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International Independent Investigation in the Island of Sri Lanka

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International Independent Investigation in the Island of Sri Lanka The Need for an International Independent Investigation In the Island of Sri Lanka Authored By Ms S Janaki, Mr P Rajesh, Ms J Tanja, Mr S Saaranan and Mr B Nirmanusan British Tamils Forum (BTF) March - 2014 2 3 A genuine Peace and Reconciliation is only possible after Justice is served 4 Acknowledgments This report was co-authored by Ms S Janaki, Mr P Rajesh, Ms J Tanja, Mr S Saaranan and Mr B Nirmanusan part of the British Tamils Forum’s Academic research Project for the United Nations Human Rights Council. We are grateful to the organizations and individuals who assisted with this research in particular on the ground. Publishers: British Tamils Forum Copyright © 2014 British Tamils Forum The report may be used free of charge for the purposes of advocacy, campaigning, education, and research, provided that the source is acknowledged in full. The copyright holder requests that all such uses be registered with them for impact assessment purposes. For copying in any other circumstances, reuse in other publications, or translation or adaptation, Permission must be secured. For more information: [email protected] The British Tamils Forum London, United Kingdom www.tamilsforum.com 5 Contents Executive Summary and Recommendations............................................................................................................................... 8 1. Sexual violence against Tamil women ................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................ 11 1.2 Sexual Violence Defined ......................................................................................................................................... 11 1.3 Scholars’ Recent Considerations on Genocidal Sexual Crimes .............................................................. 11 1.4 Analysis: Sexual Violence as a Consequence of Militarization and Root Cause of Structural Genocide ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 1.5 Trend of Violence in the Past Five Years ......................................................................................................... 13 1.6 Rapes and Other Forms of Sexual Violence and Trauma in the IDP Camps .................................... 13 1.7 Militarization and Sexual Violence Aimed at Tamil Women in the North and East .................... 14 1.8 Targeting Tamil Children for Rape .................................................................................................................... 17 1.9 Forced Prostitution, Marriages and Trafficking Targeting Tamil Women ...................................... 18 1.10 Degradation of Tamil Society ......................................................................................................................... 19 1.11 Sexual Violence Targeting Tamil Men and Women in Detention ................................................... 20 1.12 Coercive Population Control ........................................................................................................................... 22 1.13 Government Response to Rapes and Other Forms of Sexual Violence ........................................ 24 1.14 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................... 24 1.15 Summary of the Findings.................................................................................................................................. 25 Appendix 1 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 References [Section 1] ............................................................................................................................................................ 27 2. Tamil IDPs and IDP Returnees in Post-War Sri Lanka .................................................................................................... 28 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 28 2.2 Context ........................................................................................................................................................................... 28 2.3 Protracted Tamil IDPs ............................................................................................................................................. 30 2.4 Obstacles and Challenges in Finding a Durable Solution for IDPs and IDP Returnees .............. 33 2.5 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................................... 38 References [Section 2] ............................................................................................................................................................ 40 3. Land-Grab and Militarization in the Tamil Homeland (North and East) ................................................................ 41 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 41 3.2 Land Acquisition/ Land-Grab .............................................................................................................................. 41 3.3 Militarization ............................................................................................................................................................... 43 3.4 Alleged Necessity/ Reasons for Military Presence in the North and East ....................................... 45 3.5 Effects of Military Presence in North and East (Tamils’ Homeland) .................................................. 46 3.6 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................................... 48 References [Section 3] ............................................................................................................................................................ 49 4. The Systematic Land-Grabbing Continues Unabated ...................................................................................................... 50 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 50 4.2 Land-Grab of Tamils within the Post-Independence and Pre-War Context .................................... 51 It is apparent from the colonial documents that Trincomalee District excluding Kaddukulam West was an almost exclusively Tamil speaking region in the 19th and early 20th centuries. .................................................... 53 6 4.3 New Trends, Patterns and the Intentions of the Land-Grabs of Tamil Land Within the Post- War Context ................................................................................................................................................................................ 58 4.4 Buddhist Temple and Land Encroachments ................................................................................................. 58 4.5 Sudden Declarations of Tamil Lands as Archaeological Reservations .............................................. 61 4.6 Special Economic Zones (SEZs)........................................................................................................................... 62 4.7 Strategic Development Projects.......................................................................................................................... 63 4.8 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................................... 71 References [section 4] ............................................................................................................................................................ 72 5. South Africa’s Model of Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Sri Lanka – A Trap or Trajectory? .... 73 5.1 Background .................................................................................................................................................................. 73 5.2 Introduction: Why is South Africa’s TRC Model Inappropriate for Sri Lanka? .............................. 75 5.3 Challenges to Accountability and Reconciliation ........................................................................................ 79 5.4 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................................... 90 7 Acronyms BTF British Tamil Forum DS Divisional Secretariat GoSL Government of Sri Lanka HSZ High Security Zone IDP Internally Displaced Person IHL International Humanitarian Law IHRL International Human Rights Law IIGEP International Independent Group of Eminent
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