Death threats against Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu

August 21, 2009

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:

The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about death threats against Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA)[1].

According to the information received, in the morning of August 20, 2009, Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu received through the post at his residence an anonymous death threat letter written in English. According to the contents of the letter, Dr. Saravanamuttu “WILL (emphasis in original) be killed” because he is being held responsible for the fact that Sri Lanka stands to be deprived of the European Union’s Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) Plus benefits in October, which will result in job losses in the garment industry, following the transmission of information by Dr. Saravanamuttu to Ms. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the European Union Commissioner for External Relations[2].

CPA has consistently argued that the GSP Plus benefits must be renewed, and that Sri Lanka should use the opportunity to also strengthen its human rights protection framework by complying with international human rights law.

Dr. Saravanamuttu and CPA subsequently lodged a complaint to the police. He also wrote to the Inspector General of Police.

The Observatory condemns these death threats expressed against Dr. Saravanamuttu, which illustrate once more the situation of extreme insecurity faced by human rights defenders in Sri Lanka.

Actions requested:

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

1. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu and all human rights defenders in Sri Lanka;
2. Order an immediate, thorough, effective and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned facts, the result of which must be made public, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply to them the penal sanctions provided by the law;
3. Put an end to all acts of harassment against all human rights defenders in Sri Lanka;
4. 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”;
5. 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:

• President Mahinda Rajapakse, Office of the President, Temple Trees, 150, Galle Road, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka, Fax: + 94 11 2446657 / +94 11 2472100 / +94 11 2430 590. Email: secretary@presidentsoffice.lk
• Mr. Jayantha Wickramaratne, Inspector General of Police (IGP), New Secretariat, Colombo 1, Sri Lanka. Fax: +94 11 2 440440 / 27877. E-mail: igp@police.lk
• Mr. Amarasiri Dodangoda, Minister, Ministry of Justice and Law Reforms, Superior Courts Complex, Colombo 12, Sri Lanka. Fax : (94) 1 2320785. Email: justiceminist@sltnet.lk
• Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order, 15/5 Baladaksha Mawatha, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka, Fax: +94 11 2446 300 / +94 11 2541 529. Email: gotabaya@defence.lk / secdef sltnet.lk
• National Police Commission, 3rd Floor, Rotunda Towers, 109 Galle Road, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka, Fax: +94 11 2 395867 / +94 11-2395866. E-mail: npcgen@sltnet.lk / polcom@sltnet.lk
• 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
• His Excellency Mr. Dayan Jayatilleka, Ambassador, 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.

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, August 21, 2009

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:
E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org
Tel and fax OMCT: + 41 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29

Tel and fax FIDH: + 33 1 43 55 20 11 / +33 1 43 55 18 80

[1] The CPA, based in Colombo, was formed in the firm belief that there is an urgent need to strengthen institution- and capacity-building for good governance and conflict transformation in Sri Lanka. The primary role envisaged for the Centre in the field of public policy is a pro-active and interventionary one, aimed at the dissemination and advocacy of policy alternatives for non-violent conflict resolution and democratic governance.

[2] A scanned copy of both the letter and the post-marked envelope have been uploaded to CPA website: http://www.cpalanka.org.