TAG Rehabilitation Report January 2014-Sri! Lanka's! Rehabilitation'! Of! The!

Tamils Against uenociue (Euiope) Ltu, Registeieu in the 0K Company no.
u8uSS198
Email infotamilsagainstgenociue.oig

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A Piogiamme of Physical anu Nental Pacification
Tamils Against uenociue

89"4,8:4
This report looks beyond the Government of Sri Lankas rhetoric and pieces together first hand accounts of the
reality of Sri Lankas rehabilitation programme. It concludes that rehabilitation in Sri Lanka is a physical and
mental pacification programme that forms a cornerstone of the Sinhala-Buddhist nationalist state-building project.
Sii Lanka's 'Rehabilitation' of the Libeiation Tigeis of Tamil Eelam
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

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Figuies vaiy, but appioximately 12,uuu foimei Libeiation Tigeis of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
membeis have been 'iehabilitateu' since the enu of the wai anu 'ieintegiateu' back into society.
1

Relative to such numbeis little is known of the 'Rehabilitation Piogiamme' beyonu the
uoveinment of Sii Lanka's (uoSL) own pionouncements. In this iepoit, we enable the voices of
the 'iehabilitateu' to speak out. We piesent fiesh testimony fiom seven uiffeient souices, five of
who weie 'iehabilitateu' anu a fuithei two who hau piivilegeu access to the camps.

Caie has
been taken to pieseive the anonymity of these witnesses foi theii own anu theii extenueu
family's secuiity.

The iepoit begins by biiefly setting the scene, namely the enu of the civil wai, foi the analysis
on iehabilitation that follows. The analysis exploies the who, what, when, wheie anu why of the
iehabilitation piogiamme: who qualifies foi iehabilitation, what uoes the piogiamme consist of,
what aie its timelines, wheie is it conuucteu anu finally, what aie the objectives of the
piogiamme, what aie the motivations of those who establisheu it, anu those who caiiy it out.

Baving focusseu on the uetails of the piogiamme, on what the uoSL claims it to be, anu what
TAu's souices iepoit of it, we look beyonu the piogiamme itself, to wiuei goveinment policies,
to histoiical events incluuing the conuuct of the wai anu to consiueiation of the natuie of the Sii
Lankan state. In light of this we contenu that iehabilitation is one aspect of a cooiuinateu plan of
uiffeient actions aimeu at the uestiuction of essential founuations of the life of the Tamil people
of Sii Lanka.
2

1
Accordlng Lo Lhe webslLe of Lhe 8ureau of Lhe Commlssloner Ceneral for 8ehablllLaLlon (8CC8), Oot of opptoxlmotely
twelve tboosooJ sotteoJeteJ wlllloqly ooJ wbo opteJ fot tebobllltotloo, ovet 11600 bove beeo tebobllltoteJ ooJ
teloteqtoteJ to tbe soclety". hLLp://www.bcgr.gov.lk/hlsLory.php#bookmark8
2
8aphael Lemkln, "Axls 8ule ln Cccupled Lurope" (1943) deflned genoclde as, "Ceoetolly speokloq, qeooclJe Joes oot
oecessotlly meoo tbe lmmeJlote Jesttoctloo of o ootloo, except wbeo occompllsbeJ by moss klllloqs of oll membets of o
ootloo. lt ls loteoJeJ totbet to slqolfy o cootJlooteJ ploo of Jlffeteot octloos olmloq ot tbe Jesttoctloo of esseotlol
foooJotloos of tbe llfe of ootloool qtoops, wltb tbe olm of ooolbllotloq tbe qtoops tbemselves. 1be objectlves of socb o
ploo woolJ be tbe Jlsloteqtotloo of tbe polltlcol ooJ soclol lostltotloos, of coltote, looqooqe, ootloool feelloqs, tellqloo,
ooJ tbe ecooomlc exlsteoce of ootloool qtoops, ooJ tbe Jesttoctloo of tbe petsoool secotlty, llbetty, beoltb, Jlqolty, ooJ
eveo tbe llves of tbe loJlvlJools belooqloq to socb qtoops."
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

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Nay 18
th
2uu9 witnesseu the compiehensive uefeat of the LTTE. The militaiy victoiy was haileu
by the tiiumphant uoSL, heaueu by Piesiuent Nahinua Rajapaksa, as a successful humanitaiian
opeiation to iescue the Tamil people helu hostage by the Tigeis. The Sii Lankan State paiaueu
theii aimeu foices befoie the woilu as the saviouis of the Tamil people.

This coulu baiely have been fuithei fiom the tiuth. With the exception of the uoSL's fieice
iefutations, theie is touay, neai total acceptance that Sii Lanka was iesponsible foi the
commission of atiocities against the Tamil people of Sii Lanka. The 0niteu Nations Inteinal
Review Panel Repoit, the Petiie Repoit, iefeiences "cieuible iepoits" that civilian casualties
weie as many as 7u,uuu.
S
The iepoit iecogniseu the failuies of the Inteinational Community,
uocumenting the extent of knowleuge of the Sii Lankan state ciimes, anu the lack of
inteinational action in the face of that knowleuge. Sii Lanka is a iecogniseu example of a failuie
of the "Responsibility to Piotect".
4

The uoSL howevei sticks ielentlessly to its self-chaiacteiisation, as humanitaiian, altiuistic
actois, leu by a Piesiuent "wbo is quiJeJ by tbe BuJJbist principles of forqiveness onJ
compossion".
S
Anu it is as such that Sii Lanka piesents its Rehabilitation Piogiamme:

"Tbis is tbe success story of rebobilitotinq tbe JieborJ rutbless terrorists of tbe liberotion
Tiqers of Tomil Felom {lTTF) by tbe 6overnment of Sri lonko witb tbe ossistonce of tbe
Security Iorces leJ by tbe Sri lonko Army onJ to re-omolqomote tbem to tbe society os
useful onJ proJuctive citizens."
6

Bolsteieu by the iecoiu of the Inteinational Community's past anu continueu passivity, the uoSL
has establisheu a Rehabilitation Regime that in both fiamewoik anu in the execution uefies
inteinational laws.

3
1he 8eporL of Lhe SecreLary Ceneral's anel of LxperLs (oL) on AccounLablllLy ln Srl Lanka, 31 March 2012, puL Lhe
clvlllan deaLh Loll aL a mlnlmum of 40,000. hLLp://www.un.org/news/dh/lnfocus/Srl_Lanka/CL_8eporL_lull.pdf
4
Madelelne k. AlbrlghL and 8lchard S. Wllllamson '1he unlLes SLaLes and 82: lrom Words Lo AcLlon' 2013,
hLLp://www.uslp.org/slLes/defaulL/flles/W-unlLedSLaLes-And-82-Words-1o-AcLlon.pdf
3
lnLroducLlon Lo 8CC8 reporL 8ehablllLaLlon of Lx CombaLanLs"
hLLp://www.bcgr.gov.lk/docs/8ehablllLaLlon20of20Lx-CombaLanLs20(Compller20-
208rlgadler20uharshana20PeLLlarrachchl).pdf
6
lbld.
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

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D.2G
The uoSL is inoiuinately piouu of its 'Rehabilitation Piogiamme', boasting of its magnanimity,
anu its geneiosity towaius its vanquisheu enemy.
7
0n the contiaiy, the iehabilitation
piogiamme in theoiy, anu in piactice, exposes the shallowness of that peace. It is a piogiamme
set out anu auministeieu by the victois foi the uefeateu.
8
Bisaimament, uemobilization anu
ieintegiation aie entiiely one siueu in Sii Lanka: 'iehabilitation' is foi the 'uiehaiu iuthless
teiioiists' of the LTTE only.
9

In the aichives of the website of the Buieau of the Commissionei ueneial of Rehabilitation
(BCuR) one finus the claim that "o stotement onJ letter of consent were obtoineJ from tbe
surrenJereJ ex-combotonts to follow tbe rebobilitotion proqromme".
10
But the eviuence ieveals
that the vast majoiity of those put thiough the piogiamme weie neithei "uiehaiu" noi hau they
volunteeieu themselves to be iehabilitateu.
11
Theie was a lack of coiielation between time
seiveu with the LTTE anu time assigneu to iehabilitation.
12
This is boine out by TAu's
witnesses. 0f the five who went to iehabilitation only one coulu be uesciibeu as haiucoie
LTTE.
1S

"We were tolJ tbot oll lTTF! even tbose wbo boJ serveJ for only o Joy, must reqister
tbemselves os lTTF. We were to stonJ up onJ qo over to one siJe. We were tbreoteneJ tbot

