Page 1
A ternatives l
Official Newsquarterly of the Centre f
I NSIDE
New on the Board..............Pg2
INTERN
of DIMEN the
Opinion...............................Pg 2
Pea Kethesh in New
Delhi................................Pg 2
Unit in Focus......................Pg 3
In the Press.........................Pg 3 Media Book
Launch............................pg 3 National Journalists
Charter..........................Pg 3 Calander of Events............Pg 4
Latest Publications...........Pg 4
Aug 8th CPA raised preliminary objections on the composition of the Supreme Court Bench which is to give an opinion on the date of the Presidential election. These were based on the ground that the Chief Justice was involved in many of the disputed facts that were at issue in the case such as the fact that he had administered the oath to
President Chandrika Kumaratunga in December 1999.
CPA however had no objections to the President’s decision to consult the Supreme Court on the date of the Presidential election as there were issues that need to be resolved and CPA felt that the constitutional interpretations were there to support the arguments of both the UNP and the President respectively
more at http://www.cpalanka.org/research_papers/ Presidential_Election_Date.doc & http:// www.dailymirror.lk/2005/08/04/front/01.asp
No 24/2, 28th Lane - Off Flower Rd, Colombo 7 Sri Lanka Vol 3 Issue 3 (July-Sept 2005) 04 Pages - Issued Free
CPA held a conference on International Dimensions of the Sri Lankan Peace Process from July 8
th
–9
th .Resource persons included Teressita Schaffer of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Washington D.C, (Former US Ambassador to Sri Lanka),Lt.Gen Raghavan, Director of the Delhi Policy Group and John Darby, Professor of Comparative Ethnic Studies at the Kroc Institute in the University of Notre Dame, and Director of the Research
Clockw Schaffer,P CPA CONDEMNS THE
Lt Gen Rag
ASSASINTION OF HON LAKSHMAN KADIRGAMAR http://www.cpalanka.org/
Initiative More in research_p and http:
Press_Release_Lakshman_Kadirgamar.html CPA files objection
Public Interest
Litigation
entity represen almost e the lowe higher d women undemo lackadai to incre continue field.
Social I depth qu the Nati from Ms

A ternatives l
arterly of the Centre for Policy Alternatives, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
rence on ensions n Peace y 8 –9
th ersons Schaffer trategic
INTERNATIONAL of DIMENSIONS
the
Sri Lankan Peace Process
Studies, (Former to Sri ghavan, lhi Policy Darby, parative the Kroc niversity e, and esearch
Clockwise:Teressita Schaffer,Prof John Darby, & E
Lt Gen Raghavan
KSHMAN
Initiative for the Resolution of Ethnic Conflict (RIREC) More info available at http://www.cpalanka.org/ research_papers/International_Dimensions_Jayadeva_Uyangoda.doc and http://www.island.lk/2005/07/11/news1.html
bjection
www.cpalanka.org
r.html
the ich is ential hat the sputed
the
ember
sult dential
e
nt
The majority of women within political parties have had to accept a role of unheard and unseen representatives without much say. In other words, they remain an invisible entity within these parties, even as elected representatives. Although the major parties have an almost equal proportion of active men and women at the lower levels i.e. district and village levels, at the higher decision making level the representation of women is abysmal. It can be stated that due to the undemocratic nature of political parties and the lackadaisical attitude adopted by them with regard to increasing the representation of women, women continue to remain as the underdogs in the political field.
Social Indicator has therefore embarked on an in- depth qualitative study with financial assistance from the National Peace Council and technical assistance from Ms.Chulani Kodikara and Ms. Kumudini Samuel,
Women & Politics
in Sri Lanka
(>>Page 3)

