DATE=7/20/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SRI LANKA AMNESTY (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-264610
BYLINE=VANDANA CHOPRA
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The human rights group, Amnesty International,
has criticized the Sri Lankan government for high
incidents of human rights abuses in the country.
Vandana Chopra has the details from Colombo.
TEXT: Amnesty International says, since the beginning
of emergency regulations in May, there has been an
increase in the number of reports of
torture and other human rights abuses in Sri Lanka.
The London-based group says the methods of torture by
government authorities have also become more severe.
The report said there have been at least two reports
of detainees dying in custody as a result of torture.
Sri Lanka imposed emergency regulations in May giving
wide powers to the military, police and government
including extended powers to detain anybody on
suspicion. The regulations were imposed to put the
country on a war
footing due to heavy fighting with the Tamil Tiger
rebels in the northern Jaffna region of the country.
In its 19-page report Amnesty International said it
was concerned with the wide powers given to the
government security forces which may be resulting in
an increase in torture, disappearances and deaths in
custody.
The report added that Sri Lanka remained the country
in the world with the second largest number of non-
clarified cases of disappearances and where torture
remains widespread.
The human rights group said however, it was difficult
to ascertain the situation in the northern Jaffna
region, scene of heavy fighting, due to a lack of
communication with the area.
There has been no reaction from the government to the
Amnesty International report.
Tiger rebels have been battling government forces for
a Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka's north and east since
1983. (Signed)
NEB/VC/PLM
20-Jul-2000 07:21 AM EDT (20-Jul-2000 1121 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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