Sri Lanka – Human Rights Watch Audio Slideshow

Be warned this is both an important and distressing audio slideshow about the current humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka that is not getting the media attention that it deserves.

Two weekends ago 100000 people marched in London to protest, three times more people then marched in the recent G20 protests in London and yet the protest hardly registered. Why? Perhaps it is because those protesting are seen as Tamil Tiger supporters, a group widely portrayed as terrorists.

Whatever the rights, whatever the wrongs innocent people are being slaughtered.

Enough is Enough

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH,  AUDIO SLIDESHOW

Human Rights Watch researcher Anna Neistat says both sides in Sri Lanka’s conflict are violating the laws of war. Approximately 100,000 civilians are trapped in a government-declared “no-fire zone” in the northern Vanni region. Tamil Tiger (LTTE) rebels have prevented civilians from leaving a tiny strip of land, while government
forces have repeatedly and indiscriminately shelled the area.

These photos are from a makeshift hospital in Putumattalan that was treating survivors of attacks on April 8 and 9, 2009. Many were women and children who were waiting in a food distribution line in Pokkanai when artillery shells hit.

Watch this duckrabbit produced audio slideshow to understand why we care:

Read, write, kill – the Sri Lankan conflict has long been made notorious for the use of suicide bombers and child soldiers.

RESPONSE

KIM

Here is a good explanation by Channel 4 News on why they haven’t been able to cover this story as well as they would have liked. The Sri Lankan government aren’t letting journalists in so the only news coming out of the safe zone right now is via aid-workers.

http://blogs.channel4.com/snowblog/2009/04/17/blocks-on-reporting-the-sri-lanka-fighting/

DUCKRABBIT

Thanks Kim.  Actually it was the demonstration in London that I was referring to in regards to coverage.  It just didn’t seem to register despite there being an incredible 100000 people, as estimated by the police. This is a Google News screengrab taken on the evening of the demonstration. It doesn’t even get a mention, just two Sri Lankans who had been on hungerstrike dating back to a previous demonstration. I find that incredible.

Share on Facebook

Related posts:

1. FORBIDDEN: Gays and Lesbians in Burundi, on Human Rights Watch
2. Documenting courage – Stephen Ferry and Human Rights Watch
3. Changing the face of human rights