Features
The Charmed Life of a Genius Priest

Ignatius of Colombo
By Avishka Mario Senewiratne
avishkamario@gmail.com
Talent, passion and humility are virtues hard to emulate and seldom found are those who are blessed with all three. Fr. Ignatius Perera of revered memory, was one such individual born on this palm-fringed island. Some remember him as the Radio Priest. Some recall his prowess in training choirs as well as his concerts. But those who were truly touched by his generosity were those without hope when they dropped out of school not knowing what to do next. He clothed and fed them as well as educated them, giving them the life they deserved. When he suddenly passed away in January 1981, The Catholic Messenger said the following:
“The fascinating personality of Fr. Ignatius should be the subject of serious study by those concerned with the training of pastors…Born into a family of musicians, and schooled in the classics, Fr. Ignatius became an engineer by option, because he had a knack for it, and saw the need for it.”
Whether the life of Fr. Ignatius was studied is doubtful, but his memory has not faded from the minds of those who were inspired by his life and work. Born on October 30, 1915, in the coastal township of Periyamulla, in Negombo, dubbed ‘Little Rome’, Alphonsus Narcissus Ignatius Perera was born to a family of musicians. His father was Louis Perera and his mother, Egistina Catherine Fernando. His elder brother, Francis would be a priest as well as a Choral Director. While receiving his early education at St. Mary’s College, Negombo, young Ignatius received the calling to be a priest. His brother’s influence may also have had something to do with his decision.
The superiors of young Ignatius, such as the seminary Rector, Fr. Edmund Pieris OMI, communicated his brilliant academic record as well as his prowess in music to Fr. Maurice Le Goc OMI, the Rector of St. Joseph’s College at that time. Fr. Le Goc was highly impressed and immediately recruited him to St. Joseph’s. Young Ignatius was known to invent all sorts of creative things in his early days. The scientist priest (now forgotten), Fr. Gregory Goonawardena, played a big role in Ignatius’ early days. Upon completing his school education, he received the opportunity to study in Rome for his priesthood. The subsequent years in Europe would be a roller-coaster ride for the young man as war intervened in his formation as a priest. However, the delay entering the priesthood was one of the best things that would happen for Fr. Ignatius.
The colourful days in Rome
The young seminarian was an outstanding student and well-read in the classics. He mastered several Western languages and spoke fluent Italian. Apart from his theological and philosophical studies, Ignatius read for an Honour’s Degree in Classics. Soon after, he got to experiment with two other skills he had not developed in Ceylon. It is unusual that a person could balance sacred music and radio.
Yet, this was the niche Ignatius Pera filled along with his passion for classics. It was through sheer hard work and self-study that he mastered electronics. He truly had a knack for it and doing repairs along with other work brought him great satisfaction in the then Fascist-ruled Italy. However, there were periods where he spent too much time on radios and less on classics flunking some of his exams! The young seminarian’s skills became well-known in the days to come.
On one occasion just 10 minutes before a transmission was to begin, the Vatican Radio broke down. During this time Giulio Marconi, son of Guglielmo Marconi, who was in charge of Vatican Radio rang young Ignatius to come and help. Within no time, the transmission was active and the radio worked as if new. It is also said that Ignatius was called multiple times by a priest called Fr. Giovanni Montini for repair work. This priest would later be Pope Paul VI.
Another interesting anecdote on Fr. Ignatius was when he was in charge of the BTH Super 35mm Arc projector in the auditorium of Propaganda College. He found an ingenious way of modifying the projector motor feed. Thanks to Ignatius, those at Propaganda had the good fortune of watching 35mm feature films, a facility which many others did not enjoy then. He was assisted in the projection room by a German priest and the future Rector of SJC and SPC, Fr. Mervyn Weerakkody.
While Ignatius was running the projector one day, he had to urgently run to the washroom. That day there were no assistants. Unexpectedly, a fire broke out in the projection cubicle, damaging both the films and the projector. However, Ignatius’ magical hands were able to rewind the burnt transformer and repair the projector.
One day the Vatican grounds were full of aero-buffs who had come to fly their model planes. Ignatius found a way of hacking the frequencies of these model aircraft and directed the planes as he wished taking control of the flying machines from their hapless controllers on the ground. There certainly was pandemonium in the Vatican on that eventful day!
