Japan’s new administration should publicly press the Sri Lankan government to end the illegal detention of approximately 250,000 Tamil civilians, five Japanese and international human rights organizations said in a joint letter to Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, made public today.

We write to you on the occasion of your inauguration as foreign minister of Japan to encourage you to make the promotion and protection of human rights a central priority in Japan’s relations with Sri Lanka. In particular, there is an urgent need to address the plight of approximately 250,000 displaced civilians detained in camps by the Sri Lankan government, and establish an independent international investigation into serious violations of international humanitarian law during the recent conflict.

A US State Department report on possible violations of the laws of war in Sri Lanka made public on October 22, 2009 shows the need for an independent international investigation.

The Sri Lankan government’s recent statements that it aims to return only 100,000 of the original 273,000 displaced civilians confined to camps by the end of 2009 breaks a promise to camp residents and the international community.

The Sri Lankan government should immediately release the 250,000 displaced Tamil civilians still held in detention camps.

Governments in countries with caste systems should respond to the call from a top UN official to end this form of discrimination.

World leaders in New York for the United Nations General Assembly and the G-20 economic summit in Pittsburgh should call on the Sri Lankan government to immediately release more than 260,000 displaced persons illegally confined in detention camps.

We are writing in advance of the upcoming meetings of the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) and the High Level segment of the United Nations General Assembly in New York to encourage you to keep the plight of more than 260,000 displaced persons detained in camps by the Sri Lankan government at the forefront of your discussions.