This coming week, Sydney University will host an international conference in Bangkok, Thailand entitled ‘Enhancing Human Rights and Security in the Asia Pacific’. Under pressure from the Sri Lankan military establishment, the conference organisers decided to stop two Sri Lankan human rights organisations from attending the conference. In addition, the University then sent a letter to all other delegates reminding them to be sensitive to the feelings of the Sri Lankan military. The Sri Lankan military is accused of widespread human rights abuses, click here and here. Amnesty International has now pulled out of the conference and an open letter by a Sri Lankan NGO is calling for other organisations to withdraw from this conference.
This coming week, Sydney University will host an international conference in Bangkok, Thailand entitled ‘Enhancing Human Rights and Security in the Asia Pacific’. Under pressure from the Sri Lankan military establishment, the conference organisers decided to stop two Sri Lankan human rights organisations from attending the conference. In addition, the University then sent a letter to all other delegates reminding them to be sensitive to the feelings of the Sri Lankan military. The Sri Lankan military is accused of widespread human rights abuses, click here and here. Amnesty International has now pulled out of the conference and an open letter by a Sri Lankan NGO is calling for other organisations to withdraw from this conference.
