Human Rights in Post-War Sri Lanka: Challenges and opportunities
To commemorate Human Rights Day, falling today, Groundviews interviewed a number of leading activists in Sri Lanka to find out their perspectives on current challenges facing human rights in post-war Sri Lanka.
This is the first video in a series we will publish over the coming week.
After asking each of them to define human rights as they saw and understood it, Groundviews asked the activists to comment on the Sri Lankan State’s protection of human rights, the nexus between human rights and human dignity and opportunities for greater human rights protection over the coming years.
Featured in this video are:
- Deshamanya Bradman Weerakoon
- Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu
- J.C. Weliamuna
- Dr. Devanesan Nesiah
- Mirak Raheem
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While I appreciate the contribution of all the speakers at this forum I believe that Mr Weliamuna has spoken most lucidly about human rights with regard to Sri Lanka. When we have such decent human beings as the speakers here why are we tolerating the impunity of our political leaders and their thuggish ministers and co-horts to intimidate, threaten and arrrest and murder those who speak out.
Dr Nesiah only mildly ppointed out that HR is slowly deteriorating. Far from it. HR siutation is reaching frightening porportion that in future Groundviews would be barred from making any noise against the government’s impudent behaviour.
Dr Saravanamuttu continuously speaks his mind and he is a much wanted man by the govt’s cronies. They would like to silence him.
But the bravery of these speakers and hosts of decent Sri Lankans should not be suppressed.
Like Mr Weliamunna said, the good among us should speak out. Otherwise we stand guilty of allowing HR to deteriorate.
Sadly human rights has become a non-word in official circles in Sri Lanka because of its universality and wide non-applicability in the absence of the ‘rule of law’. As a result anything goes with regard to human rights. The degradation of human rights over the past 35 years has been progressive and reached epic total proportions at the present time.
It is well known that politics has trumped all laws and norms. Even in wars there are accepted international rules under the Geneva Conventions which had been ratified by Sri Lanka too. Not so for Sri Lanka today . Why? Is it because of ethnic and religious reasons which underlies the perverse conduct of the internal war based on failed political governance anyway? Those who question wrong doing have to live in mortal fear of being abducted, tortured or murdered? And not even give vent to public outcry on pain of beign incarcerated or killed? That is overt sadism.
The upcoming Presidential election is a good time for reflection on the part of every voter to influence the future of the people and country for the better.
Oh, Pearl Thevanayagam, do you remember your comment posted on November 18, 2009 under the article “Rajapakse: Now the most popular surname in Sri Lanka”?
According to you: “Would a noble Kandyan change his name to a low-country goviya name like Rajapakse. My knowledge of the Rajapakses is that they are a bunch of thugs. In Jaffna Rajapakses were opticians like the Fernandos.I know Sri Lanka’s south is abound with ganja and arrack and the southern mind is in a perpetual state of stupor but changing the name to Rajapakse takes the biscuit.”
I am sure you really didn’t mean the above comment. You were just pulling a prank on us, right? It is just that I can never imagine anyone truly concerned about equality and justice, like you, making such classist, caste discriminatory and racist remarks.
I am sure it was just your doppelganger trying to have a little fun at our expense!
Dear Atheist,
You are so right and I tender my apologies including to myself for my impulsive outburst. But then don’t we all have our little prejudices and even if we came from humble beginnings we like to take pride in the fact.
However, my outburst was prompted by the Rajapakses taking the nation for a ride with their new-found wealth and prosperity.
But seriously, there is an urgent need for Sri Lankans whether they are in Sri Lanka or abroad to address the seriously deteriorating HR state.
How we will go about this is something Sara, Dr Nesiah, Mr Weliamunna can I am sure have meaningful dialogues with international support.
For a start, we can start with getting Tissainayagam out of his hell-hole.
Pearl Thevanayagam,“impulsive outbursts” tht target people based on ethnicity/caste/religion is really dangerous, isn’t it? I would prefer impulsive outbursts along the lines of shopping sprees, stuffing one’s face with kollukattai or athirasa. Sorry to say, but your brand of “outbursts” are what very often afflict those who instigate riots – regardless of the community they may come from.
From your previous posts I gather that you are an older woman like me. We, who belong to a generation that has experienced a relatively liberal Sri-Lanka, should be more aware of what we say and do as we’ve also seen how liberal, democratic values in our island took a major hit in the decades following our early adulthood.
To me, Bradman Weerakoon’s simple statement paraphrased as follows speaks volumes about the true essence of human rights: “human rights are something that is inherently guaranteed to us by the very nature of being human”. This universal truth was imparted to most of us by our parents and certain other elders. Isn’t this one of the reasons we leave the dinner table when someone has one of those racist moments (impulsive outbursts) regardless of whether it is a family members or an outsider?
Yes, I’ve always maintained that Tissainayagam deserves a fair hearing. Likewise, we must also fight for the rights of the little people imprisoned for petty crimes, including the ganja guys and gals!
Dear Atheist,
You would leave the dinner table when someone makes racist remarks. But would you raise your voice against racism.
Did you turn your pretty head the other way when mobs attacked, looted and burnt Tamil houses in 1983?
Did you cover your children’s eyes when bodies of Tamils were bloodying Colombo’s streets so that they would not be psychologically affected?
Most sinhalese do not know what Tamils have sufered because
1. The govts kept the mprotected by suppressing news.
2. You covered your eyes when thousands of Tamils were killed in the war
and you continue to be blind.
Pearl Thevanayagam,
I never succumb to any guilt trips. Let’s get that clear!
I still have my relatives living in Jaffna; they are not Sinhalayas or Muslims, they call themselves THAMIL. I do not know about your relatives, but my decent relatives regret one thing: neither they nor their church could provide shelter to a single solitary Muslim.
In my opinion, the root cause of racism is ignorance. Right education and good upbringing are society’s best weapons against bigotry of all types.
[Edited out]