'Endless War' - Oakland Institute Decries Sri Lanka's Continued Militarisation

As the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council continues, the Oakland Institute has released a report which highlights Sri Lanka’s continued militarisation and Sinhalisation of the island as the government continues its campaign to “eradicate the history and culture of the Tamil people”.

The report highlights that whilst the government has repeatedly maintained that the LTTE poses no threat to national security, land grabs the military occupation of the North-East has accelerated in recent years. According to their estimates, there is approximately one soldier for every six civilians in the North-East. This the report states, is to keep “the population in the North-East under constant repression and intimidation”.

The Oakland institute further criticises the UN weak resolution and calls for the council to act upon the Human Rights High Commissioner’s recommendations and establish a field presence to monitor the human rights situation and refer Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court.

Responding to this report, Jaffna MP C V Wigneswaran, lambasted the complacency of the international community stating:

“If the Military has been able to destroy centuries-old religious institutions in Valikamam North to erect palatial Army Residences on the same land the International Community should shoulder part of the responsibility for their lethargy, indifference and maybe ignorance”.

Wigneswaran further chastised the council expressing disappointment over the draft resolution and calling on the international community to “open their eyes to the realities of the situation in North and East of Sri Lanka”.