Security Conditions and the Peace Process

No information on security conditions or on the peace process during the period covered by this Response could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, in reference to the 8 February 2005 assassination of E. Kaushalyan, a leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and of five other LTTE members, a Human Rights Watch (HRW) representative expressed concern that this incident "may signify a dangerous new round of politically motivated violence ... undermin[e] the ceasefire and hinde[r] the post-tsunami relief and rehabilitation work" (HRW 11 Feb. 2005; see also AFP 13 Feb. 2005a).

Relations Between the Government and Opposition Parties

Sources indicated that on 11 February 2005, the Sri Lankan parliament extended for an additional month the state of emergency that had been declared following the 26 December 2004 tsunami (AP 11 Feb. 2005; AFP 11 Feb. 2005; see also DPA 11 Feb. 2005). The emergency regulations give wider powers to members of the security forces and of the military who are working in tsunami-hit areas (ibid.; AP 11 Feb. 2005; AFP 11 Feb. 2005).

However, opposition parties alleged that government authorities could misuse their new powers against political opponents (DPA 11 Feb. 2005; see also AP 11 Feb. 2005). While the United National Party (UNP), the main opposition party, abstained from voting on the regulations (AP 11 Feb. 2005; DPA 11 Feb. 2005), "Sri Lanka's Muslim party boycotted the vote" (AP 11 Feb. 2005) and "20 Tamil lawmakers opposed the vote" (ibid.; see also DPA 11 Feb. 2005).

According to one source, the emergency regulations allow security forces to "break into houses, vehicles, buildings and to carry out search operations, arrest persons obstructing relief operations and people spreading rumours" as well as "to arrest persons showing 'disaffection' about public officials involved in relief operations" (DPA 11 Feb. 2005). In addition, a report from the Associated Press (AP) stated that the emergency regulations "allow authorities to detain without trial ... anyone suspected of involvement with [LTTE] insurgents" (11 Feb. 2005).

The Situation of Children

A BBC report indicated that the United Nations Secretary-General is urging sanctions against the LTTE rebels for continuing to recruit children as soldiers (10 Feb. 2005). The Secretary-General stated that "[t]he LTTE ... has often carried out recruitment by force, abducting children while on their way to school or during religious festivities, and beating families and teachers who resisted the seizure of the children" (BBC 10 Feb. 2005).

According to the Commissioner of Probation and Child Care, 995 children have lost both of their parents in the tsunami, while 3,409 others have lost at least one parent (AFP 14 Feb. 2005; ibid. 13 Feb. 2005b). A 15 February 2005 Xinhua report stated that the Sri Lankan government would enact a special law which will "deal with [the] issuance of death certificates, adoption of children and appointment of foster parents."

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection.

References

Agence France-Presse (AFP). 14 February 2005. Jay Deshmukh. "DNA Test Establishes Parents of Sri Lankan Tsunami Baby." (Dialog)

_____. 13 February 2005a. "Tamil Tiger Killings Not To Deter Foreign Aid in Sri Lanka: Japanese Envoy." (Dialog)

_____. 13 February 2005b. Amal Jayasinghe. "Tsunami Orphans Take on Sri Lanka's National Cricketers." (Dialog)

____. 11 February 2005. "Sri Lanka Extends Emergency to Deal with Tsunami Relief." (Dialog)

Associated Press (AP). 11 February 2005. "Sri Lanka Parliament Extends Tsunami Emergency Rule Amid Opposition Protests." (Dialog)

BBC. 10 February 2005. "UN Seeks Tamil Tiger Travel Ban." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4253745.stm [Accessed 15 Feb. 2005]

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA). 11 February 2005. "Sri Lanka Passes Emergency Regulations To Handle Tsunami Relief." (Dialog)

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 11 February 2005. "Sri Lanka: Killings Highlight Weaknesses in Ceasefire: Continued Political Violence Threatens Tsunami Relief." http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/02/11/slanka10162.htm [Accessed 15 Feb. 2005]

Xihnua. 15 February 2005. "Sri Lanka to Bring In Special Bill Relating to Tsunami Victims." (Dialog)