Posts Tagged ‘Ministry of defence’

More on the strange letter from the Sri Lankan Defence Ministry

July 11, 2014

Today the Asian Human Rights Commission has come with further information on the letter from the Ministry of Defence I referred to a few days ago: https://thoolen.wordpress.com/2014/07/08/sri-lankan-ministry-of-defense-to-human-rights-defenders-stop-breathing/.  This letter had come under serious criticism from many NGOs within Sri Lanka and beyond. The United Nations wants inquire into the circumstances under which this letter was issued.

As a result of this condemnation, the Ministry of External Affairs has issued another letter, attempting to explain away the earlier one. The Ministry for External Affairs’ letter attempts to create the impression that the work of NGOs are restricted by several laws under the Voluntary Social Service Organizations Act Number 31 of 1980, by amendments to the Act, by regulations issued under an Extraordinary Gazette, as well as by a Circular Letter of the Secretary to the President. This letter from the External Affairs’ Ministry is a complete misrepresentation of the law in Sri Lanka. Read the rest of this entry »

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Sri Lankan Ministry of Defense to Human Rights Defenders: stop breathing…

July 8, 2014

A National Secretariat functioning under Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence and Urban Development has issued a curious letter on 1 July 2014. The following is the letter in full:

“MINISTRY OF DEFENCE AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT National Secretariat for Non Governmental Organizations

To All Non Governmental Organizations

Non Governmental Organizations acting beyond their mandate

It has been revealed that certain Non Governmental Organizations conduct press conferences, workshops, training for journalists, and dissemination of press releases which is beyond their mandate.

We reiterate that all Non Governmental Organizations should prevent from such unauthorized activities with immediate effect.

D.M.S. Dissanayake
Director/Registrar”

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), which made the letter public, adds the understandably sarcastic comment that the next letter may well read:  “It has been revealed that certain Non-Governmental Organisations have members who are breathing and still moving. We hereby call upon all of them to cease from such unauthorized activities with immediate effect.”

For the full context see this Statement online on AHRC’s revamped website: www.humanrights.asia.

 

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