7
1he lnLroducLlon Lo a 8CC8 reporL on 8ehablllLaLlon of Lx CombaLanLs" beglns 1be qovetomeot of 5tl looko beoJeJ by
n tbe lteslJeot wbo ls qolJeJ by tbe 8oJJblst ptloclples of fotqlveoess ooJ compossloo koowloq tbe voloe of bomoo llfe,
tbooqbt tbot, os tbe tettotlsts ote bomoo beloqs wbose mloJs wete JlstotteJ, ooJ beoce mlsqolJeJ, coolJ be tefotmeJ ooJ
coolJ be tebobllltoteJ to eollst tbelt setvlces os osefol cltlzeos of tbe coootty. lot tbls potpose, be sooqbt tbe osslstooce of
tbe vety 5ecotlty lotces wblcb leJ o bomooltotloo wot oqolost tbe tettotlsts.
208rlgadler20uharshana20PeLLlarrachchl).pdf
8
1amllneL, 23
Lh
CcL 2013, Wlgneswaran aLLempLs balllng ouL genocldal mlllLary of Srl Lanka"
hLLp://www.LamllneL.com/arL.hLml?caLld=13&arLld=36770Nlc wlll qlve foll soppott fot colombo qettloq lotetootloool
osslstooce fot tbe tebobllltotloo of tbe 5l mllltoty loto clvllloo llfe, be fottbet solJ, llokloq tbe ptocess wltb tbe tebobllltotloo
of tbe l11 coJtes.
9
un eace-keeplng page on dlsarmamenL, demoblllsaLlon and relnLegraLlon uu8 provldes llnks Lo documenLs deLalllng
besL pracLlce, hLLp://www.un.org/en/peacekeeplng/lssues/ddr.shLml
!"
uhaneshl ?aLawara 8ehablllLaLlon of ex L11L cadre, a success sLory" hLLp://www.bcgr.gov.lk/news.php?ld=218
11
lC!, SepLember 2010 8eyond lawful consLralnLs: Srl Lanka's mass deLenLlon of L11L suspecLs"
hLLp://www.wsws.org/en/arLlcles/2010/10/srll-o07.hLml and
hLLp://rellefweb.lnL/slLes/rellefweb.lnL/flles/resources/28738L40u73u48A8492377Al000838u6-
lull_8eporL.pdf?bcsl_scan_76839af71b923077=0&bcsl_scan_fllename=28738L40u73u48A8492377Al000838u6-
lull_8eporL.pdf pg 29, 1he lC!'s experlence ls LhaL Lhe noLlons of volunLarlness.ls ofLen noL reallsed ln Lhe pracLlce of
prevenLable deLenLlon"
12
Callelgh Mc8alLh, 14 lebruary 2012 for Croundvlews ArblLrary ueLenLlon ln Srl Lanka: lnLernmenL, 8ehablllLaLlon, and
Surrenderees ln Lhe rlson SysLem" hLLp://groundvlews.org/2012/02/14/arblLrary-deLenLlon-ln-srl-lanka-lnLernmenL-
rehablllLaLlon-and-surrenderees-ln-Lhe-prlson-sysLem/
13
namely: Lwo were forclbly recrulLed lnLo Lhe L11L Lowards Lhe end of Lhe war, and one of Lhose fled Lhe L11L ln early
2009, Lo reLurn Lo hls famlly, Lhe Lhlrd was a clvlllan who was suspecLed of havlng hlsLorlcally supporLed Lhe L11L, Lhe
fourLh was member of Lhe pollLlcal wlng of Lhe L11L.
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

if it were founJ out loter tbot we were lTTF onJ boJ not oJmitteJ it, we woulJ be joileJ
for 1S-20 yeors. Tbey soiJ it wos better to oJmit to it tben, to be up front. At tbis point o lot
of lTTF surrenJereJ os sucb. l felt tbot l boJ no otber option."
14

Inueeu the goveinment's own classification system notes that 8uuu weie eithei foicibly
employeu by the LTTE oi hau not taken any pait in LTTE opeiations but only peifoimeu
suppoit functions.
1S
Those whom the uoSL consiueis fit foi anu in neeu of iehabilitation, fiom
the outset a bioau gioup, continues to expanu. }affna stuuents who commemoiateu Naaveeiai
Naal (Beioes' Bay), Novembei 2u12, weie sent to iehabilitation.
16
Noie iecently the
goveinment bioaucast that it was contemplating insisting that Ananthi Sasithaian, a membei of
the Noithein Piovincial Council, unueigo iehabilitation, iepoiteuly because the goveinment
was "of tbe opinion tbot Anontbi woulJ continue to unJermine post-wor reconciliotion process"
unless she uiu so.
17

D.&1G
The Legal Fiamewoik: The Sii Lankan State piesents a veneei of legality to the woilu. Ninistei
Samaiasinghe, at the 18
th
session of the 0N Buman Rights Council (0NBRC) in ueneva, asseiteu
that theie was a "proper leqol onJ institutionol fromework" foi the Rehabilitation Piogiamme.
The BCBR cuisoiily ueclaies on its website, the "leqol Iromework for tbe rebobilitotion onJ
reinteqrotion of ex-combotonts wos sonctioneJ by tbe Attorney 6enerol's Beportment on 21st
Becember 2009 by o speciol 6ozette Notificotion".
18

The legal fiamewoik foi iehabilitation, ielieu upon by the uoSL, has been compiehensively
uealt with in the Inteinational Commission of }uiists (IC}) iepoit of Septembei 2u1u.
19
The
iepoit uesciibes the Rehabilitation Piogiamme as peihaps the, "lorqest moss oJministrotive
Jetention onywbere in tbe worlJ", "A leqol block bole". The ieauei is ieminueu of the piesciiption
of Aiticle 9 of the Inteinational Covenant on Civil anu Political Rights (ICCPR), iatifieu by Sii
Lanka in 198u anu 1997, "no-one sboll be subjecteJ to orbitrory orrest or Jetention" anu anybouy

14
1AC8ef882. See also, unlLed naLlons Mlsslon 8eporL, vlslL of Ma[or Ceneral (reL.) aLrlck CammaerL, un Speclal Lnvoy of
Lhe Speclal 8epresenLaLlve for Chlldren & Armed ConfllcL Lo Srl Lanka, 03-11 uecember 2009, p. 7.
hLLp://[s.sLaLlc.rellefweb.lnL/reporL/srl-lanka/mlsslon-reporL-vlslL-ma[or-general-reL-paLrlck-cammaerL-speclal-envoy-
speclal
13
C.Mc8alLh, Croundvlews (2012)
16
1amllneL, 13
Lh
Mar 2013, Colombo execuLlng sLrucLural genoclde, noL reconclllaLlon - Ca[endrakumar"
hLLp://www.LamllneL.com/arL.hLml?caLld=13&arLld=36133 and lCC 8eporL Srl Lanka's AuLhorlLarlan 1urn" (leb 2013)
17
1amllCuardlan, 14
Lh
!an 2014, AnanLhl SaslLharan may be rehablllLaLed Lo prevenL separaLlsL Lendencles"
hLLp://www.Lamllguardlan.com/arLlcle.asp?arLlcleld=9732&uLm_source=LwlLLerfeed&uLm_medlum=LwlLLer and 1he
lsland, 14
Lh
!anuary 2014, MCu ponders rehablllLaLlng nC member AnanLhl"
hLLp://www.lsland.lk/lndex.php?page_caL=arLlcle-deLalls&page=arLlcle-deLalls&code_LlLle=93913
18
hLLp://www.bcgr.gov.lk/hlsLory.php#bookmark9
19
lC! (2010) 8eyond Lawful ConsLralnLs: Srl Lanka's Mass ueLenLlon of L11L SuspecLs"
hLLp://www.wsws.org/en/arLlcles/2010/10/srll-o07.hLml and
hLLp://rellefweb.lnL/slLes/rellefweb.lnL/flles/resources/28738L40u73u48A8492377Al000838u6-
lull_8eporL.pdf?bcsl_scan_76839af71b923077=0&bcsl_scan_fllename=28738L40u73u48A8492377Al000838u6-
lull_8eporL.pdf
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

who has "sboll bove on enforceoble riqbt to compensotion". The IC} uismisseu the aigument of
emeigency exceptions, since only tempoiaiy ueiogations of the ICCPR aie peimitteu in the case
of an emeigency, anu that even then those ueiogations must auheie to ceitain piinciple, notably
non-uisciimination.
2u

As a geneial iule, foi iehabilitation to be legal, consent is iequiieu. "Iirst, unJer internotionol
low, if rebobilitotion is not qenuinely voluntory, it moy only be imposeJ by o juJqe os port of o fixeJ
sentence for o criminol conviction ofter o foir triol."
21
Tellingly, none of TAu's witnesses gave
theii consent - at least not willingly oi knowingly. Likewise, Calleigh NcRaith iepoiteu "no
surrenJeree tbot l spoke witb wos owore tbot tbey boJ ony cboice obout beinq in rebobilitotion".
22

The Rehabilitation Piogiamme ueviseu by the Sii Lankan state, is, in its veiy set up, illegal, let
alone in its implementation. "Tbe formol terms of tbe rebobilitotion reqime oppeor to omount to
on unlowful onJ orbitrory Jeprivotion of liberty".
2S
Inueeu, Aiticle 7 of the Rome Statute,
"lmprisonment or severe Jeprivotion of pbysicol liberty in violotion of funJomentol riqbts of
internotionol low" when committeu "os port of o wiJespreoJ or systemotic ottock JirecteJ oqoinst
ony civilion populotion" is a ciime against humanity.

