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
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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
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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
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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 and 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.
