(7 March in Melbourne | 8 March in Sydney)
The civil war in Sri Lanka came to an end in 2009, but human rights concerns linger and debate continues to rage about the current situation. Human Rights Watch recently said "Justice and accountability for abuses, an end to torture in detention, and ending constraints on basic liberties continue to prove elusive for the Tamil population." On the other hand, Australian politicians would have us believe it is safe to return Tamil asylum seekers to Sri Lanka without processing their claims.
The Human Rights Law Centre invites you to participate in what is sure to be an in depth, robust and enlightening discussion about accountability for war crimes and the current human rights situation in Sri Lanka.
Featuring:
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Frances Harrison, a former BBC foreign correspondent who covered the final stages of the Sri Lankan civil war and has recently published a book of eye witness accounts from the end of the war, Still Counting the Dead . |
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Dr Sam Pari, National Spokesperson of the Australian Tamil Congress. Sam possesses vast experience as a volunteer worker in the post-tsunami regions of North-East Sri Lanka, and has represented the Tamil community at numerous human rights, political and academic forums and in the media. |
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Bruce Haigh, political commentator and a former Australian diplomat, who was Deputy High Commissioner at the Australian High Commission in Colombo in the 1990s, and a former member of the Refugee Review Tribunal. (Participating in the Sydney event only.) |
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Gordon Weiss, a seasoned journalist and international aid worker. He was the UN spokesperson on Sri Lanka during the last phase and aftermath of Sri Lanka’s civil war. Drawing on his experiences, his book The Cage: The Fight for Sri Lanka and the Last Days of the Tamil Tigers, examines atrocities perpetrated during the last months of the war in Sri Lanka. (Participating in the Melbourne event only.) |
The discussion will be facilitated by the host of SBS’ Dateline, Mark Davis, one of Australia’s foremost video journalists and winner of five Walkley Awards.
Tickets are now available: Purchase tickets for Melbourne event here or Purchase tickets for Sydney event here
Kindly hosted by:
Melbourne:
6:30pm, Thursday 7 March 2013
Report to reception at Level 50, Bourke Place, 600 Bourke St
Sydney:
6:30pm, Friday 8 March 2013
Report to reception at Level 61, Governor Phillip Tower, 1 Farrer Place
