David Feith writes in the Melbourne Age: I was disturbed to read recently that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is considering changing its international protection guidelines for Sri Lankan and Afghan asylum seekers. The Australian government, predictably, was quick to state that any change to the UNHCR guidelines would…
Showing all posts tagged Sri Lanka
Even dictatorships are against Israeli colonies
Guess who’s also opposed to Israel’s ever-expanding occupation? Two authoritarian regimes, China and Sri Lanka.
Caring for Tamils brings media contempt
It’s hard to know the truth in all this but if history is any guide the tabloid press, working with the police, have a dark past of smearing individuals with a social conscience: A hunger striker who held a 23-day fast in Parliament Square last year in protest at the Sri Lanka’s offensive against the…
We should not tolerate fear-mongering over asylum seekers
Is it possible to have a rational, respectful and mature debate in Australia over refugees, considering the actual numbers of those arriving (by plane or boat) is so low? We are a country of asylum seekers and surely benefit from a well-managed program of immigration: [A] United Nations report revealed Australia received 6,170 asylum applications…
Christmas Island ”˜pressure cooker’ could explode after UN review
My following article appears in today’s edition of Crikey: Christmas Island is a “pressure cooker”, according to one recently-returned refugee advocate. And the situation will blow up completely if the federal government is allowed to deport asylum seekers back to strife-torn Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. As more boats arrive at the offshore immigration processing centre”‰—”‰and…
The leader of Sri Lanka has a serious image problem
A cautionary tale of hubris from a man who should be facing war crimes charges in the Hague (here’s why): Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said there is no truth in the perception that he is building a family dynasty and referred to the Kennedys, Bushes and the Gandhis in politics as an example.…
Being a Tamil Tiger does not preclude seeking asylum in the UK
A surprisingly progressive decision in Britain and a healthy precedent for other civil conflicts around the world: Members of a banned terrorist organisation can claim asylum in Britain, the Supreme Court has ruled. The court ruled that being a member of the Tamil Tigers, which has been designated as a terrorist organisation by the government,…
What do Tamils face when they return home?
These comments seem incredibly suspicious, considering the ongoing human rights abuses in Sri Lanka: Tens of thousands of refugees, who belong to the minority Tamil ethnicity, have lived in camps across India’s Tamil Nadu state for more than two decades and have assimilated into local communities. But many yearn to return and rebuild their lives…
Mass murder in Sri Lanka is an inconvenience for the New York Times travel section
Back in January the New York Times featured Sri Lanka as its top travel destination of the year. An odd choice, considering the country is a police state and stands accused of murdering tens of thousands of its Tamil minority. Not to worry, just enjoy a nice cocktail on a beach recently cleared of mines…