K.A. Subramaniam Memorial Lecture on 9 December 1990 : ' Recent Trends in Human Rights' by D. W. Abayakoon, President of Lawyers for Human Rights in Development

Lawyers of Human Rights and Development is a non-profit organisation based in Colombo, Sri Lanka which represents the grieves of the people in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka in the form of Fundamental Rights petitions and conduct legal awareness programs through out the country.

In the past the organisation, had been instrumental in the development of justice for women and access to legal protection for women.

Some major names of Human Rights Activists of Sri Lanka had their roots of Association with LHRD and it still serves as a training unit for young legal professionals in the field of pubic interest litigation.

In its activity of three decades from mid 1980’s to 2016 it had partnered with almost all major international organisations established for the promotion of human rights as well as the Ministry of Justice of Sri Lanka.

HOW LHRD CAME INTO BEING

The Lawyers for Human Rights and Development (LHRD) came into being at a time:

• when thousands of workers, thrown out of their jobs following the July 1980 General Strike, were demanding their jobs back;
• when thousands of farmers were being prosecuted and sent to jail for their inability to pay the newly introduced water tax for irrigation water;
• when thousands of farmers were being evicted from their lands and land thus recovered being given to foreign multi-national companies for sugarcane cultivation in Moneragala District;
• when hundreds of poor fishermen were losing their livelihood due to the introduction of trawlers in the shallow coastal waters.

The initiative for founding the LHRD was taken in 1985 by a group of social activists involved in protecting the rights of workers, peasants and fishermen affected by the development activities of the Government.

• The idea of setting up a People’s Chamber where people affected by development activities can seek relief emerged at a casual meeting of three persons – Upali Magederagamage, the Coordinator of National Development Foundation, D. W. Appuhamy, the General Secretary of All Lanka Peasants Congress and Kalyananda Tiranagama, a Lawyer with long term involvement in social justice issues.
• Kalyananda Tiranagama was entrusted to contact lawyers agreeable with the idea. B. Sri Skanthadas, another social justice lawyer who later migrated to Australia, assisted Tiranagama in identifying a group of lawyers with a sense of social justice. M. Jaufer A. Hassen supported the idea and preliminary meetings were held in his office at Lawyers’ Complex, Hulfsdorp. V. C. B. Unantenne helped in drafting the LHRD Constitution. Senior Counsel Mr. R. K. W. Goonesekere and Mr. T. W. Rajaratnam, retired Supreme Court Judge backed the initiative.

The LHRD was founded at the inaugural meeting held on June 14, 1986 at the Organization of Professional Associations (OPA) and presided over by Mr. R. K. W. Goonesekere. Mr. T. W. Rajaratnam participated as a guest speaker.

• LHRD was originally known as Lawyers for Human Rights in Development with its primary focus, in the early stages, to assist groups of people affected by development.
• D. W. Abeykoon, a senior lawyer who was later appointed a President’s Counsel was elected the founder President, Kalyananda Tiranagama, General Secretary and M. Jaufer A. Hassen the Treasurer.