We are forwarding herewith the e-version of the social justice magazine published by the Centre for Society and Religion – Sri Lanka. Click here to read the full version of the magazine. Social justice magazine is a long-standing regular publication which has covered many issues relating to the improvement of the conditions of the people, particularly the conditions of the poor. The present issue is based on the theme of People Building. This issue is looked at from various angles by the number of writers. These articles will be of interest to…
Read MoreAuthor: Editor
Ringing church bells and lighting lamps
Church bells will ring and lights will be lit to remember the 2019 Easter Sunday tragedy. Meanwhile, people have also been putting up a fight against the deadly coronavirus. For some, both events will only have a political meaning, depending on what political loyalties they are committed to. In that way, the meanings of these extremely significant events will be gradually lost and soon they will be forgotten, or buried in the mud of opportunistic politics. However, such events have meanings that transcend mundane interests. Such threatening events have the…
Read MoreThe Tragic Injury to Pasindu Hirushan
Vice-Chancellor & Chairperson of the Grants Commission University of Sri Jayewardenepura Sri Lanka Dear Vice-Chancellor & Chairperson of the Grants Commission People are shocked by the following tragic incident. A first-year student of the management faculty of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, PASINDU HIRUSHAN, suffered serious injuries. He has been in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for several days. According to reports his condition is quite serious. The details of the incident have not yet been published in detail. But it becomes clear that the incident was a result of an…
Read MoreHewa Maddumage Karunapala and others Vs Jayantha Prema Kumara Siriwardhana and others SC/FR/97/2017
The fundamental rights petition was filed by the parents of the 15-year-old victim, Hewa Maddumage Karunapala and Pallekkamkanamlage Dona Kumuduni against six persons including teacher Jayantha Premakumara Siriwardana and principal M. Leelawathi. The child petitioner was slapped across the face by Mr. Siriwardhana, teacher- in -Charge of discipline and sectional head of Puhulwella College. The action had resulted in the student a ruptured eardrum and permanently losing his hearing ability in the left ear. Considering the petition, affidavit and written submission of the petitioners and the respondent as well Supreme…
Read MoreSecond Anniversary of the establishment of the Office on Missing Persons
e establishment of the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) on 28th February 2018 with a broad mandate to investigate the fate of the missing and disappeared and protect the rights of their relatives, represented an explicit acknowledgement by the State of its responsibility to establish the truth and ensure justice. It was a milestone in the continuing struggle of the families of the missing and disappeared. Successive commissions of inquiry and committees, appointed by governments comprised of multiple political parties, have concluded that disappearances have been perpetrated by both State…
Read MoreHow can unscrupulous lawyers manipulate delays in the law?
This article is about the manner in which unscrupulous lawyers could manipulate delays in the law to their personal advantage. This type of behavior is now a permanent feature in Sri Lanka’s legal system. Analysis of the methods used for such manipulation are based on experiences from actual cases. Reflections on the behavior show that, rather than insisting on correcting wrongs litigants have experienced, unscrupulous persons work out a methodology of manipulation for personal economic advantage. In cases of serious crimes, trials which take place in the High Courts. The…
Read MoreCommemorating 25th Anniversary of Act. against Torture – Public Discussion
Gang Rapes, Justice and Civilization in India and Sri Lanka
An incident was reported in December 2019 from India regarding the gang rape of a woman and what happened thereafter. The news of the gang rape stirred up a massive protest from many parts of India. Among those who were involved in the protest were sections of the intelligencia of India such as Professors, doctors, professionals and the like. Also involved in the protest were the journalists. Modern social media networks would also have contributed a great deal to this protest. As a former postgraduate student from Jawaharlal Nehru University…
Read MoreSHORT ANALYSIS ON SENTENCING POLICIES ON TORTURE 2019
The research provides a short-analysis of sentencing policies on Torture in Sri Lanka, specifically the violation of Article 11 of the constitution of Sri Lanka. In the process of analyzing cases from 1981- 2019 we have collected and analyzed 100 judgements from the Supreme Court only. We have included Article 12(1), 13(1) and 13(2), as most often these articles were considered by the Petitioner when filing for breach of Article 11. The judges evaluated each of the 100 cases subjectively on a case by case basis based on the evidence…
Read MoreSri Lanka: 25 Years with Act against Torture 2019
The Act of the Convention against Torturing and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatments or punishments was passed in the parliament in 1994 as it was needed to impose provisions for implementing the commitment of Sri Lanka under this International Convention. It was passed in the parliament in 25th November 1994 and is apropos since 20th December 1994. This research is about Act of the Convention against Torturing and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatments or punishments done by organization of Right to Life Human Rights Center. this is written…
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