SRI LANKA COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION (COI) REPORT COI Service 4 July 2011 SRI LANKA 4 JULY 2011 Contents Preface Latest News EVENTS IN SRI LANKA FROM 2 TO 27 JUNE 2011 Useful news sources for further information REPORTS ON SRI LANKA PUBLISHED OR ACCESSED BETWEEN 2 TO 27 JUNE 2011 Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................ 1.01 Map ........................................................................................................................ 1.06 Public holidays ..................................................................................................... 1.07 2. ECONOMY ................................................................................................................ 2.01 3. HISTORY .................................................................................................................. 3.01 Key political events (1948 to December 2010) ............................................... 3.01 The internal conflict (1984 to May 2009) ......................................................... 3.15 Government treatment of (suspected) members of the LTTE ........................ 3.28 The conflict's impact: casualties and displaced persons ................................ 3.43 4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ........................................................................................... 4.01 Key recent developments (January – May 2011) ........................................... 4.01 Situation of (suspected) members of the LTTE ............................................. 4.10 Rehabilitation ................................................................................................. 4.10 5. CONSTITUTION .......................................................................................................... 5.01 The 18th amendment ....................................................................................... 5.03 6. POLITICAL SYSTEM ................................................................................................... 6.01 Human Rights 7. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 7.01 8. SECURITY FORCES AND PARAMILITARY GROUPS .......................................................... 8.01 Police ..................................................................................................................... 8.04 Armed forces ........................................................................................................ 8.15 Desertion ............................................................................................................ 8.18 Human rights violations by the police and armed forces ................................ 8.20 Arbitrary arrest and detention ............................................................................. 8.20 Disappearances/abductions ............................................................................... 8.24 Torture ................................................................................................................ 8.31 Extra-judicial killings ........................................................................................... 8.42 Pro government (non state) paramilitary groups .............................................. 8.44 Human rights violations by paramilitary groups .................................................. 8.47 Avenues of complaint .......................................................................................... 8.50 Impunity .............................................................................................................. 8.51 Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka ............................................................ 8.53 Witness protection .............................................................................................. 8.55 9. JUDICIARY ................................................................................................................ 9.01 Organisation ......................................................................................................... 9.01 ii The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 1 June 2011. Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section to 27 June 2011. 4 JULY 2011 SRI LANKA Independence ....................................................................................................... 9.04 Fair trial ................................................................................................................. 9.06 Penal code ............................................................................................................ 9.07 10. ARREST AND DETENTION – LEGAL RIGHTS .................................................................. 10.01 Emergency Regulations and the Prevention of Terrorism Act ........................ 10.04 Bail/reporting conditions ..................................................................................... 10.12 Arrest warrants ..................................................................................................... 10.13 11. PRISON CONDITIONS ................................................................................................. 11.01 Deaths in custody ................................................................................................. 11.14 12. DEATH PENALTY ....................................................................................................... 12.01 13. POLITICAL AFFILIATION.............................................................................................. 13.01 Freedom of political expression.......................................................................... 13.01 Freedom of association and assembly ............................................................... 13.05 Opposition groups and political activists .......................................................... 13.06 Sarath Fonseka and supporters ......................................................................... 13.07 14. FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND MEDIA ............................................................................... 14.01 Legal framework ................................................................................................... 14.01 Journalists ............................................................................................................ 14.04 Internet/mobile phones ........................................................................................ 14.14 15. HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS, ORGANISATIONS AND ACTIVISTS .................................... 15.01 16. CORRUPTION ............................................................................................................ 16.01 17. FREEDOM OF RELIGION .............................................................................................. 17.01 Legal framework and demography ..................................................................... 17.01 Hindus ................................................................................................................... 17.04 Muslims ................................................................................................................. 17.05 Christians .............................................................................................................. 17.06 18. ETHNIC GROUPS ....................................................................................................... 22.01 Legal framework and demography ..................................................................... 18.01 Sinhalese ............................................................................................................... 18.04 Tamils .................................................................................................................... 18.05 Up-Country Tamils ............................................................................................. 18.13 Muslims ................................................................................................................. 18.16 19. LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PERSONS .............................................. 19.01 Legal rights ........................................................................................................... 19.01 Treatment by, and attitudes of, state authorities ............................................... 19.08 Societal treatment and attitudes ......................................................................... 19.10 20. WOMEN ................................................................................................................... 20.01 Overview ............................................................................................................... 20.01 General legal rights .............................................................................................. 20.07 Marriage/divorce laws ........................................................................................ 20.10 Political rights ....................................................................................................... 20.17 Social and economic rights ................................................................................. 20.19 Employment ......................................................................................................