Expanded version of the speech of Prof Rajiva Wijesinha
at the BizPact Investment Forum, Public Library Jaffna, January 6th 2010

Let me begin by thanking the Business for Peace Alliance for allowing me to address this third panel of your Investment Forum here in Jaffna. I should note that I feel under somewhat false pretences in talking to you about investment opportunities and operational support, because I am not a businessman, and this is the area of expertise of the Board of Investment, Banks like the Sanasa Bank, the Employers Federation, and other purveyors of prosperity.

However, they have already addressed you, in very positive terms, so let me take a few mom

We are pleased to announce that Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) on Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into selected Housing projects of NHDA at Icelabe watta in Bandarawela DS Division, Badulla district and Nivithigala DS Division, Rathnapura district in Sri Lanka by Implementation of recommendations of Phase I of the Priority Implementation Partnership (PIP-SL) Technical Working Group established by Disaster Management Centre, Ministry of Disaster Management & Human Rights, Government of Sri Lanka.

Housing is a basic need of a people and it should be done consciously in order to provide safe livable envir

Keynote address by
Prof Rajiva Wijesinha
Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights
At the celebration of Human Rights Day
At Jaffna, on December 11th 2009

Let me begin by thanking all of you for being present here today, and in particular the Government Agent for arranging this gathering. I am sorry too that this event takes place one day late, but I had to be in Vavuniya yesterday to celebrate the day there. That seemed particularly important, given that many discussions of Human Rights this year had centred on the situation in Vavuniya. However I am aware that in Jaffna too this i

Keynote address by Prof Rajiva Wijesinha
Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights
At the celebration of Human Rights Day
At Vavuniya, on December 10th 2009

In welcoming you all here today, and thanking the Government Agent for arranging this gathering, I should explain why the Ministry decided to celebrate Human Rights Day so specially in Vavuniya this year. Our work I should note is ongoing, with this month seeing the second draft of the National Action Plan on Human Rights, and the first draft of the Bill of Rights that we commissioned from a group of independent e

The Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights organized an inter-university debate competition for law students. It was held on 7th, 8th December at the Ministry Auditorium at No: 2, Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo 7. Students representing the Open University of Sri Lanka, University of Colombo and the University of Jaffna participated to this event.

The themes were The judgments of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka guarantee the right to life in Sri Lanka For Sinhala Medium and Fundamental Rights should be supreme when there is a conflict between a r