After his formation ended, he amassed a lot of free time. This he utilized usefully by learning Sacred Music at the Academy of St. Cecelia. Again, through basic teaching and self-study, he also mastered this field. Ignatius surprised all by sitting for the Bachelor of Music Degree at the University of London. Here he succeeded with ease. In Rome, he received one of the rare privileges of conducting the Choir of the Sistine Chapel. With the fall of Benito Mussolini in 1943, Italy was liberated. However, World War II continued for two more years.
During these war-torn years, young Ignatius taught Classics to various groups. In the meantime, he ventured to do a Diploma from Faraday House (An electrical engineering College in the UK), to secure a recognized qualification in electronics. After a long period of gestation, Ignatius and his fellow seminarians were ordained in Rome on March 19, 1944. He was 27-years of age. A year later, Fr. Ignatius was called back to Ceylon and the Archbishop of Colombo, Msgr. Masson gave him his first appointment to serve his alma mater.
During this period, St. Joseph’s College had been taken over by the Royal Navy, and the staff and students were located in various parts of the Western Province. Fr. Ignatius was sent to the Borella branch of SJC. Here he had a guide in the person of Fr. Peter Pillai, the Rector. The two of them got along with another contemporary, Fr. Justin Perera. The College in Borella adjoining the Archbishop’s House was a temporary structure and was quite uncomfortable for the boys who had once been in Darley Road. Fr. Ignatius had a reputation that preceded him, for what he had achieved in Rome was beyond the ordinary. Thus, his future students expected a certain stature and strict personality in their teacher. What they saw was this simple priest, not taller than 5’4, riding a ladies bicycle to Borella, raising many eyebrows. One of his first students, Peter Perera now residing in UK, recalls his early memory of Fr. Ignatius as follows:
“He was an unassuming, simple down-to-earth character, affable, youthful, completely approachable almost like one of the students. There was none of the aloofness and authoritarian manner of the teachers we were accustomed to.”
Fr. Ignatius first started taking the Latin class, for this was his initial forte. His teaching was compelling and those who disliked the subject were attracted to it solely because of him. During the 45-minute period, only 15 minutes were spent on Latin declensions. The rest of the period was a discussion any other subject the students questioned him about and his extraordinary experiences in war-torn Europe. Despite this, his students were all successful in their exams for he knew the art of imparting knowledge and making students learn in their own way. Soon he was entrusted with the role of choir master of the almost defunct St. Cecilia’s Choir of SJC. Here is how the 1949 Blue and White magazine wrote about the coming of Fr. Ignatius to the choir:
“And then 1946 – our new birth, our new home with our new choirmaster. How am I to tell you of those first practices, those practices at which all sorts of strange fish turned up: fish that our little priest had to turn into singing fish? Many of those fish kept wondering what this man was doing to them. Was he trying to ruin them? Making them sing in parts – it may seem exaggerated but I’m sure there were boys – I among them – who did not catch on to the idea of singing while somebody near them seemed to prefer to sing his own composition. Having patiently got each group – Sopranos, Altos, Tenors and Basses – to learn their parts, he found the whole lot lustily singing Soprano! Poor little priest! But in the midst of apparent failure, the messiah had to triumph. In about three months we found ourselves, to our own surprise, actually singing in parts! And that in four parts too!”
Fr. Ignatius’ skill and experience in Rome came into good hands to revive the Josephian Choir. His methodical training and meaningful set of practices warranted success. Soon, the standards had risen to such a level that the students were able to sing over the National Service of Radio Ceylon. The feedback from the general public was overwhelming. The revived Josephian Choir would now go on to take part in the music competition hosted by the Western Music Section of the Department of Education, and ultimately win it.
The judge at this event was D’Hales of Trinity College of Music in London. He hailed the choir for their splendid performance and said they sang just as well as choirs in England. ‘Handel’s Requiem’ conducted by Fr. Ignatius and performed by the Josephians is considered the greatest of the musical performances the College hosted at that time. The Josephian Orchestra was established in the year 1947, consisting of 16 members (seven violinists, a bass player and a pianist). It was conducted by Fr. Ignatius Perera.
