COALITION OF CIVIL SOCIETY PROGRAMME
Although the CHRD was established exclusively to provide legal services to the political victims, the fluid situation in the country revealed that the focus of CHRD could be expanded to wider horizons and therefore, introduced the Coalition of Civil Society Programme, in order to bring state sector and civil society closer to promote justice and good governance through campaign and advocacy, human rights awareness training and capacity building of NGOs, and CBOs working in the North, East and plantation sectors. Apart from it, CHRD is involved in data collection and documentation, dissemination of information by way of publications and website and networking with NGOs, CBOs and civil society activists locally and overseas.
How Coalition does support Legal?
Through the Coalition of Civil Society Programmes many disclose violations of human rights taken place their areas and seek legal redress. The information is brought back to CHRD and is documented and discussed whether any legal intervention could be carried out. Many cases have been taken up through the Coalition of Civil Society Programme held in the North, East and plantation areas. Besides, once a network is established through the CCS programme, the participants continue to update CHRD on the violations such as arrests, detention, disappearances and torture, prison situation as well as refer victims of violations who seek legal aid services.
HRC coordinator is invited to explain the part of HRC in protecting and promoting human rights and how the public could approach them when a violation take place. CHRD also works with HRC in certain areas in East and plantation sector.
The programme has enabled the formation of effective civil society groups and reduced tension between civil society activities and stake holders in the region as well as establishing a network amongst participants for effective dissemination of information.
The program is aimed at building an empowered and vibrant civil society in Sri Lanka through coalition & network, advocacy & lobby, education & awareness and litigation. The programme is prepared based on the four pillars -- Participation, Accountability, Non discrimination and Empowerment. A total of 12 districts in the North East and Central Province have been the target areas where nearly 3000 beneficiaries from social groups such as NGOs, CBOs, Trade Unions, civil society have joined the Coalition.
First phase of the programme has seen a fruitful completion where during the last three years strong coalitions and networks were established in the North and East that dealt with landmark issues which reaped certain amount of success. One such landmark event was the State eviction of Tamil speaking people from staying in lodges in the capital city of Colombo and the civil society came together and filed a fundamental rights application in the Supreme Court and an interim order was given to immediately stop such eviction. Another incident was appointing a Tamil police officer to take down complaints of Tamil speaking people in the Kegalle Police station.
COALITION FOR CIVIL SOCIETY 2010
Promoting justice and good governance through human rights based approach
|
|
|
|
|
Defenders from Jaffna
|
|
|
|
|
Defenders from Mannar
|
|
|
|
|
Defenders from Vavuniya
In the Human Rights Defenders Training under the Coalitions of Civil Society and Minority Rights, a total of three training programmes were held during October/November 2010 where 79 (49 females and 30 males) potential human rights defenders from North received comprehensive training and benefited much. The identified HRDs were already attending in CHRD’s coalition of civil society and actively work in the selected areas work together with CHRD in addressing issues of human rights violations. The young keen individuals comprise representatives of NGOs, CBOs, teachers, university students, school students, members from church groups, women’s and organizations representing farmers and fisher folks.CHRD’s main objective in initiating such training programmes is to have human rights work indirectly incorporated within the work plan of these individuals while promoting themselves human rights defenders and thus working closely with CHRD regarding issues in their respective districts. They as HRDs will be responsible for updating information, referring victims to specific organizations where they could find assistance for redress and remedy if and when human rights violations occur and also assist CHRD in utilizing the available international tools and mechanisms for this purpose. Training programmes were held in the Islander Training Centre, Anuradhapura, as NGOs are restricted from carrying out such activities in the North and East by the State. Therefore, the participants were shifted to Anuradhapura for this purpose.Resource persons identified for the training were Rukshan Fernando, Head of Programme, LST and A. Azeez, Investigation Officer, SLHRC, Batticaloa. The three day programme included
Following topics were taken up by way of interactive discussions, group work, question and answer sessions and case studies.
-
Why Human Rights Defenders
-
Basic Concepts of HRDs including Who are Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) and the working level of HRDs, Rights of HRDs, Challenges of HRDs, Special problems faced by some HRDs,
-
United Nations Human Rights Defenders (UNHRDs) comprising Freedom of Assembly, Freedom of Association, Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Right to Human Rights Education, Right to Resources, Right to remedy if and when violation happens
-
Human Rights and Fundamental Rights, Articles 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 & 15 and domestic laws
-
International Tools and Mechanisms for the protection of Human Rights Defenders such as EU guidelines on HRDs, US Govt., guiding principles on NGOs, Norwegian Guidelines on HRDs.
-
Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council which is established by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
-
Thematic Mandate Holders & Information on Submissions in English and Tamil consisting of Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance, Arbitrary Detention, Torture, Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Human Rights Defenders, Violence against Women and Child Rights.
-
Local Tools and Mechanisms for the protection of Human Rights Defenders with reference to Sri Lanka Courts, Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka and Ombudsman.
The inaugural HRD training was held for 27 (16 women and 11 men) identified participants of the Jaffna district on October 15, 16 and 17. The second and third trainings for participants from Mannar and Vavuniya, were held on October 29, 30, and 31, and November 13, 14 and 15 respectively. A total of 25 (15 women and 10 men) participated from the Mannar district and 27 (18 women and 09 men) from Vavuniya.
It is important to note that female participation was higher the male in all three programmes and this was well evident in training held for participants in the Vavuniya district, where the female representation was twofold higher than the men.
Muslims and Sinhalese were part of the training held for the Vavuniya HRDs alone (Two Sinhalese and Four Muslims and 21 Tamils). Participants of the remaining two trainings were Tamils.
