Comments on: Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative calls for CMAG reform http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/2009/10/commonwealth-human-rights-initiative-calls-for-cmag-reform/ The largest, global dialogue ever undertaken between the peoples of the Commonwealth about their association...This is the Commonwealth Conversation. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:33:43 +0000 hourly 1 By: Davidson http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/2009/10/commonwealth-human-rights-initiative-calls-for-cmag-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-1183 Davidson Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:24:14 +0000 http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/?p=1359#comment-1183 Behaviour of CMAG is enough to dismantle Commonwealth ane strengthen bodies at higher level, ie. UN and bodies at lower level, ie African Union, Union of South American States, etc. so that material and human resources can be used more effectively covering gaps but not overlapping. ''It used to be done this way'' must go. ''This brings more effectiveness'' must be in. Behaviour of CMAG is enough to dismantle Commonwealth ane strengthen bodies at higher level, ie. UN and bodies at lower level, ie African Union, Union of South American States, etc. so that material and human resources can be used more effectively covering gaps but not overlapping. ”It used to be done this way” must go. ”This brings more effectiveness” must be in.

]]> By: vino http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/2009/10/commonwealth-human-rights-initiative-calls-for-cmag-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-1173 vino Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:38:51 +0000 http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/?p=1359#comment-1173 http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-19790--6-6--.html ''Two years ago in 2007 at Kampala the heads of government pledged to end impunity for perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Throughout 2008 and most of 2009 numerous allegations of serious international humanitarian law violations were made against Sri Lanka, and serious doubts were raised about the way the country had conducted its campaign against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Yet despite these doubts the country continued to sit as a CMAG member for a third consecutive term against the decision of the 1999 CHOGM in Durban that countries should be allowed to sit on CMAG for only two consecutive terms.'' Sri Lanka certainly knows how to keep ahead of ''others''!! By hook or by crook!!!! http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-19790–6-6–.html
”Two years ago in 2007 at Kampala the heads of government pledged to end impunity for perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Throughout 2008 and most of 2009 numerous allegations of serious international humanitarian law violations were made against Sri Lanka, and serious doubts were raised about the way the country had conducted its campaign against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Yet despite these doubts the country continued to sit as a CMAG member for a third consecutive term against the decision of the 1999 CHOGM in Durban that countries should be allowed to sit on CMAG for only two consecutive terms.”

Sri Lanka certainly knows how to keep ahead of ”others”!! By hook or by crook!!!!

]]> By: lito http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/2009/10/commonwealth-human-rights-initiative-calls-for-cmag-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-1167 lito Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:54:20 +0000 http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/?p=1359#comment-1167 This is very serious: '' ..... Even as we write Sri Lanka still continues to serve as a CMAG member while hundreds of thousands of ethnic minorities remain confined indefinitely in ill-maintained internment camps amidst un-investigated claims of war crimes and reports of widespread danger to human rights defenders and dissenters. CMAG has also been silent on other parts of the Commonwealth, for instance during the post election violence in Kenya in 2007, when freedom of assembly was curtailed in Malaysia in 2007, and for a long while on the Gambia where many basic human rights are heavily curtailed. ....'' Maja Daruwala, thank you for writing the article. I only hope the members will take up this at the forthcoming conference. If they don't , it means they aren't serious about human rights. Then they should close shop. This is very serious:

” ….. Even as we write Sri Lanka still continues to serve as a CMAG member while hundreds of thousands of ethnic minorities remain confined indefinitely in ill-maintained internment camps amidst un-investigated claims of war crimes and reports of widespread danger to human rights defenders and dissenters. CMAG has also been silent on other parts of the Commonwealth, for instance during the post election violence in Kenya in 2007, when freedom of assembly was curtailed in Malaysia in 2007, and for a long while on the Gambia where many basic human rights are heavily curtailed. ….”

Maja Daruwala, thank you for writing the article. I only hope the members will take up this at the forthcoming conference.

If they don’t , it means they aren’t serious about human rights.

Then they should close shop.

