8th Session of the Forum on Minority Issues “Minorities in the Criminal Justice System” I wish to thank the Special Rapporteur for choosing a timely theme for the 8th session of the Forum on Minority Issues. In the aftermath of the dastardly attack on innocent civilians in Paris and the operations being conducted to hunt down the suspects of this gruesome violence our lives have become unsafe and insecure. In this context needless to say rights of minorities have become threatened. There is no doubt in my mind over the past several years and especially since the post 9/11 era racism,xhenobhia and violent attacks against minorities have increased and similarly violence of extremist forces in the name of religion and community rights have had devastating effects to our societies. I come from Sri Lanka where we have experienced a 30 years long civil war which lead to the disappearance, extra-judicial killings, prolong detentions ,arbitrary arrests and assassinations of those belonging to the Tamil origin mostly. Thousands have fled the country due to fear of unlawful arrest and violence committed by the police and armed forces. Tamil women have complaint of custodial rape and are afraid to take action against the perpetrator due to threats and intimidation. I was a student activist in late seventies who refused to enter any higher institution of learning due to my involvement in the workers movement. As the then government introduced free market policies which impacted on workers rights demonstrations became a daily occurrence. Our leaders were arrested often on charges for unlawful