With World War II’s end, most British forces stationed in Ceylon left for their own country. Their vehicles, weapons, radios and other war equipment were put up for sale as the forces had little use for them any more. Fr. Ignatius bought a rifle, an army jeep, and some radios. Whenever he had time, he would drive his jeep to distant jungles. He took great pleasure in hunting birds and wild boar. On one of his jungle trips, he rescued a mongoose in Pottuvil and adopted it as his pet. The mongoose named ‘Tikka’ would be with Fr. Ignatius as he worked in his radio lab and at times he took Latin in the classroom. The mongoose and the priest became a feature of the College at that time.
At the request of his students, Fr. Ignatius started the Radio Lab of St. Joseph’s College in 1947. The students were very curious about radios, their working and repairs. Soon the membership would reach about 30 or so. Fr. Ignatius taught them the theory of radio and soon made arrangements to let them repair radio sets and make amplifiers. Fr. Peter Pillai trusted this initiative. Soon the Radio Lab made their own amplifier and fixed it to the sound system of the Bonjean Hall. With unprecedented donations and sponsorship, Fr. Ignatius’ lab was well-equipped with state-of-the-art technology. No school or lab elsewhere was able to match its standard.
Fr. Ignatius Perera installed a private Intercom telephone system with 24 connections, linking various offices and buildings in St. Joseph’s College. The standards maintained at the Radio Club were extremely high, and the services it rendered outside school were stupendous. The Radio Club installed amplifiers that were manufactured at the College Lab in some of the popular churches on the island, such as St. Mary’s Church, Bambalapitiya, All Saints’ Church, Borella, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, Chilaw and St. Mary’s Church, Negombo. A large amplifier system of 180 Watt output was built for the church and camp of St. Anne’s Shrine, Talawila. A giant 27,000 Watts transformer for a three-phase electricity supply was also built under the guidance of Fr. Ignatius.
For all his work in the lab, Fr. Ignatius had his very own golaya in the person of Aloysius, a young man who was starving on the streets with little hope for the future. Fr. Ignatius employed him and they developed a lifelong friendship. Ignatius and Aloysius were workaholics who slept less and mostly on the table of the lab. The ‘equipment hospital’ was a mess, strewn with damaged radios, clocks, refrigerators, toys, and gramophones. However, whatever was brought to the lab, was restored by Fr. Ignatius. This is how Noel Crusz, a good friend of Ignatius illustrated the latter:
“Ignatius smoked ‘Peacock’ cigarettes butt to butt. His fingers were brown with nicotine. He had his tot of double-distilled Mendis special. He was generous to a fault, especially to those seeking advice on equipment, electronics, music or the classics.”
Fr. Ignatius as stated above was a brilliant teacher in whatever he taught. However, with all these talents what made him special and loved by all was his zeal for the Almighty and care for the needy. His devotion to the downtrodden made him a veritable angel to those who had once lost hope in life. Fr. Ignatius was a simple man who had a unique sense of humour. He was childlike and lovable. Such traits are not common in modern society. Chaplain Raja Pereira, a student of Fr. Ignatius relates an important story on the latter:
“One day, during class Father wrote on the board this equation: V = I x R and asked ‘What is this, son?”. I was still fresh with our B1 class’s Physics teacher Eric Mendis’ electricity lectures and so I soon put up my hand and said ‘Ohm’s Law, Father’. Fr. Ignatius responded ‘No sonna boy, this was God’s Law which Ohm happened to discover’. It was from here that we learnt that one should put what God said at all times ahead of what man says.”
In the early 1950s, Fr. Ignatius started the famous Catholic Choral Society consisting of young men and women from various parts of Colombo. Ruth Van Gramberg, my good friend living in Melbourne, wrote to me recently relating her experience in those memorable days of the Choral Society. She mentioned that the maestro regularly trained them and received many opportunities to perform at Radio Ceylon. She recalled how Fr. Perera would be invited to perform in public functions with the choir. Once the choir had performed for Premier Sir John Kotelawala at his Kandawala home.
On many occasions Fr. Ignatius paired with the like-minded media-friendly Fr. Noel Crusz. They partnered in several plays where Fr. Crusz wrote the screenplay and Fr. Ignatius directed the music. Those performances were attended by hundreds and sometimes in thousands. In 1956, the sound editing for the feature film Little Bike Lost, directed by Fr. Noel Crusz was done by Fr. Ignatius and his students in the radio lab.