]]> By: justice http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/2009/10/commonwealth-human-rights-initiative-calls-for-cmag-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-1166 justice Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:34:13 +0000 http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/?p=1359#comment-1166 Maja Daruwala makes a very good suggestion to get out of the mess: ''Benchmarks for the whole Commonwealth by which year on year improvements in governance and human rights can be clearly evidenced.'' An organisation is as good as its members!! Maja Daruwala makes a very good suggestion to get out of the mess:
”Benchmarks for the whole Commonwealth by which year on year improvements in governance and human rights can be clearly evidenced.”

An organisation is as good as its members!!

]]> By: justice http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/2009/10/commonwealth-human-rights-initiative-calls-for-cmag-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-1165 justice Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:26:57 +0000 http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/?p=1359#comment-1165 ''CMAG is the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group – the Commonwealth watchdog on human rights abuses.'' CMAG is too forgetful!! ”Sri Lanka itself continues to serve as a member of CMAG during this period for a third consecutive (two year) term contrary to the 1999 Durban Communiqué that limits a country to a maximum of two consecutive terms.” ”CMAG is the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group – the Commonwealth watchdog on human rights abuses.”

CMAG is too forgetful!!

”Sri Lanka itself continues to serve as a member of CMAG during this period for a third consecutive (two year) term contrary to the 1999 Durban Communiqué that limits a country to a maximum of two consecutive terms.”

]]> By: sram http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/2009/10/commonwealth-human-rights-initiative-calls-for-cmag-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-1157 sram Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:19:02 +0000 http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/?p=1359#comment-1157 Ooooooohhh, ”Sri Lanka itself continues to serve as a member of CMAG during this period for a third consecutive (two year) term contrary to the 1999 Durban Communiqué that limits a country to a maximum of two consecutive terms.” I just found the following on another strand here: Ethnic Conflict and Violence in Sri Lanka - Report of International Commission of Jurists 1981: The fate of the Tamils in Sri Lanka remains a matter of international concern''. I wonder how the Tamils ahve been getting on with the Sinhalese in that tiny island? trapped and boxed?? Oooohhh.... Ooooooohhh,

”Sri Lanka itself continues to serve as a member of CMAG during this period for a third consecutive (two year) term contrary to the 1999 Durban Communiqué that limits a country to a maximum of two consecutive terms.”

I just found the following on another strand here:
Ethnic Conflict and Violence in Sri Lanka – Report of International Commission of Jurists 1981: The fate of the Tamils in Sri Lanka remains a matter of international concern”.

I wonder how the Tamils ahve been getting on with the Sinhalese in that tiny island? trapped and boxed??

Oooohhh….

]]> By: Davidson http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/2009/10/commonwealth-human-rights-initiative-calls-for-cmag-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-1154 Davidson Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:59:37 +0000 http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/?p=1359#comment-1154 It's mostly the Commonwealth countries that voted with Sri Lanka at the UNHRC session to praise Sri Lanka for its ''victory'' over terrorism of the rebels. What's intriguing is that the Commonwealth countries and others have not been questioning or prodding Sri Lanka in its failure to implement the recommendations in the reprots of the UN and other human rights bodies. In other words state terrorism of any state is tolerated by other states at any cost. There is no future for oppressed minorities unless the international bodies run on principles. Therefore let us do away with the Commonwealth and have the UN running more effectively on principles. It’s mostly the Commonwealth countries that voted with Sri Lanka at the UNHRC session to praise Sri Lanka for its ”victory” over terrorism of the rebels.

What’s intriguing is that the Commonwealth countries and others have not been questioning or prodding Sri Lanka in its failure to implement the recommendations in the reprots of the UN and other human rights bodies. In other words state terrorism of any state is tolerated by other states at any cost.

There is no future for oppressed minorities unless the international bodies run on principles.

Therefore let us do away with the Commonwealth and have the UN running more effectively on principles.

]]> By: vino http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/2009/10/commonwealth-human-rights-initiative-calls-for-cmag-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-1152 vino Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:09:00 +0000 http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/?p=1359#comment-1152 It is '20 years of make-believe'(AI on Sri Lanka, June 2009) from its backyard. Sri Lanka successfully challenged the EU at UNHRC in May 2009. That isn't all: ”Sri Lanka itself continues to serve as a member of CMAG during this period for a third consecutive (two year) term contrary to the 1999 Durban Communiqué that limits a country to a maximum of two consecutive terms.” What a small but smart country that can dodge the rest of the world!! Poor Tamils - forget about any justice in the near future. It is ’20 years of make-believe’(AI on Sri Lanka, June 2009) from its backyard.