Studying the evaluation sheets and feedback from participants, CHRD intends holding a follow up workshops for this individuals as well as new defenders.
The programme impact on these individuals is well evident. As for some of the immediate outcome of the training is the 11 cases of missing persons received from the three districts following the training where complaints have been made to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances with the assistance of CHRD and LST. Another seven cases of arrest and detention under PTA have been brought forward by these individuals with the support of a networking organization of CHRD in Mannar. They have also alerted CHRD regarding some land rights issues.
Another important outcome is highlighted in the following piece, Periya Pandivichchan Maha Vidyalayam is a government school located in the Madu area in the Mannar District. Students belonging to different faiths particularly Christianity and Hinduism are receiving education where the principal is a Christian nun. The school which promotes co-education was recommenced after resettlement with 350 children. Since the school commenced, only Christian worship has been taking place every morning as majority of the children are Christians. Hindu students totaling 75 were not allowed to practice their faith during morning worship. In December 2010, a teacher from the school informed CHRD and urged to intervene immediately. It is apt to mention that the teacher attended the HRDs training from Vavuniya. He pointed out that the Fundamental Rights Article 10 ‘Right to Religion’ has been violated. CHRD intervened along with its coalition of network partners in the Mannar district and the matter was brought before the Director of Education-Madu Zone, thus resulting in Hindu students being permitted to worship separately during morning prayers, when the school reopens in 2011.
Land Rights discussion in Panama
A program on land rights was conducted by CHRD under the request of Panama Pradheshiya Sabha on September 19, 2010 in Panama. The principle resource person was Mr. K. Kurunathan, former Assistant Land Rights Commissioner for Northeast and other resource persons were from CHRD--Mr. Lakshan Dias, Programme Manager, F. Solomentine, Programme Officer, B.Kishanthini, Legal Coordinator and R. Dalreen, Documentation Officer. The program commenced with a welcome speech made by a Member of Panama Pradheshiya Sabha, followed by a brief introduction to the programme by Mr. Lakshan Dias. Thereafter, Mr. Kurunathan, shed light to land rights issues, with simultaneous translations in Sinhala and Tamil by Mr. Lakshan Dias and Mr. Solomentine respectively. It is important to note that land rights issues this area was different from other areas. Mr. Kurunathan explained the Land Act Ordinance and how public should safeguard themselves from being deceived in this regard. He further mentioned procedures of handing land to landless persons. He also explained differences between government land, private land as well as reservation land.
Soon after the session, Mr. Lakshan together with Mr. Kurunathan responded to many questions and doubts raised by participants and put forward many short and long term remedies and solutions in order to overcome problems relating to land.
Three workshops were held on Land Rights in Panama in the Ampara by CHRD with the assistance of Helvetas Ampara on September 17 and 18. Principle resource person was retired Land Commissioner for North and East, Mr. Kurunathan.Two workshops were held on September 17 in Manikkamadu and Kuduvil and on September 18 it was held in Deegavapi. Many important issues of infringement of land rights were discussed. Click here for more
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Helevtas Colombo in collaboration with Helevtas Ampara invited Centre for Human Rights and Development (CHRD) on 10 July 2010 to conduct a seminar titled Human Rights and Fundamental Rights Public Awareness under Development & Peace of Sri Lanka (DPSL) Project. This programme was fully supported by Helvetas Sri Lanka - DPSL, a Project of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. Participants from DPSL’s Peaceful Co-existence Committee (PCC) of the communities Colony 10, 11 & 12 within the Central Camp area participated. For more click here
Vavuniya Programme
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Centre for Human Rights and Development with the assistance of Women Development Organizational conducted a programme on June19 & 20, 2010 at the Rural Development Foundation Training and Research Centre in the Vavuniya District. Participants from different DS divisions in Vavuniya were present. For more click here
Mannar Programme
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Centre for Human Rights and Development with the assistance of Mannar Women’s Development Federation (MWDF) conducted a programme on June 17 & 18,2010 at the Blessed Joseph Vas Laity- Family and Councelling Centre, Thalvupadu. Participants from different DS divisions in the Mannar district were present. For more click here
Jaffna Programme
A two day workshop under the Coalition of Civil Society Programme was held on May 15 & 16 at the Jaffna. On the first day Mr. Solomen explained activities and objectives of CHRD. Following that UNDP field officer Mr. Nishanthan emphasized on the importance of documenting. The people who were displaced in 1983 are still refugees. Those Tamil people are only getting their compensation and they do not have identity cards, birth certificates, death certificates, and land deeds. Admitting a child to school and unable to migrate to other countries are becoming a problem. Therefore, instructions were given as to where and how these documents could be obtained. Finally an exercise was conducted by dividing 3 groups. The morale of the activity was explained, if the three groups join forces unity would prevail. After that Rev. Fr. Preveen pointed out who could be defined as an ideal human rights defender? Human rights issues, difficulties faced by defenders and ways to overcome were discussed. After that lawyer Mr. M. Remadious explained the difference between the PTA and emergency regulation and who could be arrested under PTA and length of detention were discussed.
On the second day Rev. Fr. Praveen continued from the previous day session where he explained details on documentation and human rights. Thereafter lawyer Mr. Stanislaus Celestine briefed on land mines and guns, and ways to prevent them. Furthermore, he added the measures to be taken when we see a landmine. He said people must be aware of the places it could be found, and how it is marked. A total of Rs. 33 million is needed to dispose land mines in the world and all together 250, 000 million land mines are there. 1000 US$ is needed to dispose just one mine. Every day 70 people are being killed due to land minds.
