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  US: Sri Lanka rights abuse in 2015 too

US: Sri Lanka rights abuse in 2015 too

PTI
Published : Apr 15, 2016, 12:02 am IST
Updated : Apr 15, 2016, 12:02 am IST

Widespread impunity continued last year in Sri Lanka for the crimes committed during the armed conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and following the end of the civil war, a new report r

Widespread impunity continued last year in Sri Lanka for the crimes committed during the armed conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and following the end of the civil war, a new report released by the US state department has said.

The US state department’s 2015 Sri Lankan human rights report, which was released Wednesday, details several reported violations from the Tamil-dominated North-East.

“The major human rights problems reported during the year included harassment of civil society activists, journalists, and persons viewed as sympathisers of the banned terrorist group the LTTE, as well as arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, rape, and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence committed by the police and security forces,” the report said.

“Widespread impunity continued in Sri Lanka last year for the crimes committed during the armed conflict and other crimes committed following the end of the conflict, particularly for cases of torture, sexual violence, corruption, and human rights abuses,” the US state department’s report said.

Concerning the internally displaced due to the armed conflict, the report said while they had full freedom of movement, most were unable to return to their lands of origin due to uncleared land mines; restrictions designating their home areas as part of high security zone s or exclusive economic zones; lack of opportunities to earn a livelihood; inability to access basic public services.

The serious human rights problems included severe prison overcrowding and lack of due process.

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