Tieatment in Rehabilitation: Accoiuing to the Buieau's website, the Sii Lankan foices,

"feJ tbe bunqry, nurseJ tbe wounJeJ, corrieJ tbe elJers onJ tbe JisobleJ, troceJ tbe
relotives of people wbo boJ unJerqone untolJ sufferinq"
24

In shaip contiast a foimei iehabilitation inmate iecalls,

"0n one occosion.in 2010, tbe militory colleJ eiqbt coJres forworJ into open lonJ. Tbey
moJe tbe eiqbt roll in tbe sonJ. About 1S to 20 officiols, o mix of police, ormy onJ
intelliqence, beot tbem. Tbey were moJe to roll Jown on tbe floor, outsiJe, onJ were

20
n8 Lhe lC! aL Llme of wrlLlng lLs reporL was forced Lo counLer whaL lL consldered (raLher Lhan whaL lL knew Lo be) Lo be
Lhe Srl Lankan legal grounds for rehablllLaLlon, slnce pg. 13, tbe Covetomeot bos oevet folly ooJ pobllcly clotlfleJ tbelt
leqol stotos and Lhe AcLlon lan for Lhe 8e-lnLegraLlon of Lx-CombaLanLs" had an lncompleLe legal framework. 1he lC!
Lhus relled upon a documenL wlLh no legal sLaLus, a Lwo page leLLer from Lhe ALLorney Ceneral Lo Lhe Commlssloner
Ceneral for 8ehablllLaLlon, daLed 21 uecember 2009, enLlLled Legal lrame Work for Lhe 8ehablllLaLlon and 8e lnLegraLlon
of Lx CombaLanLs".
21
lbld.
22
Callelgh Mc8alLh, Croundvlews (2012)
23
lC! (2010) pg.30
24
Intiouuction to BCuR website, http:www.bcgi.gov.lkhistoiy.php:
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

continuously kickeJ by tbe officiols, wbo trompeJ upon tbem witb tbe sboes onJ beot tbem
witb lonq wires. Tbe eiqbt bleJ. Tbe officiols poureJ woter on tbem - you know wben tbey
pour woter on tbe sonJ onJ moke tbem lie Jown it increoses tbe poin. All tbis wos in view
of tbe otber Jetoinees. Tbe officiols were qivinq punisbment for sometbinq, l Jont know
wbot. Tbey JiJnt soy onytbinq, JiJnt qive o reoson wby.
2S

It has taken consiueiable time foi fiist-hanu accounts of the toituie anu abuse in the camps to
emeige. When they uo, they aie met by a line of uefence that uenies that the abuses aie
inuicative of a policy. Foi example, Bhaimawaiuhana, in a iecent aiticle publisheu in the }ouinal
"Peispectives on Teiioiism", only conceues "isoloteJ coses of otrocities by qovernment forces ore
likely to bove occurreJ in Sri lonko os well".
26
The Sii Lankan Bigh Commissionei in Lonuon was
quick to uismiss the allegations of toituie piesenteu in the BBC's "0nfinisheu Wai", on the basis
that "olleqotions of systemotic obuse ore trovesty of trutb for tbey suqqest tbot tbis is tbe policy of
tbe Sri lonkon qovernment".
27

But the above quotation is not an account of an isolateu event. The witness hau seen anu
expeiienceu many othei similai abuses. 0theis have spoken out about theii expeiiences in
iehabilitation centies, theii accounts ieinfoice each othei's anu beg the conclusion that toituie
in iehabilitation is inueeu systematic, anu intenueu. Fiancis Baiiison ueclaieu in the BBC
uocumentaiy, "Sri lonkos unfinisbeJ wor", she hau founu a fuithei six Tamils in the 0K, in
auuition to Ravi who featuies in the uocumentaiy, who claim to have been toituieu in
iehabilitation.
28
In that uocumentaiy Bi Fiank Ainolu, a leauing Biitish expeit on toituie,
voiceu his feai that "its on orqoniseJ octivity".
29
Chaiu Bogg, an associate fellow at Chatham
Bouse anu South Asia ieseaichei foi Buman Rights Watch, waineu of "systemotic.potterns of
obuse".

In the most iecent 0K Countiy uuiuance Asylum Case on Sii Lanka, "u}", in which TAu was an
inteiesteu paity, the Secietaiy of State in hei submissions accepteu that in geneial "inJiviJuols
in custoJy in Sri lonko continue to be ot risk of pbysicol obuse, incluJinq sexuol violence, onJ tbot
sucb risk is persecutory" anu "to tbe extent tbot "rebobilitotion" wos boseJ on tbe Jetention
powers in tbe PTA, even witbout ony eviJence of pbysicol or sexuol obuse...Jetention witbout
juJiciol supervision for sucb lenqtby perioJs omounteJ to persecution".
Su

23
1AC8ef881
26
uharmawardhana (2013) Peispectives on Teiioiism vol 7, no 6 "Sii Lanka's post conflict stiategy: Restoiative
}ustice foi Rehabilitation anu Rebuiluing of conflict affecteu communities"
http:www.teiioiismanalysts.comptinuex.phppotaiticleviewS1uhtml
27
1amll Cuardlan, 1omlls stlll foce tope ooJ tottote lo 5tl looko's 'uoflolsbeJ wot' - 88c tepotts 9
Lh
november 2012,
hLLp://www.Lamllguardlan.com/arLlcle.asp?arLlcleld=9134
28
http:www.uailymotion.comviueox16z8t2_sii-lanka-s-unfinisheu-wai-by-bbc-aiieu-on-2u-Sugmt-8th-
novembei-2u1S_news
29
ur. Arnold, an lndependenL medlcal pracLlLloner, helped Lo found and was cllnlcal lead for Lhe Medlcal !usLlce neLwork.
Pe has examlned and wrlLLen medlcal reporLs abouL over 300 asylum seekers who descrlbe belng LorLured ln more Lhan 20
counLrles
30
C! and CLhers (posL-clvll war: reLurnees) Srl Lanka CC [2013] uku1 00319 (lAC) ara 168,
hLLp://www.refworld.org/pdfld/31da931c4.pdf.
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

That toituie in iehabilitation is systematic is ieinfoiceu in the testimonies of TAu's seven
witnesses. They uetail toituie at the hanus of Sii Lankan militaiy anu civilian peisonnel fiom
the veiy moment of suiienuei:

Bespite uenying he was LTTE, "l wos token to Jork room wbere my bonJs onJ feet were
tieJ witb my sbirt. l wos beoten onJ kickeJ. Tbey bit me on my foce onJ beoJ witb o rifle
butt tbot resulteJ in breokinq my teetb onJ upper lip. Hy beoJ wos bonqeJ oqoinst o woll
burtinq my beoJ. l coulJ not beor tbeir torture; l qove up onJ oJmitteJ tbe trutb. l tolJ
tbem my lTTF nome onJ tbe number. ReqorJless of my oJmission tbey continueJ to beot
me."
S1

"0n orrivol in Romboikulom, l wos token osiJe onJ interroqoteJ. l wos beoten witb wire
onJ botons, witb plostic pipes filleJ witb sonJ. l wos beoten on my bock onJ tbe soles of my
feet. l, onJ tbe otbers, reqistereJ bosic Jetoils witb tbe Sri lonkon officers, onJ qove Jetoils
of our lTTF units. Irom tbot moment on tbe oim of tbe Sri lonkon militory onJ civilion
personnel wos to torture us, to treot us inbumonely".
S2

The accounts of toituie uesciibeu by those who have suiviveu iehabilitation aie all too familiai:
stiikingly similai to the accounts of toituie given by those who, piioi, uuiing anu since the wai,
have been seizeu by goveinment officials oi pio goveinment militias, illegally uetaineu anu
toituieu.
SS
0f the five witnesses who weie put thiough iehabilitation, foui aie known to have
meuical legal iepoits, seen by TAu, that stiongly suppoit theii accounts of toituie.

"l wos tortureJ witb wbotever tbe officers boJ ot tbeir Jisposol, wires, botons, tbeir bore
bonJs onJ feet. Sometimes l wos forceJ to Jrink, smoke onJ toke Jruqs.. l wos moJe to
swollow ciqorette butts, onJ burnt by ciqorettes. 0n one occosion my beoJ wos submerqeJ
unJer o bowl of woter. l suffocoteJ onJ become unconscious."
S4

" Wben tbey boJ forceJ me to siqn popers tbey tbreoteneJ me to kill or obJuct my wife."
SS

31
1AC8ef883
32
1AC8ef883
33
A sample of such reporLs lnclude 1AC reporL 8eLurnees aL 8lsk: ueLenLlon and 1orLure ln Srl Lanka", 16 SepLember
2012, hLLp://www.LamllsagalnsLgenoclde.org/uaLa/uocs/1AC-8eporL-16-Sep- 2012-8eLurnees-aL-8lsk.pdf, and lreedom
from 1orLure, Srl Lankan 1amlls LorLured on reLurn from Lhe uk", 13 SepLember 2012
hLLp://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docld/303321402.hLml (vla unPC8 8efworld), lnLer alla.
34
1AC8ef883
33
1AC8ef884
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

The toituie came in many foims, beyonu puie physical toiment. It was in the anticipation of
moie, in the coiiosion of tiust thiough feai.

