International Commission of Jurists
Sri Lankan civilians urgently need protection: ICJ calls on government and LTTE to publicly state commitment to international humanitarian law

Sri Lankan civilians urgently need protection: ICJ calls on government and LTTE to publicly state commitment to international humanitarian law

Aug 16, 2006 | News

The ICJ today called on the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to abide by international human rights and humanitarian law.

The LTTE must cease any indiscriminate or targeted attacks against civilians and immediately guarantee access for independent human rights investigators, the ICJ further said.

“Civilians have borne the brunt of the recent escalation of fighting. Yet international human rights law guarantees the right to life and the fundamental rule of international humanitarian law is that those fighting must distinguish between civilian and military targets, between civilians and combatants”, said Nicholas Howen, ICJ Secretary-General.

Sri Lanka-civilian protection international humanitarian law-Press releases-2006 (full text, PDF)

Senior Tamil Tiger leader killed in Sri Lanka: ICJ calls for investigation

Senior Tamil Tiger leader killed in Sri Lanka: ICJ calls for investigation

Feb 10, 2005 | News

The ICJ today called on the Government to launch a prompt, impartial and thorough investigation into the killing of Tamil leader E. Kaushalyan and Amparai District parliamentarian Chandranehru Arianayagam.

The two men along with several colleagues were killed on 7 February 2005 in the Welikanda region in Sri Lanka. Persons found responsible for the killings must be brought to justice.

These killings mark a significant setback following a period in which Sri Lanka has seen a decrease in political killings since the tsunami in late December 2004.

In this instance one of those killed was a senior Tamil Tiger leader. However, in a meeting in October 2004 with S.P. Thamilselvan, leader of the LTTE’s political wing, the ICJ has called on the LTTE leadership itself to end political killings. The ICJ reaffirms that both the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Government should take measures to respect international human rights and humanitarian law.

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