One of the greatest supporters of Fr. Perera was Mrs. Edith (J.L.M.) Fernando of Pegasus Reef Hotel fame. She, through her son Lalin had come to know him quite well and lobbied those in the Church to aid his good work. Edith Fernando had convinced Fr. Peter Pillai to recommend Fr. Ignatius for a USIS Scholarship in the USA. This move paid off and Fr. Ignatius was able to travel to USA and Europe for his studies in 1960. One area he extensively studied was the new development in electromagnetism. Upon his return, Fr. Ignatius had plans to start a new radio lab.
Archbishop Thomas Cooray supported this ideal wholeheartedly and made plans to form the lab in Kotahena, near the Cathedral. In 1962, after donations had been received from many of his friends, students, and especially the Philips Electric Company, the Radio Lab was ready. It was blessed and opened by the Archbishop. This multi-story building was to make men and not records. Fr. Perera was very keen on recruiting school dropouts who did not have any hope in academics. Vocational studies such as electronics became a useful option.
Despite his high level of intelligence and ability to do multiple things, Fr. Ignatius Perera, was a simple, down-to-earth presbyter. His devotion to the poor and downtrodden was well known. It was customary for him to help anyone for nothing in return. On one occasion, when Fr. Justin Perera was admitted to a public ward at the General Hospital, he noticed that a child in critical condition was being put on an iron lung (a mechanical ventilator) which failed and those in the hospital were unable to fix it. While the child’s life was ebbing away, Fr. Justin called Fr. Ignatius for help. It was 10 in the night and Ignatius was as usual up and working in the lab. When answering the phone Ignatius said, “Justin, I have never seen an Iron Lung in all my life”. Fr. Justin countered saying, “That does not matter one bit. You just come along”.
Within a few minutes, Fr. Ignatius was on the scene and in a few moments fixed the failed Iron Lung with just a little strip of bamboo! Such was his interest in those in distress and his divine ability to repair appliances considered unfix-able. Fr. Justin in his writings discusses while he was editor of the Ceylon Catholic Messenger, one of the printing machines of the Colombo Catholic Press had failed when an important publication was being printed. Again, Fr. Ignatius did the impossible, though printing machines were not part of his expertise. On another occasion, when a large foreign ship was docked in the Colombo Port, its radios failed. The government of Ceylon trusted none but this genius priest, who once again did the needful with relative ease. Stories of Fr. Ignatius can go on and on. This is what makes him legendary.
Towards the end of his life, Fr. Ignatius’ sight failed and he became a recluse. However, only a year before his death, he received a Doctorate from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) with no Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree. Such was his recognition.
Fr. Ignatius Perera passed away from a heart attack in his room in the Kotahena Lab premises on January 1981 aged 66. Many from various parts of the island came to pay their final respects to this much-loved and talented priest. President J.R. Jayewardene granted special permission to inter his remains on the premises of the Lab. Today a statue has been erected in his memory and yeoman contribution to the country. Whence cometh another?
Features
UN’s challenge of selective accountability without international equity

Despite the prevalence of double standards in international practice, it remains in Sri Lanka’s national interest to support the principles and implementation of international law. The existence of international law, however weak, offers some level of protection that smaller countries have when faced with the predatory behaviour of more powerful states. For this reason, the Sri Lankan government must do all it can to uphold its prior commitments to the UN Human Rights Council and implement the promises it has made to the fullest extent possible.
The visit of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, later this month may possibly be overshadowed by the eruption of hostilities in the Middle East following Israel’s attack on Iran. The High Commissioner’s visit to Sri Lanka relates to the series of resolutions passed by the UN Human Rights Council over the past sixteen years since the end of the war. It will highlight the contradiction in the rules-based international order when geopolitical interests override legal commitments. These resolutions highlight the importance of protecting human rights during times of conflict and ensuring accountability for war crimes. They are part of the enduring legacy of international human rights and humanitarian law, as exemplified by the Geneva Conventions and the global post-war consensus that atrocity crimes should not go unpunished.
The High Commissioner’s visit is likely to provoke criticism that the United Nations is pursuing Sri Lanka’s adherence to international norms with greater zeal than it shows toward violations by more powerful countries. There appears to be acquiescence, indeed even tacit approval, by influential states in response to Israel’s military actions in both Iran and Gaza on the grounds of existential threats to Israel. Similar military actions were taken in 2003 by the US and the UK governments, among other international powers, to destroy weapons of mass destruction alleged to be in Iraq. One of the central arguments made by critics of the UN’s engagement in Sri Lanka is that double standards are at play. These critics contend that the United Nations disproportionately targets weaker countries, thereby reinforcing an international system that turns a blind eye to powerful countries and, in doing so, undermines the credibility and coherence of global human rights standards.