"ln Zone 1 onJ otber rebobilitotion centres l continuously foceJ sleep Jeprivotion onJ l boJ
frequently storteJ to bebove os o mentolly retorJeJ person. lt wos one of tbeir Jeliberote
woys of inJucinq sleep Jeprivotion omonq Jetoinees. l wos bere for six montbs. l still
remember some inciJents wben some inmotes in tbe rebobilitotion centre boJ been
JisoppeoreJ in overniqbt. No one knew tbeir fote."
S6

"Hy Jetention in vorious rebobilitotion centers completely JestroyeJ my opportunities to
cope witb tbe society os o normol person. lt wos moinly becouse of serious psycboloqicolly
Jebumonizinq treotment l boJ unJerqone.
S7

"l JiJ not tolk to tbe otbers tbere witb me, nor JiJ tbey to me, obout tbe torture, for feor of
receivinq more. We JiJ not know wbo were informonts, wbo we coulJ or coulJ not trust.
We coulJ not comfort one onotber."
S8

INu0 Access: Accoiuing to the Sii Lankan Befence Ninistei, biothei to the Piesiuent, uotabaya
Rajapakse,

"N60s, Jiplomots, meJio personnel, lowyers onJ fomily members of tbe beneficiories were
qiven free onJ unfettereJ occess to tbe rebobilitotion centres".
S9

The Inteinational Committee of the Reu Cioss' (ICRC) Annual Repoit foi 2u12, in contiauiction
to the uoSL's asseitions, states that the ICRC's peisonnel weie unable to have piivate meetings
with foimei combatants in iehabilitation camps.
4u
TAu's witnesses tell of limiteu access by
INu0s wheie theie was any access at all, anu uesciibe how they weie pieppeu anu intimiuateu
piioi to ICRC visits by the Sii Lankan state officials of the iehabilitation camps.

36
1AC8ef884
37
1AC8ef884
38
1AC8ef883
39
1amllCuardlan, 23
rd
AugusL 2012, Srl Lanka's 'glorlous' revlval"
40
2012 lC8C Annual reporL. AddlLlonally see lC8C seeks access Lo all Srl Lanka camps, Agence lrance-resse, May 27, 2009
hLLp://rellefweb.lnL/node/310692 and lC8C demands full access Lo Srl Lanka camps, !une 4, 2009,
hLLp://www.swlsslnfo.ch/eng/speclals/red_cross/news/lC8C_demands_full_access_Lo_Srl_Lanka_camps.hLml?cld=22337
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

" After one montb tbe lCRC come. Tbey reqistereJ our Jetoils onJ took pbotos of us. After
tbot tbe torture reJuceJ. Before tbe lCRC come tbe commonJer of tbe comp boJ
tbreoteneJ us not to tell tbe lCRC of ony of tbe torture tbot boJ boppeneJ.."
41

"Tbe lCRC visiteJ me twice.Tbe Sri lonkon outborities permitteJ tbe lCRC onJ tbe N60s
to visit few of tbe Jetention centres just for tbe purpose of sotisfyinq tbe internotionol
worlJ. Altbouqb tbey cloimeJ tbot tbey were senJinq oll tbe lTTF members to rebobilitont
centre, tbey JiJ not octuolly senJ oll of tbe lTTF members. Hony of tbem ore still kept in
secret comps..l tbink tbe outborities were coreful wben beotinq me onJ ovoiJeJ cousinq
ony permonent injuries os l wos on tbe recorJ of tbe lCRC onJ if onytbinq boppeneJ to me
tbey woulJ be in trouble"
42

"Botb in comp, onJ ofter releose, oltbouqb we coulJ not speok obout tbe trutb of tbe
conJitions in wbicb we were kept, onJ tbe treotment receiveJ, we were encouroqeJ to soy
tbot we were lookeJ ofter properly, witb qooJ core, onJ proviJeJ witb qooJ fooJ. Wben
non-qovernmentol orqonisotions onJ tbe meJio JiJ visit, tbe outborities woulJ select o
Jetoinee to speok witb tbem, onJ prepore bim for tbot interview, witb exoctly wbot to
soy.Wbile l wos in Romboikulom tbe lCRC visiteJ twice. Tbe Army 0fficer in cborqe of tbe
comp worneJ us oll before tbe visit tbot we were not to speok out obout tbe treotment -
tbe torture - we receiveJ, tbot if we JiJ we woulJ foce severe consequences. Tbe lCRC
0fficer reqistereJ tbe Jetoils of oll tbe Jetoinees onJ proviJeJ us eocb witb o corJ
confirminq tbe reqistrotion. Burinq tbe reqistrotion tbe officers oskeJ wbetber we were
experiencinq torture or mistreotment but we coulJ not tell tbem tbe trutb os we were
beinq monitoreJ by tbe outborities. A Sri lonkon ormy officer wos in eorsbot of tbe
reqistrotions."
4S

"Zone 1 rebobilitotion centre wos not unJer ony internotionol orqonisotions observotion
or monitorinq.Personnel from vorious militory Jivisions sucb os oir force, novy, Hilitory
lntelliqence, Terrorism lnvestiqotion Bivision {TlB), Criminol lnvestiqotion Bivision {ClB)
frequently visiteJ tbe centre. But l JiJnt see ony internotionol presence sucb os lCRC or
ony otber oiJ oqencies."
44

A foimei INu0 woikei who woikeu at the IBP camps post wai spoke to TAu of the iestiictions
in the IBP camps, let along iehabilitation.
4S
"our occess into Honik Iorm wos restricteJ.
Cbeckpoints on entry seorcbeJ personnel onJ vebicles." The staff was "not oble to toke fooJ insiJe,

41
1AC8ef882
42
1AC8ef883
43
1AC8ef883
44
1AC8ef884. Zone 1 = ompalmadu Camp.
43
1AC8ef887
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

let olone mobiles or comeros." The checkpoint guaius woulu also take away the oui iuentification
on entiy, they weie only alloweu in the camps at set times, any infiingements weie investigateu.

Tiaining: In auuition to vaunting the legal anu institutional fiamewoik that puipoiteuly
suppoits the Rehabilitation Piogiamme, Ninistei Samaiasinghe at the 0NBRC ueclaieu that
theie was "vocotionol troininq onJ counselinq" taking place in the camps, to make "useful onJ
proJuctive citizens". The BCuR website is ieplete with goou news stoiies fiom the camps, of
tiaineu foimei LTTE, ieauy to be ietuineu to theii communities.

0nce again, the testimony of the witnesses who spoke to TAu, uefies the official account.
Calleigh NcRaith likewise iepoiteu that the vocational oppoitunities within the camps weie
minimal anu uiu not coiiesponu to the uoSL' claims.
46

"Rebobilitotion" compriseJ botb pbysicol onJ mentol torture. Tbere were some
"rebobilitotion" courses ovoiloble, for exomple in lT onJ otber vocotionol troininq plus
some counsellinq onJ sport, but tbese courses were put on only for tbe benefit of visitinq
meJio, onJ were not ovoiloble wben tbere wos no meJio presence.."
47

"l receiveJ no troininq wbilst in tbe comps. 0ccosionolly Jetoinees were selecteJ for
troininq, but only tbose wbo boJ oqreeJ to work for tbe ormy or ClB. Tbey were sent owoy
for vocotionol troininq."
48

D.-'G
The official account ieaus,

"ln keepinq witb internotionol norms onJ requlotions, seporotion of ex-combotonts from
tbe civilions wos monJotory. Eence, tbe Security Iorces requesteJ oll ex-combotonts to
report to JesiqnoteJ centers in tbe presence of tbe lCRC. Tbereofter o lorqe number of ex-

46
Callelgh Mc8alLh, Croundvlews, (2012) 'lf eocb petsoo ls Joloq ooly ooe ot moybe oo ttololoqs, ooe wooJets wbot tbe
sotteoJetees speot oll of tbelt tlme Joloq lo tebobllltotloo. 1belt ooswets to tbls ote petbops oot sotptlsloq - sotteoJetees l
spoke wltb tepotteJ Joloq mooool lobot socb os cleotloq jooqle ot wotkloq lo qotJeos fot tbe mojotlty of tbe Joy. 5ome
cteoteJ booJlctofts, wblcb tbey solJ tbe qovetomeot solJ olooq wltb tbe ptoJoce ftom tbe qotJeos wbete tbey wotkeJ.
1bey olso tepotteJ tbot ot tbe ceotet o qtoop of tweoty sotteoJetees woolJ be osslqoeJ eocb Joy to Joloq oll of tbe cookloq
fot tbe ceotet. 5ome womeo wete olso seot to qotmeot foctotles to wotk, bot tbey wete oot foltly compeosoteJ fot tbls
(5000 topees pet mootb, wblcb botely coveteJ tbe llvloq expeoses tbey boJ Jotloq tbot tlme) ooJ olso tepotteJ sexool
botossmeot Jotloq tbelt tlme ot tbe foctoty."
47
1AC8ef882
48
1AC8ef883
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

combotonts willinqly reporteJ for rebobilitotion plocinq complete confiJence in tbe
Security Iorces."
49

The fiist stage of iehabilitation was iuentification anu segiegation of those to be iehabilitateu.
This began fiom the point of suiienuei, at the enu of the conflict. Accoiuing to the establishment
page of the Buieau's website, of the initially 22 camps, thiee aie still in opeiation touay. The
"Rehabilitation of Ex Combatants" uocument howevei gives a uiffeient initial figuie, of 24.
Su

The Rehabilitation Piogiamme, neaily five yeais on fiom the enu of the wai, is still in opeiation.