Page 2
l A ternatives
July-Sept 2005 CONTACTING CPA Web http://www.cpalanka.org email cpa@cpalanka.org Overall Coordinator of CPA Units: Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Executive Director
E-mail: cpa_sara@sri.lanka.net
Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV)
E-mail: cmev@cpalanka.org
Legal Unit Contact Person Rohan Edrisinha
E-mail: cpalegal@diamond.lanka.net
Media Unit Contact Person Sunanda Deshapriya E-mail: media@cpalanka.org
Peace and Conflict Analysis Unit Contact Person Kethesh Loganathan E-mail: peace@cpalanka.org
Polling Unit Contact Person Pradeep Peiris E-mail: cpapoll@diamond.lanka.net
Translation Unit Contact Person Gananathan Sivajothy E-mail: vibhasha@cpalanka.org Our Address 24/2, 28th Lane, Off Flower Road Colombo 7 Sri Lanka Tel: 94-11-2565304-6 Fax: 94-4714460
Attorney at Law, Ahmad Javid Yusuf, former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and principal of Zahira College and currently Co Chairman of National Peace Council joined CPA's Board of Directors July 2005
New On the Board..
Official Newsquarterly of the Centre for P
Dr Saravanamuttu presented the stu on the Asia Pacific Region at the UN International Parliamentary Union Glob Study Group Meeting on strengtheni the role of Parliaments in Confl Situations at the IPU, Maison D Parliaments, Geneva 20th –22th July CPA was also commissioned by the UN to write the Sri Lanka case Study for t Regional meeting in Colombo in Jun This case study was written by Saravanamuttu and Asan Welikala. Chatura Randeniya and Lionel Guruge assisted in the research for both studies.
Mirak Raheem of CPA's Peace and Con Analysis Unit, presented a paper on impact of the Tsunami on the Sri Lan Peace Process at a conference on “Polit and Economic Risks for Sustaina Reconstruction in the Tsunami Affec Areas” organized by Fredrich Ebert Stift in Chennai Sept 18th -20th . Participa from the tsunami affected countries of In Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia, atten the conference.
Sept 15th-17th Nishantha Hewavithana Annual Conference of World Associatio held in Cannes, France. Staff Changes at CPA
Varthani Sivathamby who has a Masters Degree in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University , New Delhi,joined Social Indicator as a Research Executive.
Nadie Kamallaweera,a graduate in International Relations (University of Colombo) who is currently reading for a Post Graduate Diploma in Women’s Studies offered by the Faculty of Graduate Studies, joined the Media Unit as a Researcher
Rathini Selvanayagam, joined Social Indicator as a Research Executive. She has worked previously with the CPA and took time off to complete her
Le LLB(University of London)
New Faces...

2 terly of the Centre for Policy Alternatives, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Bhavani Fonseka and Chatura Randeniya of CPA’s Legal Unit visited Indonesia 28th-31st August, as part of a study of the law making presented the study
process sponsored by The Asia Foundation. Region at the UNDP
They met with PSHK, an Indonesian NGO mentary Union Global
working on the law-making process of that ing on strengthening
country and the Indonesian Legal Aid iaments in Conflict
Foundation, the Secretariat of the Indonesian e IPU, Maison Des
NGO Coalition on Participatory Policy-Making va 20th –22th July .
Process. They also had discussions with NGOs issioned by the UNDP
on post-tsunami law-related issues, and a ka case Study for the
meeting with the World Bank ‘Justice for the in Colombo in June.
Poor’ project. was written by Dr and Asanga
Kethesh Loganathan,Head, Peace and Conflict Analysis Unit, hatura
attended the conference on Lionel
“Finding Common Ground: in the studies.
India’s Global Peacemaking Interests” organized by the Delhi Policy Group and the European Union,Sept 1st - 2nd, New Delhi. A's Peace and Conflict nted a paper on the mi on the Sri Lankan onference on “Political ks for Sustainable
Following opening remarks by Ms Meera Shankar,of India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the sessions covered the themes of Changing Approaches to Peacemaking after the Cold War and 9/11; India, the EU and UN: Cooperation and Reform; The Sudan he Tsunami Affected
Peace Process; and Neighborhood Dialogues Fredrich Ebert Stiftung
covering Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. -20th . Participants
Also participating in the conference was a cted countries of India, nd Indonesia, attended
high level delegation from Sudan including Minister Gama Hassan as well as the Kenyan Special Envoy to the Sudan Peace Process, General Lazaro Sumbeiywo.
antha Hewavithana represented the CPA/Social Indicator at the 58th f World Association of Public Opinion Research (WAPOR) which was ce. ges at CPA Faces...
mby ters logy arlal ity , ined as a tive.
ie Kamallaweera,a
uate in rnational Relations versity of Colombo)
is currently ing for a Post uate Diploma in en’s Studies aculty of Graduate he Media Unit as a
nayagam, ator as a tive. She usly with k time off plete her f London)
Left CPA...
Rajaratnam Ramanan of SI
A.R.M Inthizar, who is a part qualified CIMA student currently studying for a MCSD joined Translation Unit as a Research Assistant.
Sivakadacham Dharini, from Batticoloa, who is a second year Sociology student at the Open University and worked previously for Sarvodaya, the Suriya Womens Develeopment Centre and CORDAID, joined the Media Unit as a Researcher.
Shenuka Goonetilleke joined Social Indicator as a Research Assistant. She is currently studying for the final year of a BSc Economics(University of London)

