Letter handed over to the UN Secretary General at a meeting of civil society representatives on 02, September 2016 in Colombo
About the signatory organisations:
Home for Human Rights (HHR): HHR has close to 40 years of institutional history in documenting and litigating human rights in North-East Sri Lanka. Founded in 1977, the breadth of HHR’s focus includes the documentation and dissemination of information; the provision of assistance for survivors; the provision and encouragement of legal intervention as well as active defense for those lacking the resources to defend themselves. It has offices in all districts in the North-East, one in Hatton and another in Colombo. HHR has represented over 33,000 Political Prisoners and documented around 90,000 human rights violations since its inception.
Centre for Human Rights and Development (CHRD): CHRD founded almost 20 years ago is an organization of human rights lawyers who have over the past two decades appeared in numerous cases relating to political prisoners, disappearances, extra judicial killings and related all over the North and East of the country and in Colombo. They are also involved in Human Rights education, training and advocacy.
Centre for Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (CPPHR): CPPHR is a Trincomalee based organization that has for many years engaged in public interest litigation, advocacy and documentation of human rights violations in Trincomalee.
The Social Architects (TSA) is a collective of activists from the North-East formed with the intention of educating, informing and providing timely and thoughtful analysis on Sri Lankan issues. TSA recently released a film titled ‘Mutrupulliyaa’ that documents the impact of militarisation on the North-East. TSA also published an investigative report on coercive population control programmes in the North-East in 2014.
Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF): TCSF founded in 2010 is a network of 100 plus civil society activists across the country. Its membership, drawn from community organisers, religious priests, academics, professionals and lawyers, have lived and worked in the North-East for many decades and have been leading voices for justice, peace and self-determination throughout the war and in the post-war context. TCSF provides a platform for these activists to network and take action collectively.