Sri Lanka and the culture of impunity: human rights challenges in a post-war and post-conflict environment
Sri Lanka’s civil war, which spanned more than a quarter of a century, ended in 2009. With more than 100,000 war casualties and one million refugees, it represented one of Asia’s most violent, destructive and intractable conflicts. Four years since active military hostilities ended, there has been no progress towards constitutional and political reforms addressing the problems of pluralism and democracy that lay at the heart of the conflict, nor a legitimate process of truth and accountability for war-time abuses. Instead, Sri Lanka is steadily moving in the direction of becoming an authoritarian state, with the rule of law and governance under attack, the ascendance of majoritarian ethno-religious intolerance, and an overall decline in democratic and human rights standards. This event will explore the pervasive culture of impunity in Sri Lanka, both with regard to past abuses as well as post-war governance. The broader challenge of transition from a post-war to a post-conflict situation will be discussed in relation to ongoing efforts regarding peace and good governance.
- Thursday 20 June 2013, 6.30-8pm
- Wolfson Theatre, New Academic Building, London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE)
- Speakers: Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu; Asanga Welikala; Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
- Chair: Professor Chetan Bhatt
The speakers
Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu has been the Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) since its inception in 1996.
He is a Convenor of the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) and is a founder Board member of the Sri Lanka Chapter of Transparency International. Currently he is on the Board of the Berghof Foundation for Peace Support and a Member of the Transparency Advisory Group on The Right to Information in South Asia. In June 2003 he made the Civil Society Presentation at the Tokyo Donor Conference on Sri Lanka at the invitation of the Government of Japan and in March 2009, he served as a Member of the External Review Panel of the World Bank’s Post-Conflict Performance Indicators. In 2010, he was awarded the inaugural Citizens Peace Award by the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka. He has been quoted widely in the international and local print and electronic media and has presented papers at a number of international conferences on the 
situation in Sri Lanka, on governance and security issues.
Asanga Welikala is a doctoral candidate and ESRC Teaching Fellow in Public Law in the School of Law, University of Edinburgh.
He is also a Senior Researcher in the Legal & Constitutional Unit of the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), Sri Lanka. His most recent publication is the edited collection, A. Welikala (Ed.) (2012) The Sri Lankan Republic at 40: Reflections on Constitutional History, Theory and Practice (Colombo: CPA)
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya is a Visiting Fellow in the Department of Media and Communications at LSE. He has been a journalist for more than two decades and is also the co-editor of the Media Monitor.
He is a freedom of expression activist, researcher and artist. At the time he was forced to leave the country he was the Convenor of the Free Media Movement and a Director of the Sri Lanka Press Institute and Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka. He was a Council member and executive committee member of International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) and Co-Convener of the Centre for Monitoring Elections Violence. He has also co-authored the book “Reporting on Human Rights in Sri Lanka: A Handbook for Media Professionals” (Colombo: Centre for Policy Alternatives and International Federation of Journalists, 2008)
Coming to the event
This event is free and open to all with no ticket or pre-registration required. Entry is on a first come first served basis. We suggest arriving 15-20 minutes in advance of the start time. General information about coming to an event at LSE.
For more information click here
kamal nissanka / June 15, 2013
Best Wishes
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Amarasiri / June 17, 2013
Well Done,
This should bring to the fore, the core problem in Sri Lanka. However, education of the masses in his internet age is needed. Myths should be expunged.
The core objective should be a just society. What we have now us an unjust Lanka, with a thriving Sinhala Buddhist Racism. Is that what the enlightened Buddha wished.
Discussion Points should include:
1. What is the core-problem? Racist Monk Mahanama Sinhala Buddhist Racist Myths, and its exploitation by the politicians and monks for their self-interest.
2. All the others are symptoms.
The fact that:
1. Lanka was Animist, Jain, Hindi, and there were Veddahs, Yakkas, Nagas, Rakshayas before the advent of Buddhism is conveniently pushed infer the rug.
