Implementing National Action Plan for Reconciliation is a Need of the Hour

After four years of hard work, investments of millions of rupees in consultations Triple R, Reconciliation unit came up with a comprehensive Nationl Action Plan on Reconciliation in 2004. Yet as a result of the change of Government, this report was never utilized. Now after a war situation it is necessary to implement strong programmes on reconciliation in order to maintain sustainable peace in the country, to address grievances of the persons affected by the war and to bring about justice to the injustice caused during the war time. The report is public property. It is recommended that the Government consider the recommendations and implementation strategy that have been recommended in the report and strengthen the reconciliation process in the country.

Strengthen the National Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka to Protect Human Rights

Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka is suppose to be an independent Commission established under the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Act No.21 of 1996; with a noble vision, strong mandate and wide powers to strengthen and protect human rights. But unfortunately currently we cannot say that we have an independent Human Rights Commission as the members are unconstitutional, political appointments made by the Sri Lankan President. According to the 17th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka members of the Commission should be selected by the constitutional council.


For the best interest of the country, it is necessary for us to strengthen the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka as an independent body with strong candidates to use its vast powers to protect and promote human rights.

Are Streets The Only Option for the Homeless?

Seeing people sleeping on the streets is a common site particularly in urban roads of Colombo. These people receive no attention of most by passers. In case if Police officers come across a person sleeping or begging in streets, they could be arrested according to the vagrants act. 


Thinking about the street dwellers, many questions came to my mind, for which I do not have proper answers-

Begging for Health

Right to health is a basic human right and Sri Lanka boasts of having a free health care system. Is the Sri Lankan health care system truely free and accessible for all? The picture dipicts an elderly person begging in front of a traffic post for an eye transplant.

Misusing Religious Freedom in Sri Lanka: Religious Conversion by Addressing Humanitarian Issues

The peaceful co-existence of religions in Sri Lanka is threatened by un-ethical conversions conducted by a few Christian religious missionaries and Christian faith based organizations. These missionaries and organizations try to un-ethically convert people from different faiths to Christianity by addressing humanitarian issues of vulnerablecommunities. Misusing religious freedom of the country for the purpose of un-ethical conversions is a root-cause for religious tensions.

Protecting Victims of Trafficking in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a destination and source for trafficking mainly women and children for involuntary servitude and commercial sexual exploitation (US Department of State: 2008) This article summerises the trafficking problems faced by Sri Lankans; prevention mechanisms, prosecution mechanisms and protection mechanisms adopted by the Sri Lankan Government to address trafficking issues; and effective recommendation to combat trafficking in Sri Lanka.

Rescuing Victims of Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is one of the worst human rights violations in our time. This has become one of the major illegal businesses in today’s world. Humans are trafficked for variety of reasons, such as prostitution, forced labour. It is mostly the socially marginalized and poorest women and children who are at the risk of human trafficking.

Transitional Justice and Women Combatants in Sri Lanka

Book on Transitional Justice and Women Combatants in Sri Lanka was the outcome of a challenging and interesting research project conducted by me as part of WISCOMP annual fellowship for special projects- 2005. The study looks at how Sri Lanka could successfully Disarm, Demobilize and Reintegrate (DDR) Sri Lankan Army and LTTE women combatants after the civil war of the country. Strategically planned out DDR process considering the needs and rights of the targeted community is an important aspect after an end of a war situation in order to ensure sustainable peace and reconciliation.

Protecting the Post-Tsunami Displaced Persons: Critical Analysis of the Sri Lankan Experience

The book on ‘Protecting the Post-Tsunami Displaced Persons: Critical Analysis of the Sri Lankan Experience’ written by me, will be published this month by Culcutta Research Group, India. It is an analysis of how and how not Sri Lanka has attempted to protect the victims of the Tsunami during the relief, rehabilitation and the reconciliation phases. The book is inclusive of an analysis of the human rights instruments, mechanisms established or mandated to protect IDPs; its applicability in the post-Tsunami context in Sri Lanka; and the human rights issues faced by the IDPs.

Public Interest Litigation (PIL) Promotes Social Activism in Resolving Human Rights Issues

Public interest litigation is a legal way of finding justice for incidence of violence, crimes, and issues rampant in society. PIL has generated much enthusiasm among the legal profession and the civil society groups.
“Public Interest Litigation” is a litigation filed by persons or groups that are not directly affected by the act, order or inaction that is sought to be challenged; and litigation filed by persons whose own rights are affected, but where the outcome of the case will also affect a much larger section of the public. Even one individual representing a marginalized group on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) case can lead to vast changes for the whole group.

‘Rakma’ a Software to Record and Analyze Human Rights Data

Rakma is a specialized Software to record and analyze human right data. This is a Sri Lankan invention by University of Colombo School of Computing with the funding of Asia Foundation.

Protecing Human Rights Effectively and Efficiently by Documenting Violations

Documenting human rights violations and acting on documented human rights violations is an effective way of protecting human rights.  This article discusses about what is human rights violations, why we should document human rights violations and give recommendations for effectively documenting and acting on human rights violations

Human Rights are Moral Entitlements of All Human Beings

Human rights can be defined as ‘the moral entitlements of all human beings to dignified living, full development of personality and social justice.’(Fernando, L: 2002) Human rights focus mainly on the individual. They are rights one has simply as a human being. Human rights are equal , inalienable and universal. (Donnelly, J. 2003: 10)In cases where a collective of people’s rights are suppressed or denied, group rights have articulated to protect individual rights collectively.

Policy Recommendation for the Government and the Civil Society to Protect Displaced Persons More Effectively and Efficiently

These recommendations were developed based on my field experience; knowledge gathered in participating at grassroots level, district level, national level and international level workshops, conferences and working groups; and the understanding obtained regarding the shortcomings of instruments and mechanisms adopted to protect post-Tsunami displaced when analyzing the information gathered for my MHR thesis. All the given recommendations are practical and could be adopted by the Policy Makers, Government Authorities and Civil Society in order to react efficiently and effectively in a future disaster situation.

Human Rights are Based on Human Needs

Human needs are the needs we must have in order to lead a full life. (South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre. 2000: 10) When discussing human needs, it is important to distinguish between human needs and human wants. Our wants are the things which we desire in our lives, but are not essential to our existence. Human Rights do not encompass all our wants, but the needs that are recognized internationally and locally as essential for existence.