Page six of the IC} iepoit, "Beyonu lawful constiaint", uetails the timefiames foi iehabilitation
suppoiteu by state iegulations (which as we have seen uefy inteinational laws), namely:

"preventive Jetention witbout triol on security qrounJs for up to one yeor is outborizeJ
unJer FR 200S, Requlotion 19." In Nay 2u1u, "tbe moximum Jetention perioJ wos reJuceJ
to S montbs onJ tbe oppeoronce before tbe Hoqistrote requireJ witbin 72 bours {16S1,42,
2 Hoy 2010)"

Anu,

"AJministrotive Jetention witbout cborqe or triol is olso permitteJ for purposes of tbe
rebobilitotion of surrenJees unJer Requlotion 22 of tbe Fmerqency Requlotions 200S {FR
200S os omenJeJ by FR 1462,8, 2006). AJministrotive Jetention of o rebobilitee moy
continue witbout juJiciol review or occess to leqol representotion for up to two yeors."

Thus the fiamewoik within which the uoSL appeais to be acting, allows it (unlawfully) to uetain
a peison foi as long as two yeais. Inueeu, the five witnesses who hau been thiough
iehabilitation, each spent between 1S months anu 2S months in the camps. Fuitheimoie, "ln
oJJition to tbis JisquiseJ form of punisbment for olleqeJ criminol offences, rebobilitees foce tbe
prospect of o seconJ punisbment upon conviction for crimes if criminol prosecutions ore eventuolly
initioteJ."
S1

49
lC! (2010) 8eyond Lawful ConsLralnLs" pg. 8
30
208rlgadler20uharshana20PeLLlarrachchl).pdf pg. 11.
31
age 7 IC} (2u1u) "Beyonu Lawful Constiaints"
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

D.-#-G
The BCuR website sets out its 'establishment', that is, the numbei anu the location of the camps,
oi PARCS - "Piotective Accommouation & Rehabilitation Centies".
S2
Accoiuing to that
establishment webpage, thiee centies at Poonthottam (Cooiuinating 0ffice vavuniya) anu
Kankauy anu Senapuia (Cooiuinating 0ffice East) aie still opeiating.

TAu's witnesses spoke of the pooi conuitions in the camps:

"We slept squosbeJ olonqsiJe one onotber, tbere wos little spoce to wolk or move orounJ.
IooJ wos insufficient; we ote only twice o Joy, onJ tbere wos olso o sbortoqe of woter.
Since tbere were only S or possibly 6 toilets for oll of us, tbere wos olwoys o line to use
tbem; sometimes we were beoten wbile we woiteJ in line. Sonitotion wos poor. ln oll tbree
of tbe "rebobilitotion" comps tbot l wos belJ in tbe conJitions were equolly boJ."
SS

Anu,

"Tbere wos insufficient focilities to wosb onJ toilet. Tbere were lonq queues for fooJ onJ
tbe quorJs bit us os we queueJ.".
S4

They spoke too, of the secuiity aiiangements. All the camps that the witnesses weie helu in
weie fenceu anu guaiueu.

"Two sets of baibeu wiie fence ciicleu the camp. Theie weie sentiy posts along the
fence to ensuie theie was no chance of escape."
SS

"Tbe centre wos beovily quorJeJ. lt wos fenceJ witb borbeJ wire. Tbere were monneJ
sentry points every 10 metres"
S6

32
http:www.bcgi.gov.lkestablishment.php.
33
1AC8efRBS
34
1AC8ef882
33
1AC8ef881
36
1AC8ef882
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

The camps, oi PARCs weie thus cut off fiom the outsiue community, the 'thieat' - as uefineu by
the Sii Lankan state - isolateu fiom wiuei society, anu sepaiateu, by a fence, fiom the Tamil
majoiity lanus.

D.<G
The puipose of iehabilitation:
S7
The title of the 2u12 Sii Lankan state Befence Seminai was
"Towaius lasting peace anu stability", iehabilitation anu subsequent ieintegiation featuieu
heavily. Biigauiei B, Bettiaiiachchi, the Rehabilitation Commissionei fiom the 2
nu
Febiuaiy
2u12 to the 28
th
}une 2u1S, gave the opening intiouuctoiy lectuie.
S8
Expiessing his piiue in the
Buieau's woik, he uesciibeu foimei combatants in the LTTE as "potentiol spoilers of peoce", anu
of the neeu to bieak militant behavioui. "Sustoinoble, sociol onJ economic reinteqrotion of ex-
combotonts wos tbe ultimote objective of tbe Sri lonkon qovernment on completion of tbe
bumonitorion operotions in Hoy 2009", he stateu, noting that a failuie to successfully ieintegiate
the foimei combatants woulu unueimine the achievements of the Sii Lankan militaiy in the
conflict anu the ieconstiuction piogiammes in the noith anu east. Nalkanthi Bettiaiachchi, in a
fulsome appiaisal of the iehabilitation piogiamme in Sii Lanka, miiioieu this sentiment;
"offenJers must move owoy from violent extremist tbinkinq".
S9

The expeiiences of foimei combatants in the iehabilitation camps unueimine the official
accounts of the Sii Lankan state objectives anu the puipose of the camps, leauing analysts anu
obseiveis to suggest iathei uiffeient objectives. valkyiie, foi example, questions whethei
peihaps inteiiogation was the ieal motivation behinu the iehabilitation piogiamme. Similaily,
although the eviuence piesenteu in Buman Rights Watch's iepoit publisheu Febiuaiy 2u12 was
fiom Sii Lankan uetention centies, not iehabilitation camps, the objective behinu the "politicolly
motivoteJ sexuol ossoults" by Sii Lankan militaiy anu civilian authoiities, was concluueu to be
"to obtoin "confessions" of involvement in lTTF octivities, informotion on otbers incluJinq spouses
onJ relotives, onJ, it oppeors, to instill terror in tbe brooJer Tomil populotion to Jiscouroqe
involvement witb tbe lTTF".
60

37
8CC8, vlslon", Laken from Lhe 8ureau's webslLe reads "x-combotoots ooJ cbllJteo fotmolly ossocloteJ wltb otmeJ
qtoops lo 5tl looko sboolJ eobooce tbelt self-esteem, loteqtlty, koowleJqe, employoblllty ooJ tbe oblllty to pottlclpote
octlvely lo llfe to meet tbe lotetest of tbelt fomllles ooJ tbe commoolty, lo o post te-loteqtoteJ sceootlo, tbos coottlbotloq
towotJs ootloool tecooclllotloo, looq lostloq peoce, ptospetlty ooJ Jevelopmeot of tbe coootty." And Lhe Mlsslon 1o
Jlseoqoqe, Je-toJlcollze, tebobllltote ooJ teloteqtote tbe mlsqolJeJ meo/womeo ooJ cbllJteo, wbo wete toJlcollzeJ by tbe
ptottocteJ otmeJ coofllct, lo to tbe commoolty followloq o ceotet ooJ commoolty boseJ comptebeoslve tebobllltotloo
ptocess to be osefol cltlzeos ooJ ptoJoctlve membets to tbe coootty". hLLp://www.bcgr.gov.lk/hlsLory.php
38
8rlgadler u. PeLLlarrachl speech ke-loteqtotloo of ex-combotoots ooJ cbolleoqes"
http:www.bcgi.gov.lknews.php.iu=2u9
39
MalkanLhl PeLLlarachchl, Srl Lanka's 8ehablllLaLlon rogram: A new lronLler ln CounLer 1errorlsm and CounLer
lnsurgency," lkl5M. Iootool of tbe ceotet fot complex Opetotloos 4, no. 2 (2013), 103 - 119
60
Puman 8lghLs WaLch' (lebruary 2013), We wlll Leach you a lesson" hLLp://www.hrw.org/news/2013/02/26/srl-lanka-
rape-Lamll-deLalnees
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

The testimony of TAu's witnesses suppoits the notion that iehabilitation acts as an intelligence
collection platfoim:

"Tbe wbole centre wos JesiqneJ in o woy to Jerive informotion from tbe Jetoinees tbrouqb
immense psycboloqicol pressure."
61

