JC Weliamuna, one of Sri Lanka’s most prominent Human Rights lawyers and activists, was awarded the Citizen’s Peace Award (2012), at a ceremony at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations & Strategic Studies, this evening. The prize is awarded by the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka.
In a personal tribute paid at the occasion, the founder of Sarvodaya Movement, Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne hailed Weliamuna as one of the few people who had the convictions and courage to stand up for the rights of the citizen, even against “democratically elected terrorists”. He said that it is only through such efforts that true peace can be made a reality in Mother Lanka.
In an acceptance speech, Weliamuna said he never expected to be recognized in this way, and was only following his conscience. He recognized his mentor, now retired senior human rights lawyer, R. K. W. Goonesekere who had been a shining example to him. He recalled how his parents taught him good values held him in good stead, though they never interfered with his choices. He thanked his wife and children for their support in good times and bad. He also made special mention of his colleagues of the legal fraternity who stood by him when he needed them.
Weliamuna, an outstanding human rights lawyer and activist, is also the chairman of Transparency International, Sri Lanka. He is widely respected as a legal professional of great conviction and commitment to fundamental rights and good governance, who rose through determination and hard work to the position of respect that he enjoys today.
A few years ago, after he had raised some critical issues of human rights, grenades were thrown at his house one night. This angered the legal fraternity so much that the very next day, thousands of lawyers took to the streets in an unprecedented move. Among them, were several lawyers close to the Rajapaksa regime who put aside political affiliation to protest an attack on a respected fellow professional.
In the midst of the outrage, the government pledged to the legal profession to investigate the matter, but never apprehended the culprits.
The Citizen’s Peace Award is given yearly by the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka to honour an outstanding individual for exceptional demonstrated courage and consistency, working in hostile conditions, to promote peace in a spirit of sacrifice.
The prize is made possible by funds received from the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka and the Sakai City Government’s Peace Contribution Award.
The ceremony was well attended by members of the diplomatic corps, members of parliament, respected lawyers, civil society leaders, members of the clergy and the public.
Piranha / September 19, 2013
A well deserved award to a genuinely caring and compassionate fighter of human rights. Congratulations.
His fights against the actions of the “democratically elected thugs” ruling Sri Lanka is brave and admirable.
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Kumar David / September 19, 2013
Congratulations Welli!
More strength to your elbow Jehan!
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Thrishantha / September 19, 2013
Very well deserved Sir! Congratulations. Keep it up!
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Seelawathie / September 19, 2013
What has he done to change MR kind crime investigations ? MR has acted fully against the ruling law and order in the books. Examples – Duminda ^s case, Mervin jokes etc.. if these investigations were carried out by EU country, none of them would have been where they are today. After all Duminda^s case is not acceptable to anyone.
What could he have done in changing the system ?
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Seelawathie / September 19, 2013
Also looking at the manner, that the minister of Justice has no rights to take any action in the current govt, what have the lawyer^s collective done sofar ?
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sarojini / September 20, 2013
These human rights activists giving AWARDS TO EACH OTHER is a novel idea, to focus attention to themselves. Soon the turn of Sarvodya, will arise to give an award to Jehan Perera of the National peace council . Then Weliamune givng another award to Ariyaratne , So the merry-go round will continue with these jokers. Full marks for creativity , and innovation.
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Tuan Meedin / September 19, 2013
Certa Viriliter JCW , Bravo..!
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rohina johnston / September 19, 2013
Well done and keep it up, we need people like you in this Country.
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Lenin Jayasinghe / September 19, 2013
My congratulations to a courageous lawyer. May the triple gem bless you and keep you strong and healthy.
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Don Stanley / September 19, 2013
Way to go!
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Lapatiya / September 19, 2013
Actually in my Opinion this should have gone to Percy Mahendra Rajapaksha for the work he has done to protect human rights in 1988 – 1989.
Have we forgotten how he goes to Geneva with Wasi Deva Nanayakkara with the help from Sunila Abesekara, Tamara Kunanayagam, Nimalka Fernando etc. etc.?
Actually there is no Human Rights to protect in the Country now as our Human Rights Champion has already protected human rights then. he went to the Hell also to protect our Human rights, remember? Also massacred around 40,000 Human Lives in the name of Human rights. Now we don’t have any problem as then Human rights champion is our President today. Latest protection is Mandana Ismail Abewickrama’s rights. Now a days he is trying to protect “Cattles Lives” with the help of Gaanu 5 Bebadu Naanasara. He will protect more human rights after establishing Casino’s, I am sure.
