Campaign & Advocacy

It is important to note that in view of the 30th & 32nd UN Human Rights Council Session in Geneva in September 2015 and 2016, CHRD representatives travelled to Geneva to lobby amongst country delegates relevant UN bodies. They spoke at various side events and attended a meeting with the representatives of UNWGEID, ICJ, IWG etc. The nature of advocacy and recommendations were on the TJ process, OMP, consultation taskforce and issues including arrest & detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), enforced disappearance, land, demilitarization, monitoring & surveillance. Calling for commitment and action by the government, and direct involvement of UN as well as the need for international inquiry in terms of justice and accountability. CHRD intensified UN lobbying especially during the 30th Human Rights Council Session in September 2015 where the OISL (OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka) report and 4th resolution was passed on Sri Lanka calling for a credible transitional justice process covering justice & accountability, truth-seeking, reparation, and non-recurrence.

CHRD makes submissions on disappearances that took place during the final stages of the war to the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary disappearances (WGEID) since 2013. Following discussions with the WGEID during their visit to Sri Lanka and also in Geneva, CHRD have increased the submissions to relevant bodies of the UN.

In the past CHRD has submitted NGO collective report to the CAT Committee, and attended and made statements during the UN Minority Rights Forum in Geneva.

CHRD launched two profound analytical research publications after the war ended. The first publication was on the PTA and its horrendous effects launched in early 2010 titled ‘25 years of PTA: A critical analysis’ and the latter was a report titled ‘Enforced Disappearance in Sri Lanka – Lessons from CHRD’s Advocacy’ launched in September, 2015.

Through its work on disappearances CHRD has been able to develop links with the ICRC, AI, FAFG (Forensics Anthropology Foundation of Gautamala), ICMP (International Commission on Missing Persons) and Peruvian Team of Forensic Anthropology (EPAF) in order to ensure justice for the families of the disappeared and mass grave victims in the transitional justice process. CHRD has organized many forums in this regard. Apart from trained human rights defenders and coalition networks, CHRD itself is part of many other networks such as the North East Coordinating Committee (NECC), National Movement for Release of Political Prisoners (NMRPP), Women Action Network (WAN), Violence Against Women Network, Journey for Justice, Lawyers for Democracy, Tamil Lawyers Forum etc. Internationally CHRD has worked with organizations such MRG (Minority Rights Group), IWG (International Working Group), Sri Lanka Campaign, Forum Asia, FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights), Migration Forum, DTP, Asian Human Rights Council, SAFA (South Asian Feminist Alliance), etc.,

Building coalitions and networks has been immensely supported CHRD’s advocacy initiatives. In 2015 November CHRD joined the North East Coordinating Committee and collaborated with W/HRDs, coalition members, activists and families of the disappeared in the North and East to organize and stage peaceful protests calling for truth seeking and justice during UNWGEID’s visit to each district. Similarly - during the visit of former High Commissioner of the Human Rights, Ms. Navaneetham Pillai to the Northern Province in 2014, peaceful protest s were staged and an appeal was handed over to the High Commissioner. Similarly, in 2015 November CHRD and NECC collaborated with the communities in the North and East to stage a peaceful protests during the UNWGEID’s visit to each district.