Sanctions for Sri Lanka: Aussie church group’s call

Published Date: March 9, 2010

The Brisbane archdiocese’s Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC) has called on the Australian Government to take a stronger stance on human rights violations in Sri Lanka.

The church call comes following the EU’s decision to suspend the GSP+ facility, the Sunday Leader reports.

CJPC Executive Officer Peter Arndt, in explaining the commission’s position said: “The EU’s threat of removal of trade benefits is part of a very loud and prolonged chorus of concerns about human rights in Sri Lanka.

“On the same day as the announcement, the Conference of Major Religious Superiors in Sri Lanka said there was a loss of faith in the democratic process and just governance.

“We in the Church in Australia should also heed the cries of those who suffer in Sri Lanka and the concerns expressed by the Church in that country,” CJPC said.

Arndt said the Australian Government should add its voice to those of many other Western nations who have expressed serious concerns about the treatment of Tamils during and since the final stages of the conflict between the Sri Lankan military and the Tamil Tigers last year.

“We in the Church in Australia should also heed the cries of those who suffer in Sri Lanka and the concerns expressed by the Church in that country,” he mentioned.

“The treatment of Tamil civilians by both Tigers and the military during the final stages of the conflict was appalling,” he said.

“Tamil civilians were killed and injured in great numbers by actions on both sides.”

“The suspension of the tariff benefit as foreshadowed by the February 16 announcement by the European Union could seriously affect Sri Lanka’s textile and clothing industry,” Arndt said.

Sri Lanka benefits from trade concessions in the EU’s Generalised System of Preferences Plus (GSP+), an incentive scheme tied to the improvement of human rights and good governance.

The scheme provides tariff cuts to support vulnerable developing countries.

“Journalists and critics of the government, including Sarath Fonseka who ran in the recent Presidential elections, are arrested on what appear to be trumped up charges and killed or simply disappear,” Arndt stated.

SOURCE

Aussie Church Wants Sanctions Against Sri Lanka (Sunday Leader)

Sri Lanka faces sanctions - Church (The Nation)

Take stronger stance against Sri Lanka, govt urged (CathNews Australia)

IMAGE

Brisbane Catholic Justice and Peace Commission

Rate this article:

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading ...

469 words

Share this article:

Asanka Fonseka

Sri lanka is a country battered in a civil war for well over 30 years, not only in the last stages of war but throught out this peoriod nearly 100,000 people have perished largely at the hands of LTTE, I have witnessed my self these gruelling masacres of inocent people via suicide bombing and mass killing, Where were the archiodices then to sound there voices in Banning the LTTE in Austalia, LTTE was largely funded by its financial sources here which are still active in the political arena mainly in Sydney and Brisbane as well as Melbourne. So its no suprise articles like these gets published but the concern is why the Catholic Archiodices is been a solicitor........

What will loss of GSP + or sanctions do to a country recovering from the brute of war.... again we see what played in the loss of GSP+ where the European union surcummed to undue preasure from the LTTE lobyst and activists..As an example we all know that David Millibanks seat is dependant upon the votes of Tamil Diaopora who still largely persues a sepaerate country within SL....so in question will job loss for inocent factory workers or sanctions to preasure the poorer help at all in getting IDP resettled... mine fiels cleared .. there houses rebuild...does the government just release people to the wild...no houses and infrastructure to live in...no servises to rely on..... Or do you help the governement of SL achieve theses faster via aid and necasitties so these people can be helped faster and properly.....

Church should keep away from playing politics for the LTTE lobyst and its High time it realises the real agendas and the ground realities... Be there in person like me and witness what has changed and what needs to be done than be a voice of the parrots for the deceptors...

Be a true catholics, Dont need to see and hear thy self to believe in GOD, but youll need to see, hear, feel , taste, and do these over and over to trust a Human.. or any that depicts to be

Sanctions for Sri Lanka: Aussie church group’s call

Cardinal Dias writes to Chinese bishops, priests

Indon church joins ILO call for child-labor ban

Filipino parents drop sex education lawsuit

Repeal blasphemy laws, WCC tells Pakistan

'Global south' gaining in Christian influence: Study

©

Name
Surname
Email