How a strong HRC could help Lanka

A more activist and vibrant Human Rights Commission is very good news for Sri Lanka. Curbing human rights abuses and ensuring that rights flourish everywhere in the country is integral to the task of keeping democracy ticking in Sri Lanka and it goes without saying that an active Human Rights Commission could be a prime catalyst in this process.

Therefore, we welcome the news that from now on the HRC would be seeking to be a dynamic contributor towards the protection and fostering of human rights in this country, with special attention being given to the curbing of illegal detention and torture.

The HRC decision to be a more vibrant presence in the Lankan polity coincides with Sri Lanka's election to the recently established and reputed UN Human Rights Council, a prospective leading global actor in the protection of human rights everywhere.

Lanka's election to the Council is proof of the fame Lanka enjoys worldwide as a staunch defender of human rights and democracy.

It should not come as a surprise if Sri Lanka has captured world attention as a promoter of human rights because human rights protection is close to President Mahinda Rajapaksa's heart.

The proof of this is the creation by the President of a new Ministry overlooking human rights promotion and protection. Headed by Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, the Ministry has already taken a number of initiatives which could help substantially in the promotion of human rights.

One of these is the establishment of the Permanent Standing Committee on Human Rights which is tasked with providing policy guidance and leadership to the public sector in the promotion of human rights.

Thus, substantial institutional support exists for the fostering and strengthening of human rights locally. We only hope that these institutions would work vibrantly and indefatigably towards the fostering and protection of human rights in this country.

Their efforts in this direction would take the wind out of the sails of any adverse propaganda directed against Sri Lanka, by hostile groups such as the LTTE, which are certain to seize any opportunity to denigrate Sri Lanka in the eyes of the world.

Given the unsettled security climate in Sri Lanka, anti-national groups such as the LTTE are certain to exploit and even concoct human rights issues.

Therefore, a strong, proactive involvement by the HRC in the rights field could bring to nought LTTE efforts to damn Sri Lanka by vociferously claiming that the State is indifferent to rights abuses, such as wrongful detention and torture.

Needless to say, the State has to be an exemplar of even-handed justice. A failure to establish this reputation in the past helped project the State as a partial party to the conflict. This should not happen again. The State needs to be neutral in the conflict and the HRC could help it on this front.

'Mahinda Chintana' - towards a value-driven democracy

THE vision of the President of Sri Lanka, is certainly the most profound political statement released in recent times in Sri Lanka. In expressing his vision to the people, President Rajapaksa starts off with the statement that "a ruler is only a temporary trustee and not the owner of your children's heritage."

Full Story

'From Rajastan to Sri Lanka' the elephant chair

INTRODUCING of the elephant chair better known as the howdah in India to Sri Lanka has a very exciting and interesting story behind it. The elephant chairs or the howdah were in use in Sri Lanka during the days of the kings who ruled our motherland. King Dutugemunu during war and for other religious purposes used this.

Full Story

Waiting for Westminster - the problems of the 17th amendment

I was not especially pleased, a couple of weeks ago, when I had to prepare a statement on the current problem regarding the Constitutional Council. I had decided, when I resumed writing a column, to avoid current politics, and to concentrate rather on the past.

Full Story

An impaired system

SHOULD not take its democratic system for granted. The nation has lost it once. It was not the army to bring it about as it is the practice in Pakistan. An elected Prime Minsiter did it. Indira Gandhi imposed the emergency in June, 31 years ago and suspended even the fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution.

Full Story