Below is a copy of our 2019/2020 Winter Appeal:
Dear Friend,
2019 was a mixed bag at the Sri Lanka Campaign. On the one hand, it was a year which saw some significant achievements and breakthroughs:
- In the spring, our advocacy work helped secure a new resolution at the UN Human Rights Council, keeping the government of Sri Lanka’s promises to deal with the legacy of the civil war firmly in the international spotlight.
- Over the summer, we campaigned on behalf of a jailed Sri Lankan writer, leading to his release on bail after 100 days in police detention.
- And in the autumn, our long-running efforts highlighting the failure to root out human rights abusers from the Sri Lankan military were rewarded when the UN announced a ban on the deployment of non-essential Sri Lankan Peacekeepers.
As ever, none of these things would have been possible without the hard work of many unsung colleagues and human rights defenders working on the ground in Sri Lanka – or without the support of people like you.
Yet despite these victories, it’s impossible to ignore the chill that is once again unfolding across Sri Lanka this winter following the return to power of the Rajapaksas. While it is still early days, recent moves by the incoming regime suggest that there will be big challenges ahead to preserve democratic space on the island, to protect human rights defenders and minorities from harm, and to advance justice for the tens of thousands of Tamils who were killed or disappeared at the hands of their government during the final stages of the civil war in 2009.
That is why we need your support more than ever. Please consider making a donation to the Sri Lanka Campaign today to help us defend the progress that we’ve made together – and to enable us to continue to fight for a sustainable peace in Sri Lanka based on justice and human rights. Whatever you can afford to give, it is much needed and much appreciated. And as a small organisation, you can give in the knowledge that your support really will make the difference.
Thank you so much,
The Sri Lanka Campaign Team
P.S. did you know:
- A donation of just £20 would enable us to put copies of our latest report outlining the demands of Tamil war survivors into the hands of dozens of diplomats.
- £50 would cover the cost of software allowing us to talk securely with human rights defenders in Sri Lanka for a whole year.
- £250 would allow us to send a member of our team to Geneva or Brussels to advocate on behalf of the victims of human rights violations.
P.P.S. we know it’s not for everyone, but if you plan on doing any last-minute shopping at Amazon this Christmas, please consider doing it via this link. 5% on anything you spend once you’ve clicked through will go as a donation to the Sri Lanka Campaign – without costing you a penny extra! Why not add the link as one of your bookmarks for use in the future?