News

A proper functioning of the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) process was established to address long term grievances of the families of the disappeared. Unfortunately, this has been a disappointing process for many even after the establishment of the OMP in 2017 as part of the government’s commitment to the UN Human Rights Council to a transitional justice process for national reconciliation.

A training programme was conducted for 35 participants in Dehiowita on civic rights under NPC’s Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) project. In the aftermath of the economic crisis and rise of the protest movement, issues of civic space and freedom of association have become major challenges.

A training programme on Non Violent Communication (NVC) was carried out for 52 Local Inter Religious Committee (LIRC) members of the Bandarawela LIRC under NPC’s Action for Religious Coexistence (ARC) project. By enhancing NVC skills it is expected that these community leaders will use the knowledge gained to mediate and solve existing issues in their areas.

NPC is supporting four selected state universities to capacitate frontline government officers to ensure delivery of non-discriminatory and inclusive service with funding support by Freedom House. Sabaragamuwa University and Eastern University commenced the academic activities of the Advanced Certificate Course in Inclusive Service Delivery for Sustainable Peace with government officials from the state’s management service, excise, national integration and village level Grama Niladari officers and development officers.

A food relief distribution programme was implemented by NPC under the National Language Equality Advancement Project (NLEAP) that was supported by Alinea International with the funds from the government of Canada.

Two conferences for 60 religious leaders, civil society representatives and journalists in the North Central Province and the Uva Province were held in Habarana and Monaragala under NPC’s Plural Action for Conflict Transformation (PACT) project.

To tackle potential religious conflicts during the upcoming local government elections, NPC’s Action for Religious Co-existence (ARC) project organized advocacy campaigns targeting Local Inter Religious Committee (LIRC) members and candidates who are competing in the election. Eight campaigns have been carried out with the participation of 166 LIRC members and 177 election candidates in Trincomalee, Beruwela, Batticaloa, Mawanella, Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara and Bandarawela.

Sabaragamuwa University commenced academic activities of the Advanced Certificate Course on sustainable peace through pluralism and inclusive service delivery, becoming the first of the four
universities where the course will be taught to do so. The course, funded by Freedom House, will deliver conceptual knowledge as well as work related methodologies to the frontline government officers so that they could provide a better service to the public who receive these services. The course content covers inclusive service delivery, nonviolent communication for service delivery, service delivery in a plural society, frontline service delivery and field practicum.

A progress review meeting was conducted for NPC’s partner organizations and DIRC coordinators under the Plural Action for Conflict Transformation (PACT) project. Discussions on the economic
crisis and the outlook for the future were facilitated by Chief Executive Officer of Advocata Dhananath Fernando and Export Development Board Chairman Suresh de Mel. Participants were shown ways to improve the local economy and how to find resources for growth.

An event was organized to appreciate the work of Ms. Kesuma Saddak, programme officer of Misereor, in upholding of human rights and fostering of inter-ethnic and inter-religious reconciliation and for her support for NPC.

NPC conducted a training of trainers workshop under its Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) project for 73 master trainers and 12 district coordinators in Colombo on protecting civic space focusing on
freedom of association for participants from Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala, Kandy, Kalutara, Badulla, Batticaloa, Monaragala, Matara, Ratnapura, Jaffna and Kegalle.

A book by NPC chairman Dr. Joe William on The Peace Process in Sri Lanka after the Ceasefire Agreement from 2002-2008: Systemic Conflict Transformation and its Application to the Peace
Process in Sri Lanka was launched in Colombo. The book analyses the successes and the failures of the peace process and the lessons learnt through the lens of systemic conflict transformation theory.

The book by NPC chairman Dr. Joe William entitled The Peace Process In Sri Lanka After The Ceasefire Agreement From 2002-2008: Systemic and its Application to the Peace Process in Sri
Lanka is about applying a specific conflict resolution theory, Systemic Conflict Transformation (SCT), an assessment of the background to the conflict since independence and the difficulties
encountered by the Norwegian-sponsored peace process from 2002 to 2008.

A three day exchange visit was organized under NPC’s Action for Religious Coexistence (ARC) project for 114 Local Inter Religious Committees (LIRCs) members in Rakwana, Batticaloa and Addalachchenai to facilitate understanding through experience sharing and interaction.

The inauguration ceremony of the course on inclusive service delivery for sustainable peace at the University of Sabaragamuwa was conducted with the participation of academic staff, students and NPC members. Last month the same course began at the Eastern University in Batticaloa.

NPC was awarded a certificate of appreciation for training senior government officials on pluralism and fundamental rights in the Galle District. The concept and importance of pluralism was discussed at workshops attended by senior governmnt officials. Another workshop was also conducted for staff of the District Secretariat under the Plural Action for Conflict Transformation (PACT) project.