release on Saturday, residents of different “Zones” of the Manik farm camp have had limited access to water since October 5, as the main pipeline pumping water from a nearby river was turned off due to low water levels in the river. Whilst the UN refugee agency recommendation is a minimum of 15 liters of water per person per day, the restriction of 30 liters of water per family by the camp authority is unacceptable by any standard. According to News item posted in the Amnesty International’s website, Yolanda Foster the Amnesty International’s Sri Lanka expert who is in contact with relatives of people inside the camp has stated “People living in these camps are desperate to leave. The government must ensure that the displaced are treated with dignity. They have a right to protection and must be consulted on whether they wish to return to their homes or resettle". The mounting frustration amongst the displaced, caused by the deteriorating conditions and lack of free movement, has led to conflicts with the military personnel guarding the camps. On September 23, residents at the Poonthotham camp attacked soldiers and police officers and their vehicles after the police took one of the camp's residents away. The riot, which lasted for three hours, ended when the police brought the man back. “These incidents should serve as a wake-up call for the government and donors," said Brad Adams of HRW. AFTA appeals to the international community to send a clear message to Colombo that continued and blatant disregard for international standards will result in diplomatic sanctions. AFTA urges the Australian and New Zealand governments to take the lead on this matter. The constructive engagement tried to date with Sri Lanka obviously has completely failed. AFTA calls on the media to expose the deteriorating plight of the detained internally displaced Tamil people in Sri Lanka and to raise this matter with the Australian and New Zealand Governments and the NGO community so that strong diplomatic action against Sri Lanka is pursued without further delay to avoid another humanitarian catastrophe. Media Enquiries: |
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