Chasing the ghosts of Sri Lanka’s disappeared
As Channel 4 News tries to head to Sri Lanka’s militarised north, disturbing reports come in that the relatives of people who have been “disappeared” are being detained by the military.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who has been accused of war crimes, says his country has a “system” to deal with complaints of human rights violations.
They come in unmarked white vans. The people they take are never seen again. Activists say one person is taken this way every 5 days. Leena Manimekalai met the families of Sri Lanka’s disappeared.
As Channel 4 News tries to head to Sri Lanka’s militarised north, disturbing reports come in that the relatives of people who have been “disappeared” are being detained by the military.
Hundreds of protesters have blocked a train taking a Channel 4 News television crew, in Sri Lanka to cover the Commonwealth heads of government meeting, from travelling to the north of the island.
A team of Channel 4 News journalists are prevented from entering north Sri Lanka by a mob of protesters blocking their train. Watch how the incident was covered on Sri Lankan national television.
The white sand of Sri Lanka’s beaches is a lure for thousands of tourists every year – but dig a little deeper and there are many unanswered questions hanging over the country’s tourist industry.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa tells Channel 4 News he is “not concerned” by allegations of war crimes – but Jonathan Miller says people in Sri Lanka could be at risk after speaking to the programme.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa is questioned by Channel 4 News Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jonathan Miller about allegations of war crimes, and says he is “not concerned”.
Sri Lanka’s ruling family are mingling with the Commonwealth’s elite as they host this week’s summit in Colombo. Yet some of them have been accused of war crimes. So who are the Rajapaksas?
What for lawyers is powerful evidence of a possible war crime is to one family another painful chapter in a prolonged bereavement which is clearly proving hard to bear.
Channel 4 News Editor Ben de Pear writes in response to a 222-page book entitled Corrupted Journalism given out to journalists attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka’s human rights record dominates a Twitter Q&A session, with FCO minister Hugo Swire, about the next week’s Commonwealth summit. Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jonathan Miller got involved.
Foreign Secretary William Hague defends the government’s decision to go to a Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka, but says the UK backs the UN’s calls for an inquiry.
The general-secretary of the Commonwealth defends the heads of government meeting that begins in Sri Lanka next week, despite allegations of appalling human rights violations.
Before Prince Charles and David Cameron attend Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka, both should be shackled to their sofas on Sunday night to watch some distressing TV about their sun-drenched destination.