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(This article is published on the occasion of the retirement of the Chief Justice, Sarath Nanda Silva’s, who is due to leave office on the 7th June. The article examines the fundamental failure of the system of justice in Sri Lanka and the responsibilities for this situation. The article is based on the assumption that […]

Basil Fernando Sri Lanka’s justice system, legal profession and media are all under peril says a report published this week by the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute(IBAHRI). The report is entitled, Justice in Retreat: A report on the independence of the legal profession and the rule of law in Sri Lanka. This expression of concern […]

Basil Fernando 80 persons have died of dengue fever recently. Over 5,000 people are infected and there are fears that of further spread of the virus. The president has asked the authorities to pay more attention to the issue. Diseases happen in all societies. However, the way diseases are dealt with depends on the efficiency […]

This paper was presented to a conference organized by the World Council of Churches held in Bangalore India in April 2009 on Peace, Security and Development in South Asia. As a background to this paper I would like to place a few considerations that may be useful in discussing the subject. A few such considerations […]

Jesus answered, ¡§Truly, I say to you, you look for me, not because you have seen through the signs, but because you ate bread and were satisfied. Work then, not for perishable food, but for the lasting food which gives eternal life. The Son of Man will give it to you, for he is the […]

Basil Fernando B.R. Ambedkar was a man whose work unraveled the unique nature of the master-servant relationship in South Asia. Today is the anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar’s birth. Born to the family of an untouchable on April 14th 1891, Dr. Ambedkar was destined to reveal the central mystery of the South Asian social relationship which, […]

Basil Fernando (This article is a comment on the Interim Report of the Select Committee of Parliament for investigation of the Operations of Non-Governmental Organizations and their Impact, which was presented to parliament on December 8, 2008)  The purported aim of the committee and its report is to prevent the abuse of funds by non-governmental […]

Basil Fernando  (This is the sixth part of an article which is a comment on the Interim Report of the Select Committee of Parliament for investigation of the Operations of ‘non-governmental’ Organizations and their Impact, which was presented to parliament on December 8, 2008). On double registration, censorship and surveillance  The Interim Report proposes that […]

Basil Fernando (This is the fourth and fifth part of an article which is a comment on the Interim Report of the Select Committee of Parliament for investigation of the Operations of ‘non-governmental’ Organizations and their Impact, which was presented to parliament on December 8, 2008).  Part four – Manipulation of language, part five – […]

Basil Fernando  (This is the third part of an article which is a comment on the Interim Report of the Select Committee of Parliament for investigation of the Operations of ‘non-governmental’ Organizations and their Impact, which was presented to parliament on December 8, 2008)  Early Buddhist and Jainist movements as belonging to “non-governmental” In this […]

Basil Fernando (This is the second part of an article which is a comment on the Interim Report of the Select Committee of Parliament for investigation of the Operations of Non-Governmental Organizations and their Impact, which was presented to parliament on December 8, 2008) About origins In this part of the article we will discuss […]

Basil Fernando (This is the first part of an article which is a comment on the Interim Report of the Select Committee of Parliament for investigation of the Operations of Non-Governmental Organizations and their Impact, which was presented to parliament on December 8, 2008)  The purported aim of the committee and its report is to […]

The celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the UDHR is a grim reminder that even after 60 years of the adoption of this great declaration the gap between what is declared and what is actually achieved by way of the improvement of the protection of the rights of the people is enormous. Both in the […]

We assembled jurists, lawyers and legal academics from throughout Asia gathered in Hong Kong on 17-21 November 2008 for the Fourth Regional Consultation on an Asian Charter for the Rule of Law call for the following steps to address the dire state of the rule of law and human rights in Bangladesh:  1. Establishing the […]

We assembled jurists, lawyers and legal academics from throughout Asia gathered in Hong Kong on 17-21 November 2008 for the Fourth Regional Consultation on an Asian Charter for the Rule of Law express our grave concern at the systemic failure of . From the discussions concerning the criminal justice system in India it was implicit […]

We assembled jurists, lawyers and legal academics from throughout Asia gathered in Hong Kong on 17-21 November 2008 for the Fourth Regional Consultation on an Asian Charter for the Rule of Law note with serious concern the attacks on lawyers engaged in human rights work, victims of human rights abuse, journalists and others attempting to […]

FOR PUBLICATION  AHRC-ART-036-2008  November 24, 2008 A Resolution by the Asian Human Rights Commission PAKISTAN: Resolution of the Fourth Regional Consultation on an Asian Charter for the Rule of Law in support of the lawyers’ movement in Pakistan We assembled jurists, lawyers and legal academics from throughout Asia gathered in Hong Kong on 17-21 November […]

FOR PUBLICATION  AHRC-ART-036-2008  November 24, 2008 A Resolution by the Asian Human Rights Commission PAKISTAN: Resolution of the Fourth Regional Consultation on an Asian Charter for the Rule of Law in support of the lawyers’ movement in Pakistan We assembled jurists, lawyers and legal academics from throughout Asia gathered in Hong Kong on 17-21 November […]

We assembled jurists, lawyers and legal academics from throughout Asia gathered in Hong Kong on 17-21 November 2008 for the Fourth Regional Consultation on an Asian Charter for the Rule of Law, are alarmed at the worsening conditions for lawyers in Burma (Myanmar). We wish to draw particular attention to the case of two Supreme […]

Muneer A. Malik   Published by Pakistan Law House A book on one of the most amazing movements in the defense of democracy, rule of law and human rights to emerge in recent times is the Pakistan Lawyer’s Movement. This is one of the rarest movements that has successfully challenged a military dictatorship while at […]