HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE KANDY

Human Rights Workshop for the Priests and Religious Feb - 2021

With COVID 19 health restrictions and guidelines, the workshop of the Religious and Priests for Human Rights (RPHR) was held at Fatima Retreat House, Lewella – Kandy from the 09th - 12th February 2021 with 28 participants from different parts of the country.Usually the February workshop is held outside Kandy, however due to COVID 19 pandemic, the workshop was held at Lewella - Kandy.

2020 Christmas with COVID 19 pandemic health restrictions, the Human Rights Office focused its attention on the victims of Torture, the prisoners and their families, the families of the disappeared and the victims of various Human Rights violations and miscarriage of Justice invariably the poor.

72nd International Human Rights Day 2020 was celebrated at the Human Rights Office Kandy on the 10th December 2020 with limited participants due to health restrictions. "Accept the present realities and include everyone - Human Rights for All” was the theme for Human Rights Day.

Human Rights Award Winners (Laureates) came together for the second time from the on the 25th to 27th September 2020 to Orkwin Resort Nawalapitiya to breathe fresh air and refresh and gather energy while learning more about stress management with the theme “Caring & Sharing”.

"Sulugune" an isolated village surrounded by Knuckles mountains, situated in the Wilgamuwa Divisional Secretariat, in Matale District, Central Province. About 76 families live there, mostly farming. 06 men work in the military. There are about 30 school aged children, 14 children go to the village primary school while others go to a school about 8 km away. Only four had passed the GCE Advance Level so far, and two entered university". The villagers have to walk 05km to get to the main road as there is no transport available.

It was an opportunity for the families of the disappeared to speak about their loved ones who were made to disappear. Further they explained the reason for their campaign; they all wanted to know “THE TRUTH”. What really happened to them.

Priests and Religious from all parts of the country, serving in all major prisons in Sri Lanka : Bogambara - Dumbara in Kandy, Welikada & Magazine in Colombo, Mahara prison at Ragama, Galle & Boossa in Galle, Anuradhapura, Jaffna, Badulla, Wariyapola, Trincomalle, Batticoloa, Kuruvita in Ratnapura and Kegalle came together to learn and share their experiences.

"I have Dignity just like you", focusing on the Dignity of women, the International Women's day was held on the 07th March 2020 at Fatima Shrine Padiwatte Parish hall organized by the Human Rights Office in Kandy along with the women headed families.

The workshop of the Religious and Priests for Human Rights (RPHR) was held at St. John Mary Vianney Retreat House - Buluthota of Ratnapura Diocese from the 03rd to 06th February 2020 with 30 participants present from different parts of the country, even from the dioceses of Mannar and Jaffna despite the distance.

The International Human Rights Day 2019 was celebrated at the Kandyan Arts Residency on the 14th December 2019, organized by the Human Rights Office Kandy, Sri Lanka with more than 250 participants. Focusing on the involvement of the community in protecting & promoting Human Rights, the theme for 2019 was "As a community, let us protect the Rights and respect the Dignity of our brothers & sisters".

Human Rights Award Winners (Laureates) gathering was held at the Serendip Stone Bungalow (Hotel) in Nattarampotha, Kundasale, Kandy Sri Lanka on the 04th & 05th October 2019.

The Human Rights Office recognized and awarded Human Rights activist for their commitment and contribution made in protecting & promoting Human Rights amidst of numerous challenges. The activists were awarded during the annual Human Rights Award Ceremony since 2008.

World Mental Health Day (10 October) is a day declared for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy. It was first celebrated in 1992 with the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organization with members and contacts in more than 150 countries.

Human Rights Office in Kandy working with different kinds of survivor groups for their legal and psychological needs, believe, that mental health is a human right. We celebrated it with the survivor families of both ethnic groups Sinhala and Tamil. Among the participants, families of the disappeared and of the prisoners and the survivors of Rape & Torture and other Human Rights violation and the members of the support group.

The family members of the disappeared brought along with them their produce / harvest such as fruits, vegetables, flower plants, eatables etc. Behind each of the stalls, the photos of the disappeared were posted, while the consumers bought items the family members had the opportunity to speak about their disappeared, their loved ones and explain the reason for their campaign...TO KNOW THE TRUTH....

