Centre for Policy Alternatives on 18 September, 2018 September 18th, 2018, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) notes the improved version of the Counter Terrorism Bill to repeal and replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) which has reportedly obtained Cabinet approval last week. While the process of preparing the Bill could have been much more transparent and inclusive, the […]
Centre for Policy Alternatives on 6 June, 2017 6th June 2017, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) welcomes the decision of the Government to withdraw the “Code of Criminal Procedure (Special Provisions) Act No 2 of 2013 (Amendment) Bill” (the Bill). The undertaking was given today in the Supreme Court by counsel appearing for the Attorney General’s department when the […]
Centre for Policy Alternatives on 24 March, 2017 Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu. Oral Statement delivered by Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu at the Interactive Dialogue with High Commissioner on Report on Sri Lanka. I appear before you as a human rights defender who was labeled a traitor and terrorist because of a staunch belief in a citizen’s responsibility to protect and strengthen human rights, justice and […]
Centre for Policy Alternatives on 10 March, 2017 The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) is deeply concerned by the Bill titled Amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure (Special Provisions) Act No. 2 of 2013 – (rights of detainees – access to legal counsel) which was approved by Cabinet of Ministers on the 21st February 2017 and gazetted on the 6th March 2017. […]
Centre for Policy Alternatives on 10 February, 2015 Download this press release in Tamil here and in Sinhala here. ### 10 February 2015, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) welcomes the general direction of the government’s 100-day reforms programme that is currently underway. After decades of intolerable battering, Sri Lanka’s democratic procedures and institutions are badly in need of reform and […]
Centre for Policy Alternatives on 3 September, 2018 Post-war Sri Lanka has witnessed numerous incidents of ethno-religious violence. From Aluthgama in 2014 to Gintota in 2017 to Ampara and Digana in 2018, instances of ethno-religious violence have escalated to the point of property damage, grievous injury, and—in the cases of Aluthgama and Digana—death. Violence of this nature is not restricted to the Buddhist […]
Centre for Policy Alternatives on 16 March, 2018 Sri Lanka’s last state of emergency lasted for 28 years, and was terminated in August 2011, having continuously been extended by governments since it was first declared in 1983. On March 6th 2018, President Maithripala Sirisena declared a state of emergency in order to address and contain the violence unfolding in the Kandy district, where violent […]