News from SAHR Desk
Dec
03
SAHR release on the passing of Shri I K Gujral
Leave a CommentPosted in News from SAHR Desk, Press Statements - Afghanistan, Press Statements - Bangladesh, Press Statements - Bhutan, Press Statements - India, Press Statements - Maldives, Press Statements - Nepal, Press Statements - Pakistan, Press Statements - Sri Lanka
Aug
03
Parliament Watch Sri Lanka: October-December 2010 (3rd Quarterly) Report
Leave a CommentPosted in News from SAHR Desk, Sri Lanka
In the last few months of 2010 the Sri Lankan parliament passed several important legislations that would have an immediate and direct impact on the lives of Sri Lankans. September saw the passing of the 18th amendment in great secrecy while the Local Government Authorities Elections (Amendment) Bill was passed in October with little discussion in both parliament and outside.
This legislative lethargy became more evident in November when several incidents of violence against political and civil society actors who were fighting for the rights of Tamils and the detained LTTE cadres in Jaffna and in December when much publicized illegal financial transactions which tarnished the image of many legislators went virtually unspoken during parliamentary sessions.
For more of the report, click here
Aug
03
Parliament Watch Sri Lanka: July-September 2010 (2nd Quarterly) Report
Leave a CommentPosted in News from SAHR Desk, Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan parliament passed the 18th amendment to the constitution by 161 votes to 17 when it was debated in the house on 8th September 2010. The amendment which was presented as an ‘urgent bill,’ giving the general public only 72 hours to petition the Supreme Court for the purpose of arguing that the Bill has any infringement with the constitution, was approved by the court. Only the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) voted against the bill.
The report reviews the business of parliament from July to September 2010. These are the months in which the government held discussions with opposition parties to discuss constitutional amendments while conducting back room negotiations with MPs to secure a two thirds majority in parliament.
For more of the report, click here
Aug
03
Parliament Watch Sri Lanka: April-June 2010 (1st Quarterly) Report
Leave a CommentPosted in News from SAHR Desk, Sri Lanka
The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) won the General Elections of 8th April 2010, by a landslide victory gaining 144 seats in the 225 member parliament1 This victory was largely due to defeating the LTTE in May 2009, a strong performance by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the 2010 January 26th presidential elections, the promised development drive and the request by the government for a two thirds majority in parliament for the drafting of a people friendly constitution.
This report reviews the conduct of the parliament during the honeymoon period of the government/ the first 100 days and how this overwhelming majority in parliament affects the transparency, good governance and human rights of the country. It also looks at the first steps taken by the government to counter criticism that Sri Lanka has not yet conducted an effective investigation into ‘laws-of-war violations’ by government forces and the LTTE in the final months of the war, by appointing the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) which the government claimed was based on the South African Truth Commission.
For more of the report, click here
Aug
03
The Tenth session of the Legislature-Parliament continued, and as many as 05 meetings were convened, during the month of December. The major highlight of the month is as follows:
The first meeting in December, which was convened on the 6th at 13:15 hours in the parliament, witnessed obstruction by the main opposition over the issue of brutal assault by the prison inmates to the members of its sister organization, including the District President, Tarun Dal, hiva Paudel. One of the influential young leaders of Nepali Congress (NC) Party, Gagan Thapa, condemned the attack as sheer violation of rule of law and proclaimed that no session would be allowed unless the government assures the actual investigation of the case so as to bring the guilty to book. Responding to the concern expressed by the opposition, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Honourable Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar informed the parliament that a team of doctors, including a renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Upendra Devkota, has been sent to Chitwan for attending the injured as they could not be lifted to the centre due to some technical difficulties. The Deputy Prime Minister also notified that an inquiry committee of four members, headed by the Joint Secretary of Home Ministry, Shankar Koirala, has already been formed to look into the matter, and identify the culprits and bring them to justice. The meeting resumed following the commitment expressed by the Deputy Prime Minister.
For more of the report, click here
Aug
03
The Indian Parliament has been in operation for the past 60 years, a matter of pride for some, indifference for a few others who had imagined independent India to be somewhat different. Human rights in India have not been given the kind of attention and recognition that it needs. According to Amnesty International’s The State of the World’s Human Rights Report 2012, “India has not done enough to protect human rights either at home or globally.” In that context, it is important to look at the status and get an update of various issues that have been taken up by the Indian parliament. The budget session of the Indian Parliament began on March 12, 2012 and ended on May 22, 2012.
The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill 2011 was passed by the Lok Sabha during the winter session in 2011 but it could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha at that point.
For more of the report, click here
Aug
03
Parliament Watch India – August-December 2011 Report
Leave a CommentPosted in India, News from SAHR Desk
The Indian subcontinent has seen some interesting developments in the past few months. Freedom of expression is inherent to a democratic set up and this has been reflected in different ways in the case of India. It is a matter of appreciation that certain significant bills have finally been introduced for consultation at the parliament. These are new legislations which are certainly required. However, for some of them, there have been several levels of opposition, many points of dissent which have to be looked at and brought to notice.
The monsoon session1 of the Indian Parliament began on August 1, 2011 and ended on September 8, 2011. There were 83 government bills pending before the session and 14 bills were introduced during the session. 11 bills were passed during the session and 86 bills were pending after it.
For more of the report, click here
Jul
31
The Indian Parliament has been in operation for the past 60 years, a matter of pride for some, indifference for a few others who had imagined independent India to be somewhat different. Human rights in India have not been given the kind of attention and recognition that it needs. According to Amnesty International’s The State of the World’s Human Rights Report 2012, “India has not done enough to protect human rights either at home or globally.” In that context, it is important to look at the status and get an update of various issues that have been taken up by the Indian parliament. The budget session of the Indian Parliament began on March 12, 2012 and ended on May 22, 2012.
The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill 2011 was passed by the Lok Sabha during the winter session in 2011 but it could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha at that point.
For more of the report, click here
Jul
31
Parliament Watch India – August-December 2011 Report
Leave a CommentPosted in India, News from SAHR Desk
The Indian subcontinent has seen some interesting developments in the past few months. Freedom of expression is inherent to a democratic set up and this has been reflected in different ways in the case of India. It is a matter of appreciation that certain significant bills have finally been introduced for consultation at the parliament. These are new legislations which are certainly required. However, for some of them, there have been several levels of opposition, many points of dissent which have to be looked at and brought to notice.
The monsoon session of the Indian Parliament began on August 1, 2011 and ended on September 8, 2011. There were 83 government bills pending before the session and 14 bills were introduced during the session. 11 bills were passed during the session and 86 bills were pending after it.
For more of the report, click here
Jul
31
Parliament Watch Bangladesh – September-December 2010 Report
Leave a CommentPosted in Bangladesh, News from SAHR Desk
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