Sri Lanka: Information on the Sihala Veera Vidhana (SVV) Singhalese movement; whether members of this movement commit acts of sectarian violence and/or criminal acts against Tamils; protection available to individuals threatened by the SVV; relationship between the SVV and the Sihala Urumaya (2002-2003)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Ottawa |
| Publication Date | 29 August 2003 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | LKA41900.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Sri Lanka: Information on the Sihala Veera Vidhana (SVV) Singhalese movement; whether members of this movement commit acts of sectarian violence and/or criminal acts against Tamils; protection available to individuals threatened by the SVV; relationship between the SVV and the Sihala Urumaya (2002-2003), 29 August 2003, LKA41900.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/485ba87c28.html [accessed 3 November 2019] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Information on the Sihala (also Sinhala) Veera Vidhana (SVV) movement further to that provided in LKA38032.E of 5 December 2001 was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
The Colombo-based newspaper, The Island describes the SVV as a "nationalist movement" committed to protecting the Sinhala people's religious rights and the unity of the state (15 Nov. 2002; The Island 5 Nov. 2002). The Research Directorate was unable to access the group's Website, and no further information on its activities and mandate could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
In an attempt to understand the participation of large numbers of Sinhalese in the Bindunuwewa massacre of Tamil villagers and more generalized anti-Tamil violence in Sri Lanka, an opinion article in the independent weekly Weekend Express suggests that "Sinhala Buddhist chauvinist forces" such as the Sinhala Veera Vidhana gained prominence in 1999 at a time when the LTTE threat seemed ineradicable (11-12 Nov. 2000). However, the article does not mention whether members of the SVV perpetrated violence against Tamils, and no information on whether members of the SVV movement commit acts of sectarian violence and/or criminal acts against Tamils, or on the protection available to individuals who are threatened by the SVV, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
Regarding the relationship between the SVV and the Sinhala Urumaya, the SVV was reportedly one of several nationalist, non-political groups who supported the creation of the neo-modernist Sinhala Urumaya party in April 2000 (SU n.d.). According to the Website of the Sinhala Urumaya, the party seeks "to safeguard [the] motherland, its territorial integrity, unitary form of governance and identity for the benefit of the people of Sri Lanka" (ibid.).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
The Island [Colombo]. 15 November 2002. Dilanthi Jayamanne. "SVV Wants Sinhala Rep in Oslo Talks."
_____. 5 November 2002. Dilanthi Jayamanne. "SVV to Present Displaced Persons' Details to PM."
Sihala Urumaya (SU). n.d. "History."
Weekend Express [Colombo]. 11-12 November 2000. Izeth Hussain. "Bindunuwewa and Chauvinism." (Spotlight on Sri Lanka 15 Nov. 2000, Vol. 5, No. 18)
Additional Sources Consulted
IRB Databases
Dialog
Internet sites, including:
Amnesty International
Daily News
Forum for Human Dignity
Human Rights Watch
LankaWeb
Rediff
The Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights in Sri Lanka (SPUR)
South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre
Sri Lanka News Web
The SundayTimes
TamilNet
University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna)
