The federal government’s prediction of an improving human
rights situation in Afghanistanand Sri Lanka that underpins
its decision to suspend refugee applications has been thrown into doubt by a
major review released by the United
States government.
The US State Department’s 2009 Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices, released last month, has painted a bleak picture for both countries.
It found that Afghanistan’s human rights record “remained
poor”, while the security situation in the country had “deteriorated
significantly”. It said social discrimination against Shiite Hazaras continued “along
class, race, and religious lines”.
The report said human rights problems included extrajudicial
killings, torture, violence against women, abuses against minorities, abuse of
children, abuse of worker rights, and child labour.
While the situation in Sri Lanka appears more positive,
the report detailed widespread human rights abuses. “The government’s respect
for human rights declined as armed conflict reached its conclusion,” the report
said. – (The Age, Australia)