22 Priests and Religious joined the Human Rights Workshop at OMI Scholasticate, Ampitiya - Kandy, Sri Lanka from the 16th -19th July 2019 organized by the Human Rights Office, Kandy with the theme “To ensure ethnic and religious harmony, Let us promote Human Rights”.

“Justice Delay is Injustice” was the theme of the International day in support of the Torture Survivors held in Kandyan Arts Residency Kandy on the 29th June 2019 organized by the Human Right Office, Kandy, Sri Lanka. Torture is one of the most brutal human rights violations that routinely take place in police stations in Sri Lanka.

Exactly after a decade of the civil war- since the declaration of cessation of the military intervention by the State, the need for an evaluation of our own initiatives was felt essential in the present context. Hence the Human Rights Workshop for Religious and Priests focused to make a personal assessment of one’s own initiatives for justice and reconciliation with theme “Let us reflect on our own involvements to envision future commitments”. Thus, the meeting was to create an occasion for each other who have been meeting since 2003.

The Human Rights Office in Kandy organized the Human Rights Day 2018 coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the 10th anniversary of the Human Rights Office at the Good Shepherd Convent Kandy on the 09th December 2018 with the theme “In spite of our differences, Let us respect and ensure each other’s Rights”.

The International day of the Disappeared scheduled for the 30th August was commemorated on the 15th September 2018 The programme was organized by the Human Rights office Kandy and held at the OMI Scholasticate in Ampitiya Kandy Sri Lanka.

Staff and members of the support group joined 59 Participants from the families of the disappeared from Mannara, Jaffna and from Kandy for the event. An introduction to the day's programme was given by the Director of the Human Rights office Rev. Fr. Nandana Manatunga which was followed by stories of abduction and enforced disappearances. Two women from the North and two from the south narrated their stories. Even though the abductions and enforced disappearances took place several years ago, for the wives and mothers who narrated the dreadful incidents that made their sons and husbands disappear, they were fresh in their hearts and minds.

Torture day in support of the Torture Victims

“Everybody is harmed when one person is Tortured…."
“Let the survivor speak…."

Podikumarihami narrated the story of brutal Torture at the hands of the Mahiyanganaya police officers and continuous attacks, threats and legal persecution that she had to face. The audience was stunned including the panel Dr. Deepika Udugama (Chairmen of the NHRCSL), Ven. Dr. Atipola Mangala, Mr. Titus Manatunga (Senior Lawyer) and Namalika Dissanayaka ( Principal - Blue Rose School for Special Needs )The event was organized to commemorate the International Torture day in support of the Torture victims held on the 29th June 2018 at Kandyan Arts Residency in Kandy

The clashed between the Muslims and Sinhalese that sparked off in Kandy in early February 2018 brought about a distrust among the people of different regions who lived in harmony for centuries. However it is a well-known fact these attacks were organized by few extreme groups with ulterior motives.

The 2018 Sinhala / Tamil New year celebrations organized by the Human Rights Office in Kandy brought together not only leaders of all four major religions but also the faithful to join hands to heal the wounds an reaffirm the trust. Around 175 -225 survivors of Torture, Rape, families of the disappeared and the families of the prisoners came together on the 21st April 2018 to the premises of the Fatima Church in Kundasale - Kandy to celebrate the 2018 Sinhala & Hindu New Year.

International Women's day 2018 was organized by the Human Rights Office Kandy Sri Lanka with the participation of the families of the disappeared, the families of the prisoners, the support group and the staff. Although the event was to be celebrated on the 08th March, it has to be postponed to the 28th March due to the curfew imposed in Kandy District on the 08th March as some extreme groups created clashes between the Sinhalese & the Muslim communities in Kandy.

Human Rights Workshop for Religious and Priests was held from the 05th to 08th February 2018 in Bishops House - Badulla with 30 participants with the theme of "Live and Let Live". Bishop Winston Fernando, the Bishop of Badulla & the Chairman of the Sri Lankan Catholic Bishops Conference addressed the participants while welcoming them to Badulla and highlighted the Human Rights issues that we are faced with. It was followed by a lively discussion on Right to life.