Sri Lanka after the „Victory“: Badboll INSD Conference

Press Releases : Sri Lanka after the „Victory“: What about minority rights, democracy and peace?

The conference entitled “Sri Lanka after the ‘Victory’: What about minority rights, democracy and peace?” was successfully held on 2 – 4 October 2009 in Bad Boll, Germany. More than 50 participants, including representatives from different NGOs and civil society organisations, as well as the former German Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan Honorary Consul in Stuttgart, Germany gathered from different European countries to attend this event organized by the International Network of Sri Lankan Diaspora (INSD).

Speakers from among the diaspora, from Sri Lanka and from Germany addressed the audience on the following topics: the general economic, social and political situation in Sri Lanka, especially in the North and East; the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, the future perspectives for minorities, especially for Tamils and Muslim in the current political context; the situation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs); the situation of journalists and the lack of media freedom; as well as the view of the international community and European governments on Sri Lanka.

During the discussions, the conference participants mentioned that a military solution without considering a political solution of the ethnic conflict addressing human rights abuses, media oppression and denial of minority rights will not foster lasting peace and democracy. Indeed, in order to achieve sustainable peace, the rights of all communities, the devolution of power and the need to strengthen democracy has to be recognised. One first step into this direction has to be the immediate resettlement of the IDPs to their home villages and towns.