The shantytown is called Pelpath Niwas and is located a few metres from luxury hotels, flats and shops. Some 150 homeless Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim live in the camp. Only nine children go to school. "We see the mega constructions, but nobody sees us," local women lament.
The Human Rights Office organised an event to support the victims of torture. One of them, Ms H. M. Podikumarihami, recounted her family’s fate. The police wanted her land and, to get it, were willing to press false charges and torture her.
In 1996 Lakshan Dias started working with Sinhalese and Tamil who had fled to Norway during Sri Lanka’s civil war. About 1,200 refugees are in Sri Lanka, mainly from war zones. To welcome them is "responsibility of the government". For him, "we must not forget that we were the first to generate refugees” in the world.
The Children of the Holy Family are also known by the name of "Supala". They have promised to avoid the consumption of food and drink harmful to the body. In 2020 the 200th anniversary of the Catholic association will be celebrated.
Sandhaya Priyangani Eknaligoda was verbally attacked on 25 January 2016 in the Homagama courthouse. Her husband is a famous political cartoonist who disappeared in 2010. The court jails the culprit and imposes fines to compensate the plaintiff.
Roshen Chanaka was hit in 2011 during a protest in at Free Trade Zone. His family received almost US$ 19,000 in compensation. Inquiry found that those responsible should go to trail, but so far no has been indicted.
The girls study at the Catholic Women's Institute Holy Family Convent School in Bambalapitiya, a district of Colombo. The initiative launched on the occasion of the feast of Mary, at the end of May. First ever aid for inhabitants of the village of Anguluwa.
The Global Alliance for National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), a network that coordinates relations between individual associations and the United Nations, has granted full status to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka. The needed criterion (missing since 2000) was independence.
The Holy Family Convent School in Bambalapitiya is behind the initiative. Its pupils collected dry food, water bottles and stationery. The event included a procession in the schoolyard and the coronation of Our Lady.
About 50 families have been camping in the ruined church since 23 April. Their land was occupied by the military during the civil war. The displaced people are asking for help to build 200 temporary homes and transport to get drinking water from three kilometres away. They need eight tanks, 50 toilets, street lamps to light the road, and 15 solar panels and systems to keep the water sources clean.
People protest because of the rising cost of basic goods, power shortages, and racial hatred. "People expect quick, fair and practical solutions to the burning issues of the day,” said one observer. Ordinary Sri Lankans are generally peaceful, using protest as a last resort. Violent reactions are due to frustrations caused by unmet demands and broken promises.
Gusts of wind reached 70 km/h and could get worse in the coming days. In all, 19 districts and more than 9,000 families have been affected with 1,625 finding shelter in temporary camps.
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