International Federation
for Human Rights

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Sri Lanka.

Brief description of the situation:

According to the information received, on September 27, 2008, at 11.40 pm, an unidentified gang lobbed two hand grenades at the residence of Mr. J.C Weliamuna, which is close to a police station (Kohuwela), and an army camp (Kohuwela-Pepiliyana road). Although damage was caused to property, fortunately no bodily harm was caused to Mr. Weliamuna or members of his family.

The Observatory strongly condemns the grenade attack on Mr. Weliamuna’s residence, and believes it is aimed at preventing him from carrying out his human rights activities. As a matter of fact, Mr. Weliamuna has appeared in highly sensitive cases involving corruption and human rights violations, including pending cases involving Government officials and members of the police force. On the very day of the attack, Mr. Weliamuna had moved a motion at the Bar Council regarding a lawyer who had received death threats due to his appearance in an extra-judicial killing case. The victim of the killing had previously brought two complaint against police officers, for bribery and torture. The Bar Council unanimously decided to act on the complaint of the lawyer and condemned this interference with the work of lawyers and resolved to pursue the matter with the Inspector General of Police and other competent authorities.

The Observatory expresses its deep concern about the grenade attack on Mr. Weliamuna’s residence, which illustrates once more the situation of extreme insecurity faced by human rights defenders in Sri Lanka, especially since the intensification of the conflict in July 2006 and the end of the 2002 ceasefire agreement between the Government and the LTTE, which was called of on January 2, 2008 by the Government.

Actions requested:

Please write to the authorities of Sri Lanka asking them to:

i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. J.C. Weliamuna as well as of all Sri Lankan human rights defenders;

ii. Order a thorough and impartial investigation into the grenade attack on Mr. Weliamuna’s residence, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them before an ordinary competent and impartial tribunal and apply to them the penal sanctions provided by the law;

iii. Put an end to all acts of harassment against human rights defenders and humanitarian workers in Sri Lanka;

iv. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its Article 1, which states that "everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels", and Article 12.2, which provides that "the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration";

v. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

Addresses:

· Mr. W. Dayaratne, President, Bar Association of Sri Lanka, 129 Hulftsdorp Street, Colombo 12, Sri Lanka. Fax: +94 11 2 44 80 90, E-mail: wdaya@slt.lk

· President Mahinda Rajapakse, Presidential Secretariat, Colombo 1, Sri Lanka, Fax: + 94 11 2446657 / +94 11 2472100.

· Mr. Amarasiri Dodangoda, Minister of Justice and Law Reforms, Ministry of Justice and Law Reforms, Superior Courts Complex, Colombo 12, Sri Lanka. Fax: +94 11 2445447.

· Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary, Ministry of Defence, 15/5 Baladaksha Mawatha, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka, Fax: +94 11 2446 300 / +94 11 2541 529

· Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, No. 36, Kynsey Road, Colombo 8, Sri Lanka. Tel: +94 11 2 694 925 / 673 806. Fax: +94 11 2 694 924 / 696 470. E-mail: sechrc@sltnet.lk

· Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Sri Lanka, 56 rue De Moillebeau, 5th Floor, 12119 Geneva 19, Switzerland, Fax: + 41-22 734 90 84, E-mail: mission.srilanka@ties.itu.int

· Embassy of Sri Lanka in Brussels, 27 rue Jules Lejeune, 1050 Ixelles, Belgium. Tel: + 32 2 344 53 94/ + 32 2 344 55 85. Fax : + 32 2 344 67 37. Email : sri.lanka@euronet.be

Please also write to the diplomatic mission or embassy of Sri Lanka in your respective country as well as to the EU diplomatic missions or embassies in Sri Lanka.

***

Geneva - Paris, September 30, 2008

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need. The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:

Tel and fax FIDH + 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / +33 1 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT + 41 (0) 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29