Outreach Unit activities 2009-2011

 Study of the Eastern Provincial Council – FNST The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) carried out a comprehensive study on the 13th Amendment and power devolution in Sri Lanka, with special reference to the experience of the Eastern Provincial Council. This study analyzes, with quantitative and qualitative illustrations, the legal and constitutional implications of the 13th Amendment and its operation through the Eastern Provincial Council. In addition, the study also presents opinions and perspectives on the functioning of the Eastern Provincial Council gathered from the general public as well from newly elected Provincial Councilors and Officials. This trilingual publication was launched with the participation of Provincial Councilors, Officials, Civil Society Leaders and Academics. Rohan Edrisinha and V.T. Thamilmaran, Senior Lecturers, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo, spoke on this occasion. Publication: Devolution in the Eastern Province: Implementation of the 13th Amendment and Public Perceptions 2008-­‐2010 Asanga Welikala & Lionel Guruge , Centre for Policy Alternatives Launch Date Sept 21st 2010 This study expands on a report published in 2008 on Strengthening the Provincial Council System – Part 1 provides a legal and constitutional analysis of provincial devolution with reference to the Eastern Provincial Council , and Part 2 analyses the views and perspectives of elected officials, bureaucracy and the public of the Province, on their experience of devolution. English, Sinhala and Tamil editions of the publication are available from CPA as well as the respective E Copies A Study to Facilitate Effective Statute formulation in Provincial Councils – FES The aim of this study was to evaluate the current status of statue formulation in the Provincial Councils and increase understanding of the subject among relevant stakeholders. A resource base of all past statutes, draft and planned statutes also resulted from this research exercise. As part of this Study Outreach Unit visited all Provincial Councils and met many of the responsible councilors and officers including Chief Ministers and Chief Secretaries. Discussions series were conducted with key persons involved in the statute drafting process. Some of the topics discussed included challenges faced in attempts at Statute formulation, the possibility of networking with other PCs on this issue of mutual concern and areas which ideally should be addressed through redrafted legislation. Members of Legal Committees of PCs contributed ideas and suggestions regarding the statute drafting process in PCs. One crucial observation was that most of the Provincial Councils cannot function within their given scope largely due to lack of appropriate statutes. Provincial decision makers and relevant provincial State actors in 8 Provincial Councils, (except for the Northern Province) were engaged for discussion of the findings of the proposed study. Of special note was that as a result of this programme, resources and relevant documentation such as statutes, statute making guidelines were exchanged between PCs. Discrepancies between PCs were also highlighted. The Western Provincial Council, for example has drafted over 60 statutes while the Uva Provincial Council had drafted only 30 statutes. The reasons for this situation included the lack of human resources and experienced personnel, negative official attitudes, and the resistance of certain government agencies. A final report was presented at the end of this programme. Study of the Eastern provincial Council, 2009-2010
From late 2009 to mid 2010, Outreach Unit, with the support of the Friedrich Naumann
Foundation (FNF), conducted a Comprehensive study on the thirteenth amendment and power
devolution in Sri Lanka, with special reference to the experience of the newly elected Eastern
Provincial Council. This study analysed, with quantitative & qualitative illustrations, the legal and
the constitutional implications of the thirteenth amendment and its effect as seen in the case of
the Eastern provincial council. In addition the study also presented opinions and perspectives on
the functioning of the provincial council gathered first-hand among the general public as well as
from newly elected provincial councillors and officials in the Eastern provincial council. This study
effectively summarises the unique challenges and complexities of developing and restructuring
the eastern provincial council system within a post - war setting.
150 Government officers working under the Provincial Public Service Commission were
interviewed and 72 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) (24 per District) were carried out by
Outreach for this particular programme. Additionally 30 Provincial Councillors including members
of the Board of Ministers, out of 36 provincial councillors of EPC and key officers of the EPC
including Secretaries of the ministries, were consulted.
At the end of the programme a trilingual publication was produced in two parts
i, Part I, titled Devolution within the Unitary State: A Constitutional Assessment of the
Thirteenth Amendment with reference to the experience in the Eastern Province, by Asanga
Welikala of CPA’s Legal & Constitutional Unit, is a legal and constitutional assessment of the
structural framework of the Thirteenth Amendment and its animating practices through a focus on
the concrete experience of the Eastern Provincial Council. It is a textual consideration of the
applicable laws and constitutional provisions, and their judicial and administrative interpretation
over time, as well as a political appraisal of practices and patterns of behavior of the relevant
institutional actors. This analysis constitutes the basis for certain recommendations for changes in
the statutory framework and administrative practice so as to enhance devolution within the
parameters of the Thirteenth Amendment.
ii, Part II of the study, entitled Assessment of a Newly Elected Council at Work: A Top Line
Survey, is an examination using a combination of survey methods, of perceptions and attitudes
to the structures and practices of devolution on the part of elected and administrative officials of
the Eastern Provincial Council, and the general public of the Eastern Province Respondents were
asked questions on democracy, function of the newly elected provincial council, reconciliation and
the post war situation in addition to questions on provincial councils, land issues and minorities.
