Young student along with human rights activists demanded justice for survivors in Sri Lanka. By signing postcards, school students gathered to mark 21st International Children’s Day on 20 November along with human rights activists urged authority to ensure justice for survivors in Sri Lanka.
After signing post card prepared by Amnesty International, popular youth leader of Nepal and constituent Assembly (CA) member Gagan Thapa said that justice for conflict victim must be guaranteed and signature collection for the humanity is great work and it should be continued. He shared how he had felt comfortable after AI adopted him the Prisoner of Conscience in 2005 while he was detained by the then king’s regime.
On the occasion, Deputy General Secretary of AI Nepal Uttam Sapkota shed light the situation of survivors in Sri Lanka and the importance of signature action. Vice chairperson of AI Nepal Keshab Sigdel, Treasurer Rashmila Bhochhibhoya, Director of AI Nepal Rameshwar Nepal, Founder Principal of Bagmati Boarding School Surendra Sitoula, Chairperson of Human Rights and Peace Society, Nepal HomKanta Choulagai and others also signed in the postcards.
AI has launched a worldwide action calling for justice to the survivor of a 20-year conflict in Sri Lanka. The post card will be sent to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Nepal urging her to ensure the United Nations support accountability for human rights violations in Sri Lanka by
- Calling for a public report of the findings of the UN Panel on Sri Lanka, scheduled to run until 16 January 2011 .
- Asking the UN Secretary-General to further support an independent, international investigation into human rights violations in Sri Lanka.
Five Tamil students were killed and two others were seriously injured in January 2006 by the Sri Lankan security forces. To date, no one has been brought to justice for these violations – merely one example of the lack of accountability that plagues Sri Lanka.
On 2 January 2006 a grenade was thrown from an auto rickshaw at a group of students in Trincomalee. At least three were injured. Between 10 and 15 uniformed officers, believed to be police from the elite Special Task Force, arrived. They forced the students into their jeep, beat them with rifle butts and then pushed them out onto the road. According to a witness, the security forces personnel then shot dead five of the young men: Shanmugarajah Gajendran, Lohitharaja Rohan, Thangathurai Sivanantha, Yogaraja Hemachandran and Manoharan Rajihar. Two other youths survived with injuries.
The security forces initially claimed the five had been killed when the grenade exploded, which they alleged the students had been carrying. However, a post-mortem later revealed that they died from gunshot wounds. Three had been shot in the head.
The program organized by Amnesty International Nepal was hosted by AI Nepal, Group – 34, Kathmandu.