Latest news with #VolkerTurk
Express Tribune
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
SL court stops state land grab from Tamils
Sri Lanka's top court halted Friday a government move to acquire land in northern regions still reeling from the consequences 16 years after the end of a decades-long civil war. Sri Lanka's north bore the brunt of the conflict in the 37-year-long Tamil separatist war, which was brought to a bloody conclusion in May 2009. Many among the Tamil minority lost their land title deeds during the years of displacement, and the area was also hit by the 2004 Asian tsunami. The Supreme Court order concerning nearly 6,000 acres (2,428 hectares) of land came a day after UN human rights chief Volker Turk ended a three-day visit, during which he urged the authorities to return private lands still occupied by troops. The UN estimates that at least 100,000 people died in the war, and that 40,000 of them from the Tamil minority were killed by troops in the final months of the conflict.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Sri Lanka court stops state land grab from Tamils
Sri Lanka's top court halted Friday (June 27, 2025) a government move to acquire land in northern regions still reeling from the consequences 16 years after the end of a decades-long civil war. Sri Lanka's north bore the brunt of the conflict in the 37-year-long Tamil separatist war, which was brought to a bloody conclusion in May 2009. Many among the Tamil minority lost their land title deeds during the years of displacement, and the area was also hit by the 2004 Asian tsunami. The Supreme Court order concerning nearly 6,000 acres (2,428 hectares) of land came a day after U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk ended a three-day visit, during which he urged the authorities to return private lands still occupied by troops. The U.N. estimates that at least 100,000 people died in the war, and that 40,000 of them from the Tamil minority were killed by troops in the final months of the conflict. Mr. Turk also asked Sri Lanka to investigate allegations of war crimes and punish the perpetrators. Successive Sri Lankan governments have refused internationally-backed investigations, and there has been no credible local accountability mechanism. Former Tamil legislator M.A. Sumanthiran, who petitioned the court, said it has stopped a land grab. "The government promised three months ago not to go ahead with acquiring these private lands, but never took any action," Mr. Sumanthiran told AFP. "That is why I went to court," he said. Mr. Sumanthiran said security forces in the northern Jaffna peninsula still occupied about 3,000 acres.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sri Lanka court stops state land grab from Tamils
Sri Lanka's top court halted Friday a government move to acquire land in northern regions still reeling from the consequences 16 years after the end of a decades-long civil war. Sri Lanka's north bore the brunt of the conflict in the 37-year-long Tamil separatist war, which was brought to a bloody conclusion in May 2009. Many among the Tamil minority lost their land title deeds during the years of displacement, and the area was also hit by the 2004 Asian tsunami. The Supreme Court order concerning nearly 6,000 acres (2,428 hectares) of land came a day after UN human rights chief Volker Turk ended a three-day visit, during which he urged the authorities to return private lands still occupied by troops. The UN estimates that at least 100,000 people died in the war, and that 40,000 of them from the Tamil minority were killed by troops in the final months of the conflict. Turk also asked Sri Lanka to investigate allegations of war crimes and punish the perpetrators. Successive Sri Lankan governments have refused internationally-backed investigations, and there has been no credible local accountability mechanism. Former Tamil legislator M.A. Sumanthiran, who petitioned the court, said it has stopped a land grab. "The government promised three months ago not to go ahead with acquiring these private lands, but never took any action," Sumanthiran told AFP. "That is why I went to court." Sumanthiran said security forces in the northern Jaffna peninsula still occupied about 3,000 acres. aj/pjm/mtp
NDTV
a day ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Sri Lanka Supreme Court Stops Land Grab From War-Affected Tamils
Sri Lanka's top court halted Friday a government move to acquire land in northern regions still reeling from the consequences 16 years after the end of a decades-long civil war. Sri Lanka's north bore the brunt of the conflict in the 37-year-long Tamil separatist war, which was brought to a bloody conclusion in May 2009. Many among the Tamil minority lost their land title deeds during the years of displacement, and the area was also hit by the 2004 Asian tsunami. The Supreme Court order concerning nearly 6,000 acres (2,428 hectares) of land came a day after UN human rights chief Volker Turk ended a three-day visit, during which he urged the authorities to return private lands still occupied by troops. The UN estimates that at least 100,000 people died in the war, and that 40,000 of them from the Tamil minority were killed by troops in the final months of the conflict. Turk also asked Sri Lanka to investigate allegations of war crimes and punish the perpetrators. Successive Sri Lankan governments have refused internationally-backed investigations, and there has been no credible local accountability mechanism. Former Tamil legislator M.A. Sumanthiran, who petitioned the court, said it has stopped a land grab. "The government promised three months ago not to go ahead with acquiring these private lands, but never took any action," Sumanthiran told AFP. "That is why I went to court." Sumanthiran said security forces in the northern Jaffna peninsula still occupied about 3,000 acres.
The Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald
Funding crisis stalls UN probe into possible war crimes in DRC
A UN-mandated commission investigating suspected human rights violations and war crimes in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) cannot proceed due to a funding crisis in the UN human rights office (OHCHR), according to a letter seen by Reuters. The OHCHR is facing a major cash crunch caused by some countries failing to fully pay their contributions, compounded by major cuts in foreign aid by the US under President Donald Trump. In February, a special session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva agreed to set up a fact-finding mission and a formal commission of inquiry to investigate rights violations, including massacres and sexual violence in North and South Kivu in the east of the DRC, including the cities of Goma and Bukavu after they were seized by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. Rwanda has denied supporting the M23. Less than six months later, the commission of inquiry cannot deliver results 'until and unless funding is made available', according to the appendix of the letter sent by the UN high commissioner for human rights, Volker Turk. He warned financial and staffing constraints are 'critically impeding' investigative work and voiced alarm at the impact of budget cuts on measures to protect human rights. Voluntary contributions to Turk's office are down by $60m (R1bn) this year, OHCHR told Reuters. Alex El Jundi, head of the investigations support unit at OHCHR, told an informal meeting with council members on Monday the situation was regrettable given preliminary findings of summary executions and 'horrific sexual violence' and other violations. Many of the abuses could constitute war crimes, he said. Commissions of inquiry can yield evidence that can be used in pretrial investigations by tribunals such as the International Criminal Court. El Jundi said the office's reserves are exhausted after it exceptionally allocated $1.1m (R17.7m) of regular funding to launch the fact-finding mission, leaving no resources to start the COI's work. It is budgeted at about $3.9m (R69m). South Africa's envoy at the meeting described the delay as a 'grave mistake' and the DRC's representative said it risked creating the impression the investigation was not important to the OHCHR. The OHCHR told Reuters it would do 'everything possible' to secure regular budget funds as early as 2026 to launch the commission of inquiry. Reuters