The survey was conducted in the districts of Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee .
Rural Education Assistance Programme,2009-­‐2012 The Rural Education Assistant programme was funded by Sahaya Foundation USA, towards assisting in the provision of equitable access to education for some of the poorest children of Sri Lanka, the children of Estate workers in plantation sectors. Administered by its local partner the Centre for Policy Alternatives this programme provides small scale scholarships taking in to account students performance in the face of very difficult circumstances. A number of schools which had been involved with CPA in the previous inter community exchange programme 2006/7 were selected. The Scholarship recipient nominated by the principal and Advanced level teachers on the specific subjects currently followed by students, in each school, were interviewed following which representatives of CPA visited their homes, researched their family back ground, and further assessed their suitability. This programme comprises two phases and continues to 2011. People's Rights of Minority Groups-Newspaper article series
As part of a project implemented with the Minority Rights Group, CPA conducted research into the living
conditions and human rights situation of selected minority groups from diverse regions of the country.
Resulting content fed into a series of 13 articles subsequently published in mainstream Sinhala weekend
newspapers(Sunday Divaina & Lankadeepa).From 22nd July to end of December the Outreach Unit
visited eight different areas including Jaffna and Panama for the purpose of this research . It was the first
time that a series of articles on issues regarding vulnerable /marginalized communities in Sri Lanka was
published in these newspapers which reach a combined audience of more than 8 million readers island wide. Translation of the articles was also initiated to further disseminate this research to CPA’s on line
contacts through a website PeoplesRights.lk. More information obtained in below table
Published articles in National Newspapers
Newspaper & Date Name of Articles
Research Venues & Links to Articles (
of Published
Dates
Sunday
Divaina An article was published titled“The Dambana,Pollebeddha, http://tinyurl.co
Newspaper on 08th unending hunger of our indigenous peoples” and Rathugala areas in m/6k6nfn4
August 2010
(kisi dineka noniwena ape adi waseenge Uva Province
sudaha ginna)
Sunday Lankadeepa An article was published titled “ The Thambuththegama
http://tinyurl.co
th
Newspaper
on15 Thelingu People who lost we life with area in Anuradhapura m/6fqe4hf
August 2010
traveling” (Sancharayua samaga jeewitha District and Aligambe
ahimi u theligu janaya)
area in Ampara District
Sunday Lankadeepa An article was published titled“ The non Nochchiyagama area in http://tinyurl.co
nd
newspaper on 22 Black lives of makers of Black pots” (kalu Anuradhapura District m/44bpcx9
August 2010.
walan hadana kalu nou jeewitha)
Sunday Lankadeepa An article was published titled “Sekkuptiya Kekirawa
area
in http://tinyurl.co
th
Newspaper on 29 wafts the Fragrance of Oil” (thalathel Anuradhapura District m/437djb8
August 2010
suwada hamana sekkupitiya).
Sunday Lankadeepa An article was published titled “Unending Monaragala,Badulla
th
newspaper on 05 hunger of indigenous people of Ceylon” and Ampara Districts
September 2010
(Lankawe adee waseenge noniwena ginna).
http://tinyurl.co
m/3f6g6a9
Sunday Lankadeepa An article published titled “the African Sirambiadi
area
in http://tinyurl.co
th
newspaper on 12 Sinhalese living in Sri Lanka -suffering for Puttlam District
m/3bu5sz2
September 2010
their lost heritage”.
Sunday Lankadeepa An article was published titled “Twice Municipality area in http://tinyurl.co
th
newspaper on 26 Displaced Muslim people from Jaffna” Jaffna District
m/3frg5n8
September 2010
(Deweni wathawatath awaten u yapanayen
aa muslim janathawa ).
Sunday Lankadeepa An article was published titled “Muhudu Vahare
area
in http://tinyurl.co
rd
newspaper on 03 Wedi “People Who Lost Their Mother Batticaloa District
m/3fz353z
0ctober 2010
Tongue” (Mau basa ahimi muhudu wadi
janaya).
Sunday Lankadeepa An article was published titled
Pothuvil – Lahugala http://tinyurl.co
th
Newspaper on 10 “panampaththuwe Sinhala demala Nayo”
area in Ampara
m/3ftqp8n
october 2010
Sunday Lankadeepa An article was published titled “Sampur Muttur
area
th
Newspaper on 17 bimen udura purches wissaka pala kireema” Trincomalee District
October 2010
Sunday Lankadeepa Ranmasu Samaga Kandulu Genena Rata Kurunegala District
th
newspaper on 24 Rakiya
October 2010
in http://tinyurl.co
m/3d56x33
http://tinyurl.co
m/3laf439
Sunday Lankadeepa Dakune Wathu Pasal Walata Nidahas
st
Newspaper on 31 Adyapanaya Ahimida.
October 2010
Matara & Galle Districts
http://tinyurl.co
m/4x5g5le
Sunday lankadeepa Matale Wathu kamkaruwo Kabalen Lipata
th
Newspaper on 07
November 2010
Matale District
http://tinyurl.co
m/3huno5r