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A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Thursday, March 3, 2022
Sri Lankan soldier videos those signing petition against PTA
01 March 2022
A Sri Lankan soldier was seen videoing locals signing the 'repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act' (PTA) petition in Kodikamam this morning.
Ignoring the soldier's intimidation tactics, locals bravely continued to sign the petition which was initiated last month demanding the Sri Lankan government to repeal the PTA. The PTA has been widely criticised for its disproportionate use against Tamils and Muslims and for suppressing civil society on the island.
Last week, another Sri Lankan soldier was seen photographing Tamils in Jaffna as they added their signatures to their petition.
Despite it's commitments to the international community, successive Sri Lankan governments have taken minimal steps to replace the PTA with legislation that meets international standards. In January, the Sri Lankan government announced 'reforms' to the PTA, however these were criticised by Tamil civil society, parliamentarians and human rights organisations as the proposed amendments still fall short of international standards.
Commenting on the proposed amendments, Amnesty International said that it was an attempt by the Sri Lankan government to "pacify both local and international calls for the repeal of the draconian PTA."
The 'repeal the PTA' campaign coincides with the 49th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council which is currently taking place in Geneva. The Council will discuss the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Michelle Bachelet's damning report this week. In her report, the human rights chief siad that the proposed amendments "leave intact some of the most problematic provisions of the PTA" and called for an immediate moratorium on its use until it is replaced with legislation that is in line with international human rights laws and standards.