2. The Sinhala, Tamil and Muslims have the Southern Indian Gene pool is conveniently forgotten by the Monk Mahanam Sinhala Buddhist Racists.
Read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genographic_Project
3. The lack of Tamil Buddhists.
4. The lack of Sinhala Hindus.
5. The Karave Caste.
6. The original natives of Lanka and their demonetization by Monk Mahanam Myths.
7. Vijays’s grandfather was a lion Myth,
8. Buddha visiting Lanka 10 times and Buddha attaining enlightenment on the day Vijaya landed.
9. There was a civilization in Lanka before Buddhism.
10. Ravana was NOT Buddhist, Hindu if the Ramayanaya Saga is true.
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S Thiru / June 15, 2013
This is an important event to enlighten world citizens about what is happening in Sri Lanka:
The press is muzzled; More regulations are on the way to tighten it further. Internet and the social media may soon be muzzled. Attacks on the press is is a regular occurrence. Foreign NGOs may soon be excluded, just like the UN was asked to leave near the end of the civil war to stop atrocities of the security forces leaking out.
White vanning, torture and rape in custody, murder and disappearances are endemic. Most of these cases go without prosecution. Attacks on Hindu, Muslim and Christian religious concerns go unpunished. Democracy has degenerated over the years into majoritarianism, and now militarism, not unlike Nazi Germany.
In summary, Sri Lanka has become a failed state and a failed democracy. International action is urgently needed to protect the vulnerable and to establish a proper functioning democracy with due rights to Tamils, Muslims, Christians and others besides the Sinhala Buddhist majority.
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JimSofty / June 17, 2013
This is just another event organized to get more funds for the NGO.
These individuals have their own personal interests as well as their urge to earn money.
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Native Vedda / June 17, 2013
JimSofty
“These individuals have their own personal interests”
Such as….
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Ben Hurling / June 17, 2013
Softy,
Has the Rajapassa clan got any personal interests by any chance?
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Amarasiri / June 15, 2013
Culture of Impunity?
READ THE CULTURE OF IMPUNITY IN ACTION
Read
[Edited out]
WHY ONLY TO THIS MURDER?
BECAUSE THEY ARE INVOLVED IN THE OTHER MURDERS.
AFRAID OF SPILLING THE BEANS, LIKE LASANTHA’S MURDER AND MANY OTHERS.
DEJA VU …….
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JimSofty / June 15, 2013
Every developed country in the world and mostly the English speaking – North America are made up of immigrants.
What is the pluralism that those countries have ?
Why it is not good for Sri Lanka ?
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JimSofty / June 15, 2013
I appreciate if you guys discuss my questions in your talks. Because, Every immigrant coming to USA, Australia, UK or France talk the majority language and they contribute to that particular economy.
They all forget their language and mostly their culture too.
Why it is bad for Sri Lanka ?
Actually, even Tamils love to behave like english men; they talk tamil, play cricket and live the white man’s culture. See, how Singaporean Tamils are doing. Do they speak Tamil ?
Even in majority – muslim Malaysia Tamils have lot of social problems. they have high divorce rate. Because, tamil women have abandoned their conservative and oppressive culture.
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Thrishantha / June 16, 2013
JimSofty, you don’t have to go to North America to find why people forget their mother tongue in North America. Boys and Girls sometimes forget their mother and father, both, when they fall in love, right there in Sri Lanka. So, find what makes people fall in love with some countries and why they don’t in some other similarly rich countries. It is a shame that people don’t truly fall in love with some tropical paradises, ha? Find that secret. Then you guys will be ok.
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / June 16, 2013
how Singaporean Tamils are doing. Do they speak Tamil ?:
“NO, BecOuse THEY ARE DUMB”;
What a Bull SXXt You Are Talking .
come to singapore and see your self?.
From Sarangoon to Woodlands and Jurong east to Changi.
they are taught their mother language at school from early stages.
