 | |
11 November 2013
A
new report finds shocking threats to civil society in Sri Lanka amidst growing
protests about the Commonwealth’s decision to host its Summit there despite
strong criticism of the country’s human rights abuses.
Based on interviews with a diverse
range of civil society leaders and research on the conditions affecting citizen
participation, CIVICUS and the Centre for Policy Alternatives, Sri Lanka (CPA),
document a litany of threats to civil society in Sri Lanka.
Read the full report here
The report - Sri Lanka’s Harassed
Civil Society - finds:
- The right to express democratic dissent is seriously imperilled, with many civil society activists facing harassment, intimidation and violence.
- Abduction and assassination remain a constant threat for prominent journalists, activists and dissidents, with little effort by the authorities to investigate such attacks.
- Peaceful protests have been disrupted by security forces.
- Senior officials and state-owned media have issued inappropriate and threatening statements against civil society leaders and organisations.
- The legal environment for non-governmental organisations is restrictive, with administrative and regulatory obstacles impeding their effective operation.
- Civil society organisations are being subjected to increasing surveillance and official control, especially in the Northern Province.
- The ability of civil society organisations to find funding from overseas and work with international partners is severely hampered.
The report is published days before
Commonwealth leaders arrive in Sri Lanka for the leaders Summit. It points out
the hypocrisy of the Commonwealth, which claims that a free and vibrant civil
society is a fundamental value of the 54-member association, hosting its
flagship meeting in a country in which conditions are so
bad.
“The space for CSOs to operate in Sri
Lanka is under threat now more than ever. The governmental restrictions and
attacks on civic space present a grave challenge to governance and
reconciliation for the people of Sri Lanka post-2009. As our research
demonstrates the aggressive suppression of CSOs through intimidatory tactics is
of huge concern for the future of democracy in our country”, said Dr Paikiasothy
Saravanamuttu, Executive Director of the CPA.
“It is a shame that the Commonwealth
has chosen to meet in a country in which one if its so-called core values is
under such serious threat. We urge those leaders who have decided to attend the
summit to push for urgent action from the Sri Lankan authorities to improve the
situation immediately”, said CIVICUS Secretary-General, Dr Danny
Sriskandarajah.
The report offers a series of
recommendations to improve the environment for civil society in Sri Lanka.
CIVICUS and CPA call on the Government of Sri Lanka to stop impeding and
interfering in the ability of civil society to operate freely, to lift
restrictions on freedom of expression, and to promptly investigate all cases of
attacks on journalists and activists and bring the perpetrators of these crimes
to justice.
ENDS
