International Federation for Human Rights
Paris, 11th June, 2007 - The International Federation for Human
Rights (FIDH) expresses its deep concern regarding the expulsion of
hundreds of Tamils from Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, on June 7,
2007 by Sri Lankan army and police forces.
The expulsions followed a statement made on June 1 by the National
Inspector-General of Police (IGP), saying that Tamils could not stay in
the capital unless they presented « valid » justification for their
residence in Colombo. The statement and the subsequent expulsion
constitute a clear violation of both national and international law. The
Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has put a temporary halt to further
expulsions by the security services pending a review of the case on June
22.
According to a statement by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defense, 376
Tamils were forced out of Colombo on June 7 and transported by bus to
several locations (Vavuniya, Batticaloa and Trincomalee) in the north
inhabited by Tamil-majority populations. The northern districts
constitute a front in the armed conflict raging between the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the central government.
Following the IGP’s announcement, those Tamils were removed from Colombo
on the grounds that they lacked the necessary justification for their
presence. Thus far, since no criteria have been made publicly available
for what constitutes « validity », the expulsions appear to be
arbitrary. Furthermore, witnesses reportedly confirm that the expulsions
from the capital took place under extreme pressure: those targeted by
the authorities were given very little time to collect or store their
belongings and were not informed as to where they were being
transferred. Some persons who were reportedly sick or otherwise not fit
to travel were also included in the expulsions.
FIDH reminds that the forced removal of people based on ethnicity
constitutes a clear violation of the prohibition of discrimination, even
in time of public emergency under Article 4.1 the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), ratified by Sri Lanka. In
addition, everyone lawfully within the territory of a State shall,
within that territory, have the right to liberty of movement and freedom
to choose his residence, as guaranteed in Art 12.1 of the ICCPR. The
above-mentioned practices might also amount to collective punishment,
prohibited under Article 33 of the fourth Geneva Convention of 1949
under which : "No protected person may be punished for an offence he or
she has not personally committed".
FIDH recalls that LTTE has been involved in various attacks on
civilians, including recent bomb attacks. FIDH condemns such attacks;
however, an indiscriminate and arbitrary reply targeting the whole Tamil
community can only further fuel violence and polarization between the
different ethnic communities in Sri Lanka.
* Press Contact : Gaël Grilhot : +33 1 43 55 90 19
Isabelle Brachet
Desk Officer for Asia
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
17, passage de la Main d’Or
75011 Paris – France
tel : + 33 1 43 55 25 18 / fax : + 33 1 43 55 18 80
www.fidh.org