Page 3
A l
ternatives July -Sept 2005
Official Newsquarterly of the Centre for P
Under the OTI funded Inter- University Debate Series Project, the first set of debates on Democracy and the Future of Sri Lanka was held at a three day residential workshop,23rd- 25th,Sept in Kandy. Approximately 100 Students from universities around the Island participated.
The project aims to provide a forum for the exchange of views of youth from across the country who are specialising in the disciplines of Political Science, Sociology, Philosophy and Mass Communications, on an overall theme of Democracy and the Future of Sri Lanka.
In the Media...
In keeping with CPA’ organizational objectives of a “peace culture” this Debat
seen as an opportunit
Unit in Focus
meeting of exchange At sessions, participating stude given subject titles for thesi
required The mo these ar publishe compilat end of t The Inter-University was Dr S. Keethaponcalan, a Guruge of CPA co-ordinated project.
assassination of the foreign minister, are available at the respective websites. "Fast forward to an election" and “Reviewing the CFA” were among the weekly articles submitted by Dr Saravanamuttu to the Insight Section of the Morning Leader and Daily Mirror’s interview with Rohan Edrisinha, Director Legal Unit was published in its “Justice” Section under the title “Bizarre Constitutional Crisis” on 6th August http://www.dailymirror.lk/inside/ justice/050806.asp
.
PEACE OUTREACH
Interviews by ABC Radio and Radio Netherlands ,with Dr P Saravanamuttu regarding the Peace Process after the
Mike Dobbi of IFJ, M Saravanamuttu of CPA Rita Manchanda of SA
The 19th wave of Social Indicators public opinion survey, “ Peace Confidence Index was released in June 2005,and was given substantial media coverage in July in among other media, The Island newspaper (http:// www.island.lk/2005/07/24/news4.html). One of the study’s main aims is to develop a numerical gauge of the level of public confidence in the peace process using a set of standardized questions. The survey was conducted in all government- controlled areas of the country’s 22 districts and used a structured questionnaire administered through face-to-face interviews among 1,800 randomly selected people.
National Journa
Charter...
The Media Unit of th a Conference of Na Development Ce democratic and p professional rights A charter enshrin Federation of Med

3 rterly of the Centre for Policy Alternatives, Colombo, Sri Lanka
e ...
keeping with CPA’s ional objectives of promotion of culture” this Debate Series was
seen as an excellent opportunity for a
cus
meeting of minds and exchange of ideas.
At the end of participating students were ject titles for thesis they are
required to prepare. The most notable of REACH
these are to be published in a final compilation at the end of the Project. e Inter-University Co-ordinator . Keethaponcalan, and Lionel f CPA co-ordinated the overall
Tamil Media Alliance, Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum and the Free Media Movement.
Approximately fourty Provincial journalists organizations also contributed to the creation of this charter and unanimously
a
Mike Dobbi of IFJ, Matt Abud of Internews, Dr P Saravanamuttu of CPA, Christopher Warren of IFJ Rita Manchanda of SAFHR and Jonathan Wheatcroft agreed to
,
strengthen these of CIDA
values.
f
t-
...Women& Politics cont from pg 1 to examine the role of women at present, within the political parties in Sri Lanka. Due to time restrictions and financial constraints, SI has limited the study to five political parties namely UNP, SLFP, JVP, TNA and SLMC. Interviews have been conducted with party secretaries, women who hold positions at national, provincial and local level politics and are actively involved in politics. At present, SI is in the report writing stage which is due to be released in National Journalists'
November.
Charter...
The Media Unit of the Centre For Policy Alternatives facilitated a Conference of National Journalists, 9th– 11th Sept at Human Development Centre, Tholangamuwa, in support of a democratic and pluralist media culture and social and professional rights for media and journalism in Sri Lanka. A charter enshrining these values was drawn up by the Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions, Sri Lanka
CPA launched two publications in on 23rd August: Assessment of the Media Situation of the South (with IMS) and the Handbook on Safety for Journalists (with UNESCO).
Working Journalists Association, Sri Lanka

