Amnesty International today (30) today launched its annual report on "Human Rights in Asia-Pacific: Review of 2019, which it said delivers the most comprehensive analysis of the state of human rights in the world's largest continent.
Presenting the report, Amnesty said that as far as Sri Lanka is concerned, it finds that the fallout from the April bombings bred communal violence, endangered minorities and put freedoms in peril. Justice and reparations for the 30 year conflict seem to be increasingly out of reach for the victims, as even the limited but key gains of recent years appeared at risk of rollback given statements by the new government.
"It was a difficult year for Sri Lanka. The tragic April bombings, which devastated hundreds of lives, led to the state adopting a heavy-handed security response that trumped people's human rights," said Brijaj Patnaik, South Asia Director at Amnesty International.
"For the victims of Sri Lanka's decades-long conflict, there was little progress on disappearances and no accountability for other crimes," he further said.
Pix by Indika Handuwala
History often has a way of repeating itself, sometimes by shaping similar personalities that seem destined to converge
The Gaza war started on October 7, 2023, following the Hamas attack on a southern Israeli border town. Some 1200 people died, while Hamas took 250 Israelis as hostages.
On his second death anniversary, we pay our deepest respect and heartfelt tribute to General Lionel Balagalle, an illustrious son of Sri Lanka, a noble soldier, and an exemplary leader whose vision, dedication, and humility have left an indelible mark on the Sri Lanka Army and our nation.
All passengers departing from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) will be allowed to check-in 4 hours before their scheduled departure time.
Leave Comments