The arrival of the High Commissioner is also likely to reignite internal debate in Sri Lanka about the purpose and legitimacy of UN involvement in the country. The question is whether international standards effectively contribute to national transformation, or do they risk being reduced to symbolic gestures that satisfy external scrutiny without generating substantive change. There will be those who regard international engagement as a necessary corrective to domestic failings, and others who see it as an infringement on national sovereignty. The question of accountability for war crimes committed during the three-decade-long civil war remains a deeply divisive and sensitive issue. Sri Lanka, with its own complex and painful history, has the opportunity to lead by example by reckoning with the past unlike many other countries who justify their atrocities under the veil of national security.
International Breakdown
The modern international system emerged in the wake of two catastrophic world wars and the recognised failure of early twentieth-century diplomacy to prevent mass violence. At its core was a collective pledge to establish a rules-based international order that could maintain peace through law, institutional cooperation, and multilateral governance. The development of international human rights and humanitarian law was most pronounced in the aftermath of the mass atrocities and immense human suffering of World War II. The powerful nations of the time resolved to lead a new global order in which such horrors would never be repeated.
This vision of a rules-based international order as a safeguard against a return to the law of the jungle, where power alone determined justice was institutionalised through the United Nations, the Geneva Conventions, and the establishment of international courts such as the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. However, this international system has come under increasing strain in recent decades. Recent events show that it no longer functions as originally envisioned. In practice, the consistent application of international law, regardless of the status or power of a state, is frequently compromised. The selective enforcement of legal norms, particularly by powerful countries, has eroded the legitimacy of the system and calls into question the universalism at the heart of international law.
At present, at least three major international conflicts taking place in Ukraine, Gaza, and now the confrontation between Israel and Iran, illustrate a sustained breakdown in the enforcement of international legal norms. These conflicts involve powerful states that openly defy legal obligations, with the international community, especially its more influential members, often remaining conspicuously silent. Only a handful of countries, such as South Africa, have chosen to raise issues of international law violations in these conflicts. The broader silence or selective rationalisation by powerful countries has only reinforced the perception that international law is subject to political convenience, and that its authority can be subordinated to geopolitical calculation. Earlier examples would include the ruination of prosperous countries such as Iraq, Libya and Syria.
Uphold Consistency
The Sri Lankan situation illustrates the importance of preserving an international legal system with mechanisms for credible and impartial accountability. Sri Lanka, so far, has been unable to address the issues of accountability for serious war-time human rights violations through internal mechanisms. However, the broader lesson from Sri Lanka’s experience is that international norms ought not to be applied selectively. If global institutions aspire to uphold justice by holding smaller or less powerful countries accountable, they must apply the same standards to powerful states, including Israel, Russia, and the United States. Failing to do so risks creating the perception that the international legal system is an instrument of coercion and selective punishment rather than a foundation for equitable global justice.
Despite the prevalence of double standards in international practice, it remains in Sri Lanka’s national interest to support the principles and implementation of international law. The existence of international law, however weak, offers some level of protection that smaller countries have when faced with the predatory behaviour of more powerful states. For this reason, the Sri Lankan government must do all it can to uphold its prior commitments to the UN Human Rights Council and implement the promises it has made to the fullest extent possible. In multilateral forums, including the UN, Sri Lanka must reassert these commitments as strategic assets that help to defend its sovereignty and legitimacy. At the same time, Sri Lanka needs to take up the challenge of using these international platforms to highlight the problem of selective enforcement. Sri Lanka can contribute to the broader call for a more principled and consistent application of international law by demonstrating its seriousness in protecting vulnerable populations and position itself as a responsible and principled actor in the international community.
