MEDIA ALERT FOR MONDAY 11 NOV

10 November 2013

Greens Senator Rhiannon returns to Australia after detainment - will report on Sri Lanka human rights abuses

WHAT: 

Senator Rhiannon is on a flight back to Sydney after being detained by Sri Lankan Government officials for over three hours. 

Australian Greens Senator Rhiannon and New Zealand Green MP Jan Logie will be holding a Press Conference today in Sri Lanka.

Time: 10.30am (local time)

Location:         Tamil National Alliance office, 32A, Retreat Road Colombo 4

Contact:   Lee Rhiannon:   +61 487 350 880 and Jan Logie: +64 21038 6101 

MEDIA STATEMENT 

10  November 2013

Greens Senator Rhiannon is in Sri Lanka to discuss human rights in the country on eve of CHOGM

WHAT:                 As the Heads of the Commonwealth, including Prime Minister Abbott, prepare to travel to Sri Lanka for CHOGM, Senator Rhiannon and New Zealand Greens MP Jan Logie are in the country to discuss human rights, media freedom, war crimes and the push factors that cause Tamils to seek asylum in Australia.

Adjournment Speech 25 June 2013.

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, the Australian Greens and the Australian Tamil Congress have joined over 2700 individuals to request that Prime Minister Julia Gillard reconsiders attending the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka. 

This call comes as the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) meets in London today (26 April).

A variety of international human rights groups including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the Elders are calling for a shift in the venue for this year’s CHOGM.

Senator MADIGAN (Victoria) (15:27): I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 1211 standing in my name by removing the name of Senator Rhiannon and adding the name of Senator Xenophon.

Leave granted.

Senator MADIGAN: I, and also on behalf of Senator Xenophon, move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee

Estimates hearings 14 Feb 2013

Sentor Milne and Senator Rhiannon

Pg 39-44

CHAIR: Thank you. We are now moving to South and West Asia, and the Middle East. Senator Milne has questions on Sri Lanka.

The Government has been forced to acknowledge it has been using shadowy processes to deport Tamil refugees to Sri Lanka where they face torture, imprisonment and worse, the Australian Greens said today.

“The Government must change the law to ensure that genuine refugees are not deported back to danger,” the Greens’ immigration spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

Adjournment speech, Tuesday 27 November 2012

For Tamils all around the world, including in Sri Lanka, 27 November marks a very important and hauntingly sad day. In Tamil the day is known as Maaveerar Naal.

Veerar means 'warrior' or 'hero'; Maa means 'great'; and Naal means 'day'.

It is a day on which millions of Tamils will remember the hundreds and thousands of brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children and the elderly who sacrificed their life in the 26-year-long struggle for their freedom.