With the political transition in 2015, Human Rights Day this year provides us an opportunity to reflect on the situation in Sri Lanka, identify areas for improvement and work towards realising greater respect, protection and promotion of human rights for all citizens. We have experienced and continue to experience a multiplicity of human rights challenges […]
With the end of the war in 2009, the need to address the widespread death, destruction, and displacement was overwhelming. Allegations against all sides of potential war crimes and crimes against humanity demands an independent investigation and the prosecution within a credible court of law of those responsible for international crimes committed during the final […]
12th May 2015, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives’ second report on forced evictions in Sri Lanka’s capital city looks at evictions that took place under the previous Ministry of Defence and Urban Development, where as part of its beautification agenda they aimed to create a slum free Colombo by 2020. The report […]
The first elections of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) held in September 2013 provided an important opportunity to test the utility of the Thirteenth Amendment in devolving power. Until then, the Northern Province was essentially under Central administration (through the Governor) for the larger part of its existence since the enactment of the Thirteenth Amendment. […]
Land has a central place in the post war debates involving resettlement, reconstruction, development and the search for a political solution. With the ten year anniversary of the tsunami nearing and more than five years after the end of the war, many questions regarding land issues persist including continuing challenges to individuals being able to […]
The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) has compiled a brief guide on land rights in Sri Lanka which is aimed at creating awareness among the public on the legal status regarding land ownership and control and remedies available. CPA produced a similar guide in 2011 addressing land issues in the North and East of Sri […]
23 July 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka: More than a month after the events in Aluthgama, many questions remain in terms of justice and accountability regarding these and others developments related to ethnic and religious freedom in Sri Lanka. These questions are even more poignant as we mark 31 years since the deadly pogrom of July […]