“In Muslim Malaysia Tamils have lot of social problems.”
because Muslim Malayasians have done influnce on their culture and they togetrher have that social broblem now,
their bigest problem now is ,prositution and robary in malay and tamil comunities.
There In Singapore Law is Sacred, and politicians do not involve in law matters with what so ever.
I have seen poloiticians get trafic violation tickets from policemen.
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Mohamed Marzook / June 19, 2013
Malaysia has learned from the past and the present political trend is to do away with the Bhoomi Puthra concept which gave Muslim dominance over the other communities. According to the newly formulated Road Map for 2020s this domination is to end and all the communities are to be treated equally in all respects for the greater benefit of Malaysia.
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Silva / June 20, 2013
I have seen recists, but never a racist like you.
Are you divoce and have social problems?
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Native Vedda / June 21, 2013
Silva
“Are you divoce and have social problems?”
Generally symptom is known “desperately needs a bl** **b”.
It might or might not fix the “tight ar**”.
First consultation is free, then there may be a small fee or free if sufferer is homeless.
Come to think of it, sufferer might have to sell his house to pay for his treatment, it depends how bad the sufferer’s condition is.
Do you think listening to faked orgasm is a cure for his frustrated soul (if he has one)?
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Udeshi / June 16, 2013
Good event.
Hope Dr Saravanamuttu will get time to also address the Culture of Impunity in Britain and US where they are electronically eavesdropping on citizens 24 hrs a day.
Surely he will be well remunerated.
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Lanka Muslim, UK / June 17, 2013
Impunity, if there is any, in Britain does not go unchallenged and rectified as public opinion or press freedom is not scuttled. So there is nothing for anyone to talk about. Let us make an effort to correct the ills ailing Sri Lanka rather than covering them up by pointing out our fingers at others.
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Voice of Justice / June 16, 2013
It is important to expose the real situation prevailing in Sri Lanka.But there can be danger of lives to these gentlemen who are intending to address this event. Sri Lanka has became a murderous country with impunity.Top to bottom corruption and thuggery is recorded in several times without action.The Mara Regime enjoys the WAR VICTORY against Tamils and will enjoy for at least for another two decades.MARA knows how to cultivate from the anti Tamil and anti minority mentality of Sinhalese Buddhists. The war victory was considered as victory against Tamils by the Sinhalese Majority.
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Lanka Muslim, UK / June 17, 2013
Those who face such risks and still go on are the true ‘Patriots’.
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KKK / June 18, 2013
[Edited out]
Please sort out personal issue personally – CT
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Peter Gunathilaka / June 18, 2013
There are a few fair minded and civilised Singhala Citizens. The religion should not be cause of the conflict. The international community has to act decisively bringing the Rajapakse regime to a standstill.
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K.A Sumanasekera / June 18, 2013
Is Paikiasothy a refugee too?.
Because, even if the Colombo Tamils who number over half a Mil and doing okay with some living in leafy suburbs are added to the Three Hundred thousand captives,it wouldn’t make One Million.
“How Police Powers and Titles to Public Land in the hands of Nine Chief Ministers make a Srilanka model Nation for Peace, Prosperity and Place to live in the Future” would be an interesting and challenging topic for one of these learned speakers to show their talents and keep the audience spell bound.
Our NWP Council Member can be an ideal Show and Tell.
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JimSofty / June 18, 2013
Look at Pakiasothy’s face. He does not look at all like an educated. instead,he looks like a Very Cunning Fox.
they are looking for Sri Lanka’s blood. Only o=goal is their survival.
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Point of View / June 19, 2013
A packet of rice per post or per day ?
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Singhe / June 20, 2013
This person has to be treated by a good Doctor.
He must have just came out of the woods or thick junckle.
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Piranha / June 21, 2013
Dr Sara is the most educated of the three, you fool. Don’t slag a man off just because you don’t like his views. It is obvious from comments here that you are disliked by most on this forum.
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