Discrimination in issuing fuel subsidy stamps in Mannar

Four persons not entitled for fuel subsidy stamps generated an argument, caused turmoil. The fuel subsidy stamp distribution took place with the assistance from police and military by the District Fisheries Department officials, and the Pesalai fishermen said they are affected due to this arrangement.

Regarding this they notified to "Udayan" press said,  an event was organized to distribute fuel subsidy stamps today, yesterday and day before  by the Mannar district Fisheries Department.

Officials during the ceremony had invited the military and police. Stamps were issued for last month.

250 fishermen engaged in fishing trade in Pesalai Siruthoppu Nadukuda including regions were selected for the benefit of this stamp use, but the distributions were done in a discrimination manner was said.

“This caused anger to us and we confronted with the officials. At this time, one of us was assaulted by the army. In this state, they suspended the stamp distribution and those who had not acquired they requested to report at Mannar office to obtain their stamp requirement. This has caused severe crisis to us” was said by the fishermen.

Regarding this incident, Mannar district Fisheries Department officer was contacted and he said, “in view of our safety we process this activity with police assistance. As usual we went to Pesalai today, yesterday and day before. During this time, four persons who were not eligible to obtain stamp got into an argument. This caused disturbance. However police controlled the situation.  95 percent who were entitled received stamps, but to others, it would be issued according to order”, said the officer.

Tuesday , 23 April 2013

'We will be tortured': Sri Lankan refugees facing deportation call on international community to protect them
By LOVEENA TANDON- 22 April 2013

Plea: Sri Lankan Tamil Harine fears she will be tortured if she returns to her country

"We will be tortured and persecuted if returned to Sri Lanka," said Harine, aka Rathimohan Lohini, over the phone from Dubai's Jabel Ali port. 

She is the former presenter of a Sri Lankan Tamil television channel run by the LTTE and is among the 45 people who escaped from Sri Lanka on a boat in October 2012, aiming to go to Australia. 

Their boat ran into trouble, and they were eventually rescued by a Singaporean vessel on October 14 and taken to the port of Jabel Ali in Dubai. 

Barring 19 of them, all others were accepted as refugees by different countries. These 19 now face the threat of deportation to Sri Lanka despite the UN giving them the refugee status. 

Harine is one of the unlucky 19, which also includes a 4-year-old. 

Since the end of the brutal civil war with the LTTE in May 2009, the Sri Lankan government has been under the spotlight for human rights violation. 

A US-sponsored resolution based on the UNHCR report was passed in Geneva on March 21 this year. This urges Sri Lanka to work on "reconciliation and rehabilitation" with its Tamil citizens. 

Sri Lanka claims the UNHCR report is not credible. 

Meanwhile, the Tamil activists accuse the Sri Lankan authorities of "genocide". 

In a statement released on their website, the director of refugee programme of Human Rights Watch, Bill Frelick said: "For the UAE to return recognised Tamil refugees to a grave risk of torture in Sri Lanka would signal a total disregard for their well-being - and the most basic principle of international refugee and human rights law... Sri Lanka's treatment of Tamils they deem politically suspect is dismal and under no circumstances should the UAE deport this group there." 

"We live like prisoners, no one is allowed to meet us. I urge the international community to protect us and give us a safe place to live," Harine said.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2313143/We-tortured-Sri-Lankan-refugees-facing-deportation-international-community-protect-them.html#ixzz2RJJnH79g
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