"lnterroqotion unJer torture incluJeJ tbe followinq questions:
! Wben JiJ you join tbe lTTF?
! Wbot JiJ you Jo in tbe lTTF?
! Eow mucb fiqbtinq were you enqoqeJ in?
! Wbot otber octivities were you involveJ witb?
! Wbere ore tbe lTTF leoJers?"
62

But collecting intelligence on the LTTE insuigent thieat is just one function of iehabilitation.
The toituie in the camps was not solely a methou to extiact infoimation, it was a punishment
calculateu to uemonstiate to its victims' theii poweilessness anu to teiioiise them into
submission. A TAu souice noteu that only on the one occasion was he inteiiogateu
"properly.tbe rest of tbe time it JiJ not motter wbot l soiJ unJer interroqotion", in othei woius,
with one exception, his answeis unuei inteiiogation uiu not inciease oi lessen his toituie.
6S

Likewise a seconu souice noteu, "ReqorJless of my oJmission tbey continueJ to beot me".
64

"Zone 1 rebobilitotion centre wos not unJer ony internotionol orqonisotions observotion
or monitorinq onJ virtuolly functioneJ os o terrorisinq onJ psycboloqicolly troumotisinq
institution..lt moJe me feel less tbon l om."
6S

"Torture wos useJ os o punisbment, o tool to punisb me for beinq in tbe lTTF. Tbe ormy
onJ police wonteJ to punisb onJ torture us for our involvement. Sometimes tbey tortureJ
for entertoinment: tbey woulJ burn me witb ciqorettes onJ louqb os l suffereJ."
66

"l tbink tbe violence stemmeJ from o botreJ of tbe lTTF onJ o Jesire to sbow wbo boJ
power. lt wos o Jisploy of power."
67

61
1AC8ef884
62
1AC8ef882
63
1AC8ef883
64
1AC8ef883
63
1AC8ef884
66
1AC8ef883
67
1AC8ef882
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

Auuitionally the feai of toituie, anu of betiayal leauing to toituie, also hau the effect of bieaking
uown ties between the ex-combatants:

"l JiJ not tolk to tbe otbers tbere witb me, nor JiJ tbey to me, obout tbe torture, for feor of
receivinq more. We JiJ not know wbo were informonts, wbo we coulJ or coulJ not trust.
We coulJ not comfort one onotber. Tbe officers woulJ not even let us leove tbe
interroqotion room if we were cryinq."
68

"l JiJ not stoy in contoct witb tbe otbers wbo boJ been releoseJ witb me, l JiJ not feel sofe
to Jo so."
69

Fuitheimoie we must be cleai about what the natuie of this 'LTTE' 'teiioiist' thieat is on which
the goveinment of Sii Lanka is collecting intelligence. It is not an aimeu thieat: it is a political
anu iueological one. The goveinment of Sii Lanka iails against the LTTE, but its uefinition of the
LTTE is bioau. It is a uefinition that extenus to the 0N Bigh Commissionei, 0K Nembeis of
Pailiament who call foi Sii Lanka to be helu to account, Inteinational well-ieputeu Nu0s, Biitish
newspapeis anu news bioaucasteis, asylum seekeis, wai ciimes witnesses.
7u
Inueeu militaiily,
the LTTE was uecisively uefeateu - annihilateu. Since 2uu9 theie have been no iecoiueu
"teiioiist attacks" by the LTTE. Theie is no LTTE, as a militaiy entity, upon which to collect. As
we have seen, those who unueiwent iehabilitation weie not the haiu-coie cauies, one uay's
foiceu seivice was sufficient to qualify someone as in neeu of iehabilitation, not even that in the
case of the }affna stuuents. It is the asseition of a sepaiate anu inuepenuent Tamil iuentity that
is the thieat.

The tiue objectives of iehabilitation have been obscuieu. Thiough a ueft use of language anu
effective piopaganua, the Sii Lankan state has piesenteu itself as the pictuie of benevolence, of
altiuistic magnanimity. The ex-combatants in iehabilitation aie iefeiieu to as "suiienuees" anu
"beneficiaiies", masking the ieality of theii conuition.

Asking questions of iehabilitation, the who, what, when, wheie anu why ieveals its tiue colouis,
anu illuminates the natuie of the Sii Lankan state iesponsible foi it. Rehabilitation is a iegime
imposeu foicibly upon the uefeateu only. Fai fiom being aimeu at haiu-coie LTTE elements, it

68
1AC8ef883
69
1AC8ef881
70
1he upper 1rlbunal of Lhe uk lmmlgraLlon and Asylum Chamber ln lLs mosL recenL CounLry Culdance Case on Srl Lankan
C!" found Lo be aL rlsk, loJlvlJools wbo ote, ot ote petcelveJ to be, o tbteot to tbe loteqtlty of 5tl looko os o sloqle stote
becoose tbey ote, ot ote petcelveJ to bove o slqolflcoot tole lo telotloo to post- coofllct 1omll sepototlsm wltblo tbe
Jlospoto ooJ/ot o teoewol of bostllltles wltblo 5tl looko" as well as [ournallsLs and wlLnesses.
hLLp://www.refworld.org/pdfld/31da931c4.pdf. AddlLlonally an L11L AgenLs" webslLe, whose afflllaLlons Lo Lhe CoSL are
noL known, llsLs all of Lhe above ln lLs daLabase. hLLp://lLLeagenLs.wordpress.com/daLabase-Lamll-Llger-lLLe-agenLs/
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

taigets those with sometimes the baiest of LTTE affiliations.
71
Foi up to 2 yeais a peison, ovei
the past 4 yeais, 8 months, iehabilitation has isolateu foimei LTTE membeis (in the bioauest
sense) fiom theii wiuei communities, fiom Tamil majoiity lanus. In its fiamewoik in theoiy anu
in its execution it amounts to a systemic abuse of human iights, the scale oi which has been
maskeu by uoSL piopaganua, the checks on inuepenuent access, anu the feai, inculcateu into
those who have been put thiough iehabilitation - not to uefy the State by speaking out.

"Torture wos not perpetroteJ by roque inJiviJuols or elements witbin tbe Sri lonkon
militory quorJinq onJ present on tbe comp. lt wos plonneJ. CommonJers onJ solJiers olike
tortureJ. lnterroqotions were normolly Jone in o seporote room. Sometimes we were
questioneJ in o qroup. Tbe some metboJs of torture, tbe some process, tbe some questions
were useJ."
72

Theie was little ieal tiaining because the objectives aie of pacification: pacification of all
opposition, political as well as militaiy.

4.- 9$55-# ;$=1A#-

So fai we have askeu questions of the Sii Lankan iehabilitation piogiamme with little mention
of the bioauei context within which it exists, anu oui analysis anu conclusions have been
coiiesponuingly limiteu.

Post Rehabilitation: The focus of the iepoit to this point has been on the tieatment in the camps,
but the toituie anu abuse uo not cease upon ielease. If we seek to unueistanu iehabilitation, we
must look beyonu it. Neuia iepoits abounu of the intimiuation of the iehabilitateu anu theii
families, aftei 'successful completion' of iehabilitation. The thieat of ie-aiiest is peivasive.

"Some soy tbey ore beinq kept in Booso, but we ore not olloweJ to visit tbem," o motber of two
cbilJren soiJ comploininq tbot tbere bove been no response for tbeir comploints witb tbe Sl
Eumon Riqbts Commission, tbe lCRC onJ tbe Sri lonkon Police."
7S

71
noLe Lhe exLreme vagueness of whaL consLlLuLes Lerrorlsm ln Lhe 2003 Lmergency 8egulaLlons, ooy oolowfol cooJoct.
.tbot Jlstopts ot tbteoteos pobllc otJet 8egulaLlon 8.
72
1AC8ef882
73
1amllneL, 27 May 2013, 5l mllltoty ottests bosbooJs, sexoolly botosses wlves lo 1tloco"
hLLp://www.LamllneL.com/arL.hLml?caLld=13&arLld=36334
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

A Tamil Net aiticle, 21
st
Febiuaiy 2u1S, iepoiteu that "Tension onJ feor continues to prevoil
omonq tbe fomilies of former lTTF members, wbo bove rejoineJ tbeir fomilies in tbe Fost.os tbe
Sl militory tbinks ony resistonce cominq from tbe uprooteJ fomilies tbot JemonJ resettlement
oriqinotes from people wbo were ossocioteJ witb tbe lTTF in tbe post."
74
The Tamil uuaiuian, 21
st

}uly 2u12, summaiizeu "SuspecteJ lTTF members, wbo were token into Sri lonkon qovernments
orbitrory orrest in 2009 onJ releoseJ ofter 'rebobilitotion', continue to be borosseJ by Sri lonkos
intelliqence services - tbe ClB, reports 0tboyon onJ TomilNet."
7S

The expeiience aftei iehabilitation of the S witnesses who spoke to TAu confiims the above
newspapei cuttings. The witnesses spoke of the conuitions of theii ielease:

"Before l wos releoseJ l wos cleorly instructeJ tbot releose wos only voliJ for 6 montbs.
Witbin 6 montbs l sboulJ inform on lTTF coJres wbo boJ yet to surrenJer, onJ l wos
strictly commonJeJ not to contoct N60s."
76

