{"id":178510,"date":"2017-06-09T21:45:00","date_gmt":"2017-06-09T16:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=178510"},"modified":"2017-06-10T02:57:08","modified_gmt":"2017-06-09T21:27:08","slug":"ensure-the-right-of-families-to-engage-in-memorialisation-activities-human-rights-commission-tells-sirisena","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/ensure-the-right-of-families-to-engage-in-memorialisation-activities-human-rights-commission-tells-sirisena\/","title":{"rendered":"Ensure The Right Of Families To Engage In Memorialisation Activities: Human Rights Commission Tells Sirisena"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL<\/a>) has written to the President Maithripala Sirisena\u00a0urging, particularly in his capacity as\u00a0Minister of National Integration and Reconciliation, to ensure the right of families to\u00a0engage in memorialisation activities and also the security of persons who engage in such\u00a0activities.<\/p>\n

We publish below the letter in full:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Dr. Deepika Udagama – Chairperson – HRCSL<\/p><\/div>\n

His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena
\nPresident of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
\nPresidential Secretariat
\nColombo 1.
\nYour Excellency,<\/p>\n

Memorialisation and Reconciliation<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Human Rights Commission has received a complaint from Rev. Fr. Elil Rajendran of\u00a0the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) Mullaitivu, who has been summoned numerous times by the\u00a0police to be interrogated in relation to a memorialisation activity he had organised to\u00a0remember those who lost their lives during the latter stages of the armed conflict. The\u00a0memorialisation was to be established by carving the names of those who had died on\u00a0stones to be placed at a permanent memorial in Mullaivaikkal, Mullaitivu.<\/p>\n

On several occasions the police had summoned Fr. Elil to appear at different police\u00a0stations (Mullaitivu and Vavuniya) for questioning about the event. The police had also\u00a0sought and obtained a judicial injunction to prevent the event from taking place.\u00a0Following the court order the police had summoned Fr. Elil and had requested him to\u00a0submit all names that were to be carved on stones for memorialisation to ensure there\u00a0were no names of LTTE cadres.<\/p>\n

Fr. Elil complained to our Commission that repeated questioning by the police at police\u00a0stations and at his residence on this ceremony constituted harassment and placed fetters\u00a0on his freedom of movement, expression and association- rights which are enshrined in\u00a0the Constitution of Sri Lanka. Further, the questioning of Fr. Rajendran\u2019s elderly parents\u00a0has caused them great distress and anxiety.<\/p>\n

After a thirty year armed conflict Sri Lanka is at present attempting to rebuild ethnic\u00a0relations and work towards reconciliation. In this process it is important that all\u00a0communities have the space and ability to mourn the loss of their loved ones and\u00a0remember them. Hence, memorialisation is an important and integral part of the\u00a0reconciliation process. In Sri Lanka we have built many memorials to commemorate the\u00a0soldiers who have lost their lives during the armed conflict. Likewise, all communities\u00a0should have the right to construct memorials to remember their family members and\u00a0loved ones. The fact that the person who died was a LTTE cadre should not be used as\u00a0the reason to deny the family to mourn and remember their loved one. Every family has\u00a0the right to remember and memorialise their loved ones irrespective of their status or\u00a0political beliefs.<\/p>\n

The Commission is of the view that allowing families the space to do so would enable\u00a0them to feel they too have, and are able to exercise their rights as citizens of Sri Lanka,\u00a0and are part of a common journey towards reconciliation. Denial of such an opportunity\u00a0will only serve to deepen ethnic divisions and hamper reconciliation efforts.<\/p>\n

In this spirit, the Commission requests Your Excellency, particularly in your capacity as\u00a0Minister of National Integration and Reconciliation, to ensure the right of families to\u00a0engage in memorialisation activities, and also the security of persons who engage in such\u00a0activities.<\/p>\n

We set out in the attached annex the chronology of events as provided to the Commission\u00a0by Rev. Fr. Rajendran.<\/p>\n

Dr. Deepika Udagama<\/p>\n

Chairperson<\/p>\n

Cc: Hon. Prime Minister
\nHon. Minister of Law & Order
\nHon. Minister of Co-existence, Dialogue and Official Languages
\nChairperson, Office of National Unity and Reconciliation<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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