Page 4
A l
ternatives July-Sept 2005
Official Newsquarterly of the Centre for P
C
alender of Events
Network P For more updates on latest and upcoming CPA events, visit
attended http://www.cpalanka.org/calendar_events.html
August2 July
Randeniya
8th – 9th A two-day closed door conference on the International Dimensions of the Sri Lankan Peace
part of a by The A
Process on the role and impact of the international community in the current peace process, conduceted by CPA in Colombo. 19th, a consultation on post-tsunami children’s issues at SLFI, Colombo.
August
Sept 1 Conflict A “Finding Peacema Group an
1st-5th CPA conducted a “Training of Trainers Workshop” to instruct 25 Trainers under the OTI supported programme on Awareness Raising Workshops on Federalism which aims to improve understanding of the concept among the local
Sept 15 the Centr the 58 A Public Op Cannes,
communities.
6th CPA along with the International Center for Transitional Justice and the Law and Society Trust, organized a Workshop titled “Human Rights Agendas of Victims of Political Violence and Victims of the Tsunami: Intersections, Divergences and Future Paths”
23rd CPA launched two publications in August: Assessment of the Media Situation of the South (with IMS) and the Handbook on Safety for Journalists (with UNESCO).
26th - 27th As part of the Civil Society and Media “Voices of Reconciliation” Project supported by IMPACS, CPA hosted a workshop on Effective Newsletter Production, conducted for the Communications and Media Relations Officers of selected civil society and community based organizations.
September
9th –11th Conference of National Journalists, 9th – 11th September at Human Development Centre, Tholangamuwa, facilitated by the Media Unit.
23rd –25th The first of the Inter- University Debate Series on Democracy and the Future for students of Political Science was held in Kandy. Approximately 100 Students from 12 universities from around the Island participated along with their lecturers.
EVENTS ATTENDED
20-22ndJuly : Dr Saravanamuttu presented the study on the Asia Pacific Region at the UNDP International Parliamentary Union Global Study Group Meeting on strengthening the role of Parliaments in Conflict Situations at the IPU, Maison Des Parliaments, Geneva
August 2nd Sriyanie Wijesundera of Peace Unit, delivered a lecture on “How to Prepare a National Work Plan for the Democratic Youth Leadership
This free newsletter is published by the Centre for Policy Alternatives, No
C
(Contents re-publishe
The rep availab PCI_19

4 terly of the Centre for Policy Alternatives, Colombo, Sri Lanka
ents
EVENTS ATTENDED cont...
Network Programme (DYLP)” at SLFI. This was ts, visit
attended by around 75 DYLP Youth representatives. l
August28th- 31st Bhavani Fonseka and Chatura Randeniya of CPA’s Legal Unit visited Indonesia as
the Peace
part of a study of the law making process sponsored by The Asia Foundation
tional
Sept 1st - 2nd Kethesh Loganathan,Head, Peace and Conflict Analysis Unit, attended the conference on
’s
“Finding Common Ground: India’s Global Peacemaking Interests” organized by the Delhi Policy ust
Group and the European Union, New Delhi. Sept 15th-17th Nishantha Hewavithana represented
TI g prove l
the Centre for Policy Alternatives-Social Indicator at the 58th Annual Conference of World Association of Public Opinion Research (WAPOR) which was held in Cannes, France.
or Trust,
:
(with s
dia y
of
ber
, 9th – tre,
bate ents
ties h their
D
e Asia entary ing the e IPU,
it, nal
Compiled by Chandrika Gadiewasam
chandrika@cpalanka.org (Contents of this newsletter may be reproduced and/or re-published with due accreditation to 'Alternatives-CPA')
icy Alternatives, No 24/2, 28th Lane-Off Flower Road, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka.
LATEST PUBLICATIONS
Tamil translation of “Safety for Journalists”
The report of the 19th wave of the Peace Confidence Index is available at http://www.cpalanka.org/research_papers/ PCI_19_topline_results.pdf
Tsunami PrathiSangskarana Vikalpa Yojana(Proposals for Reconsturction in Post Tsunami Rehabilitation)
A Study of the Media in Sri Lanka
A quarterly newsletter on IDPs published with CHA and HRC’s IDP Unit.
On the Road to Peace - a report on a study on Conflict Reporting -a pamphlet on Conflict Reporting based on key findings of the study is also available