"0pon releose l wos tolJ tbot it wos only voliJ for six montbs. After tbot time l must
reqister witb o locol qovernment servont onJ intelliqence personnel. l wos orJereJ not to
speok witb tbe meJio or to leove tbe country witbout informinq locolly. Tbe penolty of
Joinq eitber wos re-orrest, onJ cborqes presseJ. Hy life wos olso tbreoteneJ."
77

"l wos freeJ witb 100 otber former coJres, wbo boJ olso been rebobilitoteJ. Before tbe
releose, tbe Army 0fficer in cborqe of tbe comp briefeJ us. Ee instructeJ us to report on o
weekly bosis to tbe locol ormy bose. Ee worneJ us tbot if we were to become involveJ witb
lTTF octivities we woulJ foce severe consequences, just os tbe }vP boJ suffereJ in tbe post
- burneJ onJ killeJ. We were forbiJJen from Jisclosinq onytbinq to tbe meJio obout our
time in rebobilitotion, onJ worneJ tbot if we breocbeJ tbis conJition, our sofety woulJ be
ot risk."
78

They tolu of the iestiictions they faceu, the cuibs upon theii basic fieeuoms anu the limits to
oppoitunities:

74
1amllneL, 21
sL
leb 2013, 5tl lookoo 1lu botosses ex-l11 membets lo ost
73
1amll Cuardlan, 21
sL
!uly 2012, former L11L members sub[ecLed Lo lnLerrogaLlon"
76
1AC8ef881
77
1AC8ef882
78
1AC8ef883
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

"After my releose vorious Jivisions of tbe ormeJ forces continuously visiteJ my bome in
Killinocbi for interroqotion onJ to ensure tbot l wos not in contoct witb onyone outsiJe my
villoqe in Killinocbi..Bue to tbe continuous visit of security forces to my bouse ofter my releose
my neiqbbours preventeJ tbeir interoctions witb me. Tbe society vieweJ me witb feor onJ
suspicion. lt boJ moJe tbe life of tbose releoseJ persons enormously Jifficult to inteqrote into
tbe society onJ leoJ normol fomily life."..." Wbile we boJ been in Jetention in tbe rebobilitotion
centers security forces frequently visiteJ inmotes bouses onJ sexuolly borosseJ femole
members of tbe fomily. vorious sections of tbe security forces olreoJy knew our fomily Jetoils
onJ resiJence oJJress from our Jotobose. Wben l boJ been releoseJ l wos issueJ on lB corJ by
l0H for employment opportunities. Eowever, it wosnt useful os tbe people, becouse of
suspicion tbot we miqbt be port of o Tomil poromilitory qroup or informers, Jeliberotely
isoloteJ us. ln most coses releoseJ persons from tbe rebobilitotion centers were JenieJ oll
opportunities."
79

The foimei Nu0 woikei tolu TAu of the uifficulties that those ieleaseu fiom iehabilitation
faceu,

"Tbe freeJoms of former combotonts wbo bove been tbrouqb "rebobilitotion" ore few. Tbe
militory commonJer for on oreo will requlorly coll former rebobilitees toqetber, to re-issue
tbreots. Tbe frequency of sucb meetinqs JepenJs upon tbe situotion - if onytbinq boppens, for
exomple o remembronce event, tben tbe 6oSl officiols look to blome tbe former lTTF coJres."

Speaking of an foimei combatant employee,

"lt wos upon tryinq to poy bis woqe l JiscovereJ be boJ not been olloweJ on lB. Witbout
officiol iJentificotion Jocuments, be wos unoble to trovel witbin Sri lonko, let olone beyonJ Sri
lonko. Eis fomily onJ be liveJ in tbe vonni onJ oltbouqb be woulJ bove been oble to leove be
woulJ not bove been oble to return tbrouqb tbe numerous CbeckPoints. Witbout on lB be wos
unoble to open up o bonk occount onJ tbus unoble to cosb bis poy cbeque."
80

0f TAu's five witnesses who hau expeiienceu iehabilitation, two weie abuucteu by the Sii
Lankan state aftei theii ielease; they weie inteiiogateu anu toituieu.

0thei policies: State policies anu actions, uiiecteu at the wiuei Tamil community, compliment
anu helu sheu light upon the State's conuuct with iegaius Rehabilitation. Foi example:

79
1AC8ef884
80
1AC8ef887
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

- Neuia Fieeuoms. A compiehensive account of the State's tieatment of the Neuia, has
been pioviueu in TAu's iepoit, "Silencing the Piess: An Analysis of violence Against the
Neuia in Sii Lanka", Novembei 2u1S.
81
The iepiession of a fiee piess helps account foi
the state's success in limiting the piomulgation of negative stoiies fiom iehabilitation.

- Lanu uiabs.

o "Systemotic stote-funJeJ colonisotion of tbe Sinbolese of tbe Soutb is cbonqinq tbe
Jemoqropby of tbe Tomil oreos so tbot in course of time tbe Tomil community will
become o minority in tbeir bomelonJ," wiote the Commission foi }ustice anu
Peace of The Catholic Biocese of }affna.
82
The Commission's list of "long-teim
issues" incluueu the occupation of lanus by the secuiity foices - it was noteu that
"ln some ploces tbe oriqinol inbobitonts bove been tolJ tbot tbeir lonJs will not be
returneJ to tbem onJ tbot tbey will bove to settle Jown in oreos inJicoteJ by tbe
Security Iorces" - anu the "ollocotion of tbe lonJs in tbe Nortb to tbe Soutberners".

o The Piesiuent of the Tamil National People's Fiont, uajenuiakumai
Ponnambalam speaking at a confeience on "Lanu uiabs" in Lonuon, Febiuaiy
2u14, stateu, "Tbere is o cleor stote tronsformotionol process of estoblisbinq o
Sinbolo BuJJbist etbnocrocy".
8S
Kumaiavauivel uuiupaian }affna 0niveisity
Lectuiei anu civil society activist in a viueo iecoiuing befoie the confeience,
explaineu that the Sii Lankan state "wonts to reJesiqn onJ recloim tbe Nortbeost,
to moke it port of its Sinbolo BuJJbist stote".

o Whilst all those with LTTE affiliations weie helu in iehabilitation camps, anu
laige swathes in IBP camps, the State woikeu anu still woiks to unueimine the
veiy basis of Tamil claims foi an inuepenuent homelanu. Paia S27 of "u}"
summaiiseu "At tbe enJ of tbe civil wor, Tomils were relocoteJ to comps, penJinq
reconstruction of tbe conflict-JomoqeJ nortb onJ eost, onJ olso to ollow for
iJentificotion of persons requirinq "rebobilitotion" before tbey coulJ rejoin tbe Sri
lonkon community. Tbe comps ore only now beinq closeJ, some four yeors loter,
but mony Tomils bove lost tbeir businesses onJ forms to occupyinq Sinbolese
solJiers onJ otbers finJ tbot tbeir bomes, forms onJ businesses ore in biqb security
zones {ESZs), wbere tbere is soiJ to be biqb levels of unexploJeJ orJnonce, onJ
inoccessible."
84

- The pacification of the Tamil people is not iestiicteu to those in iehabilitation. Tamil
Net, foi instance iecently iepoiteu the Sii Lankan piactice of putting univeisity stuuents

81
hLLp://f.hypoLheses.org/wp-conLenL/blogs.dlr/846/flles/2013/11/Sllenclng-1he-ress-nov.06.2013.pdf
82
Tamilnet, 1S
th
}an 2u1S, "}offno Cotbolic orqonizotion urqes Bisbops to see illusion of Jevelopment, reconciliotion"
http:www.tamilnet.comait.html.catiu=1S&aitiu=SS9S6 anu
hLLp://www.LamllneL.com/lmg/publlsh/2013/01/!affna_ulocese_!usLlce_and_eace_Commlsslon_leLLer_2013.pdf
83
1amllCuardlan, 2 lebruary 2014, 1hls ls an ongolng genoclde" Landgrabs conference concludes"
84
C!" (2013) ara 327 hLLp://www.refworld.org/pdfld/31da931c4.pdf
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

thiough militaiy leu instiuction.
8S
Countless iepoits attest to the intimiuation of Tamil
women, left vulneiable in the absence of male family membeis.
86

Bistoiical Backuiop
The abuses committeu in Rehabilitation since the wai aie a continuation of past ciimes anu
policies. Paiticulaily when theie has been no meaningful accountability pioviueu, the one
cannot be uivoiceu fiom the othei. Impunity anu tiiumphalism paves the way foi continueu
Tamil suffeiing. A iecent asylum case in the 0K, "AS" iefeiiing to the peiiou fiom 2uuS thiough
to Becembei 2uu9, stateu

