A Criminal Justice System in Crisis
A constitutional crisis is not just a matter relating to a legal text. It influences all aspects of life and, in particular, the working of public institutions. The Prison Study carried out…
Human Rights
Misguided Policies Damage A Valued Public Health System
Sri Lanka hit the lowest point in their COVID-19 response when a 20-day-old Muslim infant was cremated on December 9, 2020 against the wishes of his parents and against their religious faith. Islamic faith…
The Paradox of Tolerance
Systematic discrimination and human rights violations against minority communities in Sri Lanka are not new in the country’s political and social realm. The most recent of such violations have been brought to…
Playing With Fire
As he watched his son’s body being placed in the crematorium, Mohammed Fahim stood outside the cemetery, weeping. “How could I watch my baby being burned,” demanded the Muslim man, whose faith…
Countering Harmful Speech: Why Trust the State?
Words can, and often do, harm others. A society is usually justified in restricting speech that causes harm. The nature and extent of such restrictions depends on the type of harm involved.…
A Tough Time for Human Rights
On February 26, the Sri Lankan government withdrew from the United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution 30/1, which Sri Lanka endorsed in 2015. The resolution commits Sri Lanka to ensuring truth, justice and reconciliation…
Of False Witness and True Witnesses: Thoughts on the Mahara Prison Debacle
The Mahara prison violence has shocked the nation and stirred feelings of disbelief and indignation. A wide cross section of people and groups – class, ethnic and political – want to know…
Mahara Prisoners Shot as They Asked for Water
Eleven prisoners were killed and more than 100 injured in unrest at the Mahara prison that started on November 29. The Minister of Justice appointed a committee to inquire into incident. The…
The Roller Coaster Ride of a Rights Activist in Sri Lanka
COVID-19 has been dominant factor in our lives this year. Restrictions on travel and gatherings have made it more challenging for solidarity and mobilizing by survivors, victim families and activists. COVID-19 was…
Standing Up for Human Rights in the Time of COVID-19
This year’s Human Rights Day theme is “Recover Better – Stand up for Human Rights”. The theme directly addresses the COVID-19 pandemic and tries to recover better from the global crisis with…
Failure to protect Sri Lankan Civilians in War and UN Responsibilities
The tragic final months of Sri Lanka’s civil war in 2009 have received renewed attention lately, with a mention in ex-US president Barack Obama’s new book and a panel discussion on lessons…
Setting the Record Straight on Human Rights
Human rights is a much misunderstood and maligned concept in Sri Lanka. It is sometimes seen as a Western notion and not in keeping with the culture of the country. However, people…
A Cruel and Inhumane Prison System Needs Urgent Reform
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka conducted the first national study on the treatment and conditions of prisoners from February 2018 to January 2020. The findings of the report are very…
Families Demand to Know Fate of Relatives in Mahara Prison
“Where is my son, where is my brother?” was the constant refrain of about 50 people gathered outside the Mahara prison on December 5, six days after the prison massacre that left…
The Strength of Disability
To mark International Day for Persons with Disabilities, Groundviews interviewed Dharini de Mel, a friend and philanthropist for persons with disabilities. Dharini’s introduction to supporting the disabled came quite by chance. Although…
