CPA Comms Officer on 26 September, 2023

Two Years In Government: A review of the pledges made in 2015 through the lens of constitutional reform, governance and transitional justice

The political transition of January 2015 promised ambitious reforms and raised expectations accordingly. Two years on, serious concerns have emerged with regard to the National Unity Government’s reform project.  Despite some successes, the current public perception is of a slow pace or even stagnation. This in turn has resulted in disillusionment and disappointment, with questions posed […]

Categories: Documents
CPA Comms Officer on 19 September, 2023

Proposed Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) – Preliminary Comments | September 2023

The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) notes the publication of the revised Bill of the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) gazetted on the 15th of September 2023. A previous version of the Bill was gazetted on the 22nd of March 2023. CPA issued a statement raising several concerns relating to that version of the Bill followed […]

Categories: DocumentsPress Releases
CPA Comms Officer on 25 July, 2023

Forty Years after Black July

This week marks the fortieth anniversary of the single most cataclysmic event in our post – independence history – the anti -Tamil pogrom of July 1983. It is very sad and regrettable that there are few, if any, public commemorations of the event and that the security forces and the Police were deployed in large […]

Categories: Documents
CPA Comms Officer on 1 June, 2023

Proposed Anti – Terrorism Act (ATA) – Key Concerns Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) May 2023

In response to the notice issued on 2nd May 2023 by the Ministry of Justice calling for submission of proposals on the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) by interested parties, the following document contains an initial comment reflecting key concerns that the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) has observed, and has continuously raised in the past. Based […]

Categories: DocumentsPublic Interest Litigation
CPA Comms Officer on 31 May, 2023

Statement on Recent Arrests under the ICCPR Act & Shrinking Space for Dissent

Sri Lankan comedian Natasha Edirisooriya was arrested under the ICCPR Act for allegedly violating the country’s freedom of speech laws. The CPA has expressed concern, arguing that the arrest is part of a broader pattern of harassment and intimidation of dissenting voices. Read the full statement in English Read the full statement in Tamil Read […]

Categories: DocumentsPress ReleasesPublic Interest Litigation
CPA Comms Officer on 6 April, 2023

Elusive Justice and Emblematic Cases in Sri Lanka

The book examines the challenges faced by victims of past human rights abuses in Sri Lanka in their pursuit of justice. Despite facing numerous setbacks, including denials, intimidation, harassment, and surveillance, victims have persevered in their efforts to get answers about the fate of their loved ones. The State’s response to past violence has been […]

Categories: BookDocuments
CPA Comms Officer on 6 April, 2023

Salient Aspects of Public Interest Litigation Jurisprudence in Sri Lanka

This book explores the role of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in strengthening civil society’s contribution to public policy-making in Sri Lanka. At its inception, PIL was identified as a key activity of the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), founded on the belief that citizens should have the opportunity to petition the court and highlight substantive […]

Categories: BookDocuments