"it is our view tbot tbe country eviJence sbows overwbelminqly tbot tbe Sri lonkon
outborities were specificolly ottockinq tbe Tomil populotion, tbe police force beinq oqents
in tbot ottock, certoinly by tbe woy of torture onJ kiJnoppinq. Tbe 0S Stote Beportment
refers to "numerous reports tbot tbe ormy, police, onJ proqovernment poromilitory qroups
porticipoteJ in ormeJ ottocks oqoinst civilions onJ procticeJ torture, kiJnoppinq, bostoqe-
tokinq, onJ extortion witb impunity" onJ to tbe use of torture by police to extroct
confessions beinq "enJemic"
87

Impunity foi ciimes committeu uuiing the wai anu befoie it is compounueu by continueu
impunity foi abuses peipetiateu in the 'peace': Sii Lankan State officials aie piotecteu fiom the
couits by the 2uuS Emeigency Regulations, namely iegulation 7S, "No oction or otber leqol
proceeJinq, wbetber civil or criminol, sboll be instituteJ in ony court of low in respect of ony
motter or tbinq Jone or purporteJ to be Jone in qooJ foitb, unJer ony provisions of ony emerqency
requlotion or of ony orJer or Jirection moJe or qiven tbereunJer, except by, or witb tbe written
consent of, tbe Attorney-6enerol." Similaily the Pievention of Teiioiism Act No. 48 (1979) (PTA),
which, with the lifting of the State of emeigency in August 2u11 was investeu with gieatei
poweis, ieveises the buiuen of pioof with iegaius to confessions, namely confessions aie
aumissible, anu the onus is on the uetainee to piove theii confessions weie maue unuei uuiess.

The Natuie of the Sii Lankan state

83
Tamilnet, 21
st
Bec 2u1S, "Colombo seeks qenociJol suborJinotion tbrouqb militory inJoctrinotion of stuJents"
http:www.tamilnet.comait.html.catiu=1S&aitiu=S69u8.
86
1amll Cuardlan, 13 uecember 2012, Srl Lankan Army coerces women lnLo [olnlng"
hLLp://Lamllguardlan.com/arLlcle.asp?arLlcleld=6349, 1amllneL, 13
Lh
AugusL 2013, Slnhala soldlers bruLally rape 1amll
moLher ln oonakarl, kllllnochchl" hLLp://www.LamllneL.com/arL.hLml?caLld=13&arLld=36338, 1amllneL, 18
Lh
March 2013,
8ape and murder of 1amll women by Srl Lankan forces alms aL genoclde: nZ 1amlls"
87
AS (s.33 excluslon" cerLlflcaLe - process) Srl Lanka [2013] uku1 371 (lAC), SepLember 2013,
hLLp://www.ballll.org/uk/cases/uku1/lAC/2013/3820133u_uku1_371_lac.hLml
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

A iecent aiticle in the Sii Lankan Baily News, uateu 22nu }anuaiy 2u14, exemplifies the Sii
Lankan state minu-set anu the uepth of the Sinhala Buuuhist nationalist pioject. The aiticle
begins,

"lf tbere is o qenociJe in tbis country, by tbe closest opproximotion of tbe worJ, it must be
oqoinst tbe community of mojority Sinbolese"

Anu expanus,

"tbe Sinbolo people ore beinq tolJ tbot tbey sboulJ revise or entirely rewrite tbeir bistory,
onJ tbot tbey were wronq to JefenJ tbe territoriol inteqrity of tbeir country".
88

Inueeu, although self ueteimination is piotecteu unuei inteinational law, in the 0niteu Nations
Chaitei anu the Inteinational Covenant on Civil anu Political Rights as a iight of "all peoples",
the 6
th
amenument to the Sii Lankan Constitution piohibits violation of the teiiitoiial integiity
of the islanu nation, outlawing any avocation of Tamil Eelam as a sepaiate nation.
89
The islanu of
Sii Lanka, to the minu of the state anu its majoiity, belongs fiist anu foiemost to the Sinhalese
people anu to the Buuuhist faith. In the afoiementioneu 0K Countiy uuiuance Case, "u}', the
Tiibunal iecogniseu,

"PresiJent Rojopokso bos stoteJ tbot tbese oreos sboulJ not now be JescribeJ os "Tomil
oreos": tbe qovernments intention oppeors to be to Jilute tbe Tomil populotion of tbose
oreos by Sinbolisotion" .
9u

The ihetoiic suiiounuing iehabilitation is ieflective of the Sii Lankan state's chauvinism. Foi
example, in an inteiview with the Sunuay 0bseivei, Commissionei ueneial of Rehabilitation,
Biigauiei Baishana Bettiaiachchi ueclaieu that "Burinq tbese proqroms we moJe efforts to
inculcote bumon quolities in tbem".
91

When Rehabilitation is analyseu in bioauei context - in the light of othei policies, histoiy, anu in
iecognition of the natuie of the Sii Lankan state, we can iecognise it foi what it is; namely one of

88
ually news, 22 !anuary 2014, 1he Cngolng Cenoclde AgalnsL Lhe Slnhalese" http:cl.lyimageSqSw2}u42k1ko
89
1he SlxLh AmendmenL, cerLlfled on Lhe 8
Lh
AugusL 1983, lncluded Lhe lnserLlon of ArLlcle 137 A - Lhe prohlblLlon agalnsL
vlolaLlon of Lhe LerrlLorlal lnLegrlLy of Srl Lanka.
hLLp://www.prlu.gov.lk/Cons/1978ConsLlLuLlon/AMLnuMLn1S.hLml#SlxLh20AmendmenL
90
C!" (2013) ara 329 hLLp://www.refworld.org/pdfld/31da931c4.pdf
91
Sunday Cbserver. 3 !une 2012, Srl Lanka's success sLory on rehablllLaLlon"
http:www.sunuayobseivei.lk2u12u6uSfeau1.asp
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

many mechanisms of pacification, a methou of ieinfoicing a sense of poweilessness in the
minus of the Tamil people, a continuation of the policies in the wai - policies that iesulteu in the
ueaths of thousanus of civilians.

Thus the 0iganisation of Relatives of Suiienuees anu the Bisappeaieu (0RSB) stiesseu,

"tbot tbe violotions of Eumon Riqbts tbot our members foce sboulJ not be seen os mere
violotions of inJiviJuol Eumon riqbts, but o for Jeeper systemotic plon tbot torqets tbe
notionol iJentity"
Anu

"We woulJ like to empbosize tbot tbe obove [violotions] sboulJ not be merely seen os o
lock of reconciliotion onJ occountobility, but os o proqrom of Sinbolizotion witb tbe
intent to Jestroy tbe iJentity of tbe Tomils existinq os o Jistinct Notion."
92

:2'=0A*$2'

At the last two ieviews of Sii Lanka at the 0NBRC, calls fiom states to give Sii Lanka moie time
anu suppoit to iecovei fiom a long civil wai, fiom the iavages of teiioiism, weie all too
fiequent. Naiiatives of a potential libeial space in Sii Lanka, of a peiiou of tiansition fiom wai
to peace that neeu iun its cause, ueny histoiy's lessons anu mask the cuiient ieality - a ieality
exemplifieu by the piogiamme of iehabilitation. Such naiiatives aie blinu to the uepth of the
Sinhala-Buuuhist nationalist pioject.
9S

The 'libeial peace' faileu in Sii Lanka, aiguably because it was too tiansfixeu by its own
univeisal piesciiptions anu uesiie to 'solve', to look to the actual situation in Sii Lanka. This
hubiistic tenuency iemains all too appaient. 0ne can see it at woik in analysis of toituie in
iehabilitation foi example. In both the otheiwise excellent IC} iepoit the pievalence of toituie is
iathei ieuuceu to being the iesult of institutional ueficiencies (in neeu of coiiection), leaving
the question of intent unexploieu. The IC} iepoit expiesses the IC} concein that "Jetoinees ore
vulneroble to tbe violotion of otber riqbts.incluJinq torture", that "preventotive Jetention os o
qenerol motter, is o proctice onotbemo to respect for Eumon Riqbts unJer tbe rule of low, creotinq

92
1amllCuardlan, 1 nov 2013. Ok5u colls oo uk to toke leoJloq tole lo pteveotloq qeooclJe of tbe 1omll ootloo
hLLp://www.Lamllguardlan.com/arLlcle.asp?arLlcleld=9228 and
hLLp://www.Lamllguardlan.com/flles/llle/ananLhy20C8Su20sLaLemenL.pdf
93
See Curuparan quoLaLlon hLLp://www.Lamllguardlan.com/arLlcle.asp?arLlcleld=9832
}anuaiy 1, 2u14

conJitions not only for orbitrory Jetention but reloteJ bumon riqbts violotions". Similaily
Amnesty Inteinational, "Torture, enforceJ Jisoppeoronces onJ extrojuJiciol executions continue
in Sri lonko in port becouse of tbese orbitrory Jetention proctices".
94

But questions of motivation anu of intent aie vital.

Suiely it is ueeply pioblematic to give moie time anu money to a state that has intentionally
committeu atiocities against its own populace.

94
AmnesLy lnLernaLlonal Locked Away" (Mar 2012) hLLp://flles.amnesLy.org/archlves/asa370032012eng.pdf

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