Now what the International Community will think about our Human right champion as the Award has gone to some one else. also what our Independent media Daily News, Divaina, Lakbima, Mawbima etc. will think about this award and what will Independent Journalists like C.A Chandraprema, Malinda Seneviratna, Mahinda Abesundara, Rajpal Abenayaka, Bandula Abesekara, Karunadasa Suriarachchi, Victor Ivan will think about this award?
Next time Awarding this kind of Awards should be given to countries like China, Russia, Uganda, Belarus, Swaziland to make sure that the Award should go to the Real Human right champion or the job be given to Kamalesh Sharma, Sec. General of Commonwealth as he is the most suitable person to select the real Human right defender in Sri Lanka.
Everybody should remember that there is no Humans in the country to protect Human rights. If there are Human’s in the country Aadambarakara Thatha will never win a single election.
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bandi / September 19, 2013
Deserving award. Well done
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Ajith Rajapaka / September 19, 2013
Well done Welli, you deserved it.
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Wimaladharma Diyasena / September 20, 2013
My heartiest congratulations, for a well deserved award.
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kumar / September 20, 2013
This Human Rights lawyer NGO (Head)created by the so called Western society.check his history very soon. He has come up to the top ladder in this human rights field in Sri Lanka. How? Why ? Please update your knowledge.We are not jealous of his achievements.but looks suspicious During the period of JVP uprising we never heard about a word of Human rights in Sri Lanka.Wijedasa Liyanarachchi, Kanchana Abepala,Charitha Lankapura and Several(14)lawyers were Killed during the UNP regime.Prins Gunasekara,Shantha Senadheera and several other Lawyers led this period against Extrajudicial killings.They had filed more than five hundred Hebues Corpus applications to protect JVP activists abducted by unknown gangs during the period 1988-89 .Late Desmond Fernando (PC)personally helped some of this lawyers to save their lives during this period.No one talk about these things today.President Mahinda Rajapaksha worked with them very closely during that period. When they blocked to attend the funeral ceremony of late Wijedasa Liyanarachchi’s at Weerakatiya (his home town) Shantha Senadheera(That time Secretary of the Colombo Law society and Prsident Palitha Mathew organized 600 lawyers to attend the funeral from Colombo. Government Blocked this using their power but late.H.L de Silva,Upali Gunarathne, Late Desmond Fernando, they all attended the funaral. Mahinda Rajapaksha. the current President arranged Lunch at Tangalla Rest House with his own expense for the lawyers who participated this event without any fear. Not only that, the current President helped the kitchen staff in washing plates too. what type of work , the so called human right activist who won the award has done to the society to get honored / to be praised.Most of the other participants also NGO Heads. They are praising each other. If any one threw an emty bomb to his house, they are hero’s in this Society.Prins Gunasekara (90 years old now-Amnesty International awarded his work done in 2000 in London but not any thing in Sri Lanka))living in exile in UK since he fled the country 1989.His Book “Lost Generation” is published by Godage publishers, is giving detailed account of what has happened during this period.They are the Real Human Rights Lawyers & Activists to be Honored /awarded in our Country all the time ,according to my opinion.Not so called NGO head J.C.Weliamuna.(West propagandist.)
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Sri / September 20, 2013
Thank you Kumar,at least you have guts to tell the truth.I think Waliamuna is a western agent/pup hut ? We know who he is ?
Still no any Sinhalese paper publish any thing in relating to this 1989 period abduction and killings.No one responsible so far for these events. what has happened to the Batalanda Case?Commission?
Lankadeepa papers (DIYATHA))started to publish article one time to disclose Wijedasa Liaynaarachchi’s detail report but suddenly stop that from second article.Why?God knows some powerful people still guilty of that killing preventing this things from general public to hide the truth.According to the Buddhism we believe karma that from this life itself shows, how dirty people punish for their evil things they had committed before their death.
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Sri / September 20, 2013
Thank you Kumar,at least you have guts to tell the truth.I think Waliamuna is a western agent/pup hut ? We know who he is ?
Still not any Sinhalese paper publish any thing in relating to this 1989 period abduction and killings.No one responsible so far for these events. what has happened to the Batalanda Case?Commission?
Lankadeepa papers (DIYATHA))was started to published article one time to disclose Wijedasa Liaynaarachchi’s detail report but suddenly stop that from second article.Why?God knows some powerful people still guilty of that killing preventing this things from general public to hide the truth.According to the Buddhism we believe karma that from this life itself shows, how dirty people to punish for their evil things they had committed before their death.
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