An interview with Gary Anandasangaree

( March 28, 2012, Toronto, Sri Lanka Guardian) Mr. Gary Anandasangaree is Barrister and Solicitor, and is the Sri Lankan Monitor for Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada. He is also Legal Counsel for the Canadian Tamil Congress. Gary has participated in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions regularly from the special session on Sri Lanka in May 2009. Gary has been a panelist in many UNHRC side events hosted by prominent Human Rights organizations. In the recent 19th UNHRC session, Gary was a panelist for a Human Rights Watch (HRW) side event that took place on March 9th 2012 where he presented the Tamil Diaspora’s views.

Two other experts from Sri Lanka who participated in this HRW panel have received threats, including one from a Sri Lankan government minister. The High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay in her recent statement has warned Sri Lanka of any reprisals against these human rights activists. Sri Lanka sent a very large delegation to Geneva for the 19th session to counter the US resolution on Sri Lanka and to intimidate human rights activist from speaking the truth.

In May 2009 special session, Sri Lanka was congratulated by an UN Human Rights Council resolution. A lot has changed since then. On March 22nd 2012 UNHRC passed a resolution putting Sri Lanka on notice.

Gary attended the Nineteenth Session of the Human Rights Council Session held in Geneva from February 27th to March 23, 2012. In the interview below one of the senior members from CTC Gary.Anandasangaree brings out the Canadian Tamil Congress perspective on this resolution and also shares his experience in Geneva.