Sri Lanka successfully challenged the EU at UNHRC in May 2009.

That isn’t all:

”Sri Lanka itself continues to serve as a member of CMAG during this period for a third consecutive (two year) term contrary to the 1999 Durban Communiqué that limits a country to a maximum of two consecutive terms.”

What a small but smart country that can dodge the rest of the world!!

Poor Tamils – forget about any justice in the near future.

]]> By: mary http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/2009/10/commonwealth-human-rights-initiative-calls-for-cmag-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-1151 mary Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:16:43 +0000 http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/?p=1359#comment-1151 ''Sri Lanka itself continues to serve as a member of CMAG during this period for a third consecutive (two year) term contrary to the 1999 Durban Communiqué that limits a country to a maximum of two consecutive terms.'' Wake up, Commonwealth. We don't need intergovernmental bodies to propogate national violations of the rights of its own citizens. ”Sri Lanka itself continues to serve as a member of CMAG during this period for a third consecutive (two year) term contrary to the 1999 Durban Communiqué that limits a country to a maximum of two consecutive terms.”

Wake up, Commonwealth.

We don’t need intergovernmental bodies to propogate national violations of the rights of its own citizens.

]]> By: lito http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/2009/10/commonwealth-human-rights-initiative-calls-for-cmag-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-1142 lito Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:31:34 +0000 http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/?p=1359#comment-1142 1.'Twenty Years of Make-Believe: Sri Lanka's Commissions of Inquiry', Amnesty International, June 2009 Has Sri Lanka ever been(in twenty years) asked by the Commonwealth what these make-believe commissions are? 2.Sri Lanka: Briefing Paper - Emergency Laws and International Standards, International Commission of Jurists, March 2009: ''The ICJ is deeply concerned that the approach taken by Sri Lanka over several decades, and especially in recent years, has resulted in a confusing, overbroad and all-pervasive emergency law framework that fails to protect the rights of its citizens, encourages a culture of impunity for serious violations, and exacerbates ethnic tensions and political divisions.'' Over several decades?????? Who was being served injustice over several decades? Has Sri lanka been questioned on this by the Commonwealth? 3.Justice in retreat: A report on the independence of the legal profession and the rule of law in Sri Lanka, International Bar Association Human Rights Institute, 26 May 2009: ''Many of the problems identified in the 2001 IBAHRI Report continue to affect the independence of the legal profession and the rule of law in Sri Lanka and in some respects the situation has deteriorated significantly.'' Has the CMAG ever questioned Sri Lanka what it is doing about the recommendations in the IBAHRI report? Have the Commonwealth countries ever prodded Sri Lanka what it's doing ''over several decades''? 4. There are decades of UN reports with recommendations .... ...... 1.’Twenty Years of Make-Believe: Sri Lanka’s Commissions of Inquiry’, Amnesty International, June 2009

Has Sri Lanka ever been(in twenty years) asked by the Commonwealth what these make-believe commissions are?

2.Sri Lanka: Briefing Paper – Emergency Laws and International Standards, International Commission of Jurists, March 2009: ”The ICJ is deeply concerned that the approach taken by Sri Lanka over several decades, and especially in recent years, has resulted in a confusing, overbroad and all-pervasive emergency law framework that fails to protect the rights of its citizens, encourages a culture of impunity for serious violations, and exacerbates ethnic tensions and political divisions.”

Over several decades??????

Who was being served injustice over several decades?

Has Sri lanka been questioned on this by the Commonwealth?

3.Justice in retreat: A report on the independence of the legal profession and the rule of law in Sri Lanka, International Bar Association Human Rights Institute, 26 May 2009: ”Many of the problems identified in the 2001 IBAHRI Report continue to affect the independence of the legal profession and the rule of law in Sri Lanka and in some respects the situation has deteriorated significantly.”

Has the CMAG ever questioned Sri Lanka what it is doing about the recommendations in the IBAHRI report?

Have the Commonwealth countries ever prodded Sri Lanka what it’s doing ”over several decades”?

4. There are decades of UN reports with recommendations …. ……

]]>