Human Rights and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka

Ruki Fernando will discuss the current situation in Sri Lanka 5 years after the end of the war, the issues human rights defenders (HRDs) in the country currently engage with, and the importance of the efforts of the international community, especially students, in advocacy campaigns for the protection and promotion of human rights and HRDs in particular.

 

Ruki Fernando is a Sri Lankan human rights activist who participated in the protective fellowship scheme at CAHR in 2012-2013. He has been involved in international advocacy and protection of HRDs at risk and worked on issues such as freedom of expression and enforced disapperences. He was recently arrested on the grounds of anti-terror laws and still faces travel and speaking restrictions. CAHR and students at York were part of a national and international campaign that led to Ruki's release.

 

The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.

 

For more information on Ruki's case, see:

 

Sri Lanka frees arrested human rights activists (BBC)

Are Sri Lanka's 'anti-terror' arrests an attempt to intimidate activists? (CNN)

Persecution of activists, Christians, continue in Sri Lanka (UCA News)

Ruki Fernando out of detention - is he free? (Catholic in Asia)