Freddy Gamage
Freddy Gamage is Editor of the regional news publication Meepuraa and Chairman of the Professional Web Journalists Association, which inter alia, is actively involved in the promotion of human rights in Sri Lanka. He is convenor of the Action Committee for Media Freedom, a platform of journalist organisations from the northern, eastern and southern parts of the country. In the recent past, he has been actively investigating corruption in the Negombo Municipal Council. In particular, he has been working on a corruption case which involved Mr Dayan Lanza, the Deputy Mayor of Negombo, and his relatives.
The situation of Human Rights Defenders has significantly improved recently. With the changes in the political spectrum, first through Presidential election in January and then the parliamentary election in August 2015 has greatly changed the landscape for HRDs in Sri Lanka. The previous years saw large scale repression of dissent and HRDs are hoping for a sustainable change with cautious mind.
Despite the end of the protracted armed conflict with the Tamil Tigers in 2009, strict security laws are in force, and the situation for human rights defenders in Sri Lanka remained critical. HRDs seeking accountability for violations committed by both parties to the conflict, as well as HRDs fighting against corruption, enforced disappearances or defending environmental rights face serious risks, including death threats, smear campaigns, judicial harassment, torture, enforced disappearance and killing.
