| "The
South Asian region is beset with problems of human rights
violations. The impunity with which the LTTE in Sri
Lanka violates the human rights of the Tamil-speaking
people in particular, and the Sri Lankan people in general,
is a glaring example this. Any Tamil leader who does
not agree with their cruel and inhuman modes of operation
is killed by them. Dissent is not allowed by them from
any section of the Tamil community. A diversity of views,
- the hallmark of any democracy - has no place in their
order of things.
The Sri Lankan government has always offered to negotiate
with them across the table and craft a solution that
respects human rights and democratic values. They have
always either rejected our efforts or made their own
positions impossible. It is against backgrounds such
as this, that RLEKs
work in the South Asian region must be appreciated".
So said President Mahinda Rajapaksa,
Chief Guest at the ceremonial laying of
the Foundation Stone for the Indo- Sri Lanka Human Rights
Centre for South
Asian Countries at the Rural Litigation & Entitlement
Kendra (RLEK), and the
release of the publication "Capacity building of
Women in Local Governance
in South Asian Countries a Handbook" at the RLEK
Auditorium, Dehradun, India
on Sunday the 26th November 2006.
[Full
text of the speech]
|