Engaging with the past in accordance with international standards is also essential for Sri Lanka’s internal reconciliation and social cohesion. The principles of transitional justice—truth, accountability, reparations, and institutional reform—are not only universally applicable but also critical to the long-term development of any post-conflict society. These principles apply across all contexts and periods. If Sri Lanka is to evolve into a united, stable, and prosperous country, it must undertake this process, regardless of what other countries do or fail to do. Only by acknowledging and addressing its own past can Sri Lanka build a future in which its multi-ethnic and multi-religious character becomes a source of strength rather than weakness.
by Jehan Perera
Features
A model for reconciliation

Conciliation between parties to a conflict involves two basic processes. The common factor to both is identifying the perpetrators associated with the conflict and holding them accountable for their actions, because of the belief that atonement for the violations committed help the aggrieved survivors to ease their pain without which reconciliation is not possible. One process involves Voluntary Admission of the TRUTH to the point of admitting guilt on the part of the perpetrators for the violations committed and Forgiveness on the part of the victims. Another process is to establish the TRUTH through mechanisms set up to investigate the scope and extent of the violations committed and identification of the perpetrators responsible, so that they could be punished to the extent of the law, thus assuaging the pain of the aggrieved. This is Retributive Justice.
The features common to both processes are that violations committed are in the PAST, which, in the case of Sri Lanka span, over a period of 16 to 30 years. Under such circumstances, ONLY Voluntary Admission would identify the perpetrators, while in the case of Retributive Justice, the credibility of the investigations to establish the TRUTH, based on which perpetrators are identified, would vary from questionable to inadmissible after the lapse of 16 to 30 years.
The first process cited above, namely Voluntary Admission followed by Forgiveness, was adopted by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa. This attempt failed to meet expectations because one of the parties, who was to participate and make Reconciliation meaningful, refused to participate in the exercise. Furthermore, others see such processes as too idealistic because outcomes of the Reconciliation process require the full participation and genuine commitment of the parties to the conflict. Consequently, most countries opt for the second process, which is Reconciliation through Retributive Justice despite the fact that it is dependent on the credibility of the evidence gathered over decades and, therefore, has the potential to be flawed.
ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
TO RECONCILIATION
If admission of Guilt and Forgiveness is realistically not an option, or the limitations of mechanisms to establish credible evidence is also not a dependable option, the only alternative most countries adopt is for time to heal the grievances between parties to the conflict in a manner that best suits their respective social and civilisational values Since such an alternative leaves grievances that initiated the conflict to resolve itself on its own accord, the inevitable outcome is for societies to stay divided and frustrated thus making them fertile grounds for conflicts to recur.
The primary reason for the failure of the options hitherto pursued is that it limits the process of Reconciliation ONLY to violations associated with the Conflict. It does not factor in the grievances that initiated the conflict. This aspect is completely overlooked in the processes that involve admission of guilt followed by forgiveness or in Retributive Justice. Consequently, accountability based on Retributive Justice, advocated by the UNHRC and recommended by some in Sri Lanka, remains far from what is needed for meaningful Reconciliation.
It is, therefore, imperative that Sri Lanka presents a viable alternative that is NOT rooted in PAST actions but in the PRESENT because it is in the PRESENT that the livelihoods of those affected by the conflict have to be restored and their sense of hopelessness healed. Furthermore, Reconciliation, based on the PRESENT is recognized as the principal pillar in meditation as being the most rewarding to contribute to overall human wellbeing.
THE ALTERNATIVE
The approaches pursued by Sri Lanka were to appoint Presidential Commissions of Inquiry, Presidential Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, Task Forces to investigate and gather evidence with Foreign participation and the ongoing Evidence Gathering Mechanisms of the UNHRC, to name a few. In the midst of these attempts, Sri Lanka also set up the “Office for Reparations” (OR) under Act, No. 34 of 2018 and the Office on Missing Persons (OMP).
The stated Objective of OR was the recognition given by the Act to “a comprehensive reparations scheme anchored in the rights of all Sri Lankans to an effective remedy will contribute to the promotion of reconciliation for the wellbeing and security of all Lankans, including future generations”. Whether these Offices were set up with the conscious intention of focusing on the PRESENT while continuing to engage with Retributive Justice mechanisms that focus on the PAST, is not known.
The title of the 2018 Act states:
“AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OFFICE FOR
REPARATIONS; TO IDENTIFY AGGRIEVED PERSONS ELIGIBLE FOR
REPARATIONS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE PROVISION OF INDIVIDUAL
AND COLLECTIVE REPARATIONS TO SUCH PERSONS…”;
Its Vision is: “To create Reconciliation among Nationalities and ensure Human Rights through Economic and Social Prosperity”.
Its