Every so often it’s good to take time out and remember just why we campaign so relentlessly to protect our human and civil rights.

In case your motivation is on the wane, have a read of the Guardian Weekly’s report on Sri Lanka’s Civilian Tragedy. Here’s an excerpt:

“These days I often visit the north of Sri Lanka, but I have to hand over my identity card at the army-controlled border, and they tell me I can only stay limited periods of time. I spend hours at these checkpoints, having my registration taken, cards checked, answering questions.

 

“In the north, all vehicles are barred from the roads after 5pm and barriers are pulled across. In each household every person must have their identity card, and each house must have a list of registered people and a group photo. They are checked all the time. Any extra people in the house could be taken away. If there’s a person missing, after dark, they’re in trouble.

 

“Army personnel take vehicles whenever they want, telling the owner to come and pick it up from such-a-such a station. Sometimes it will be there, or sometimes the person picking it up will be detained. Identity cards are also used like this: the police will take the cards from young men and tell them to report to the station the next day to collect them. Some of the men never come home, or on the way back they are killed by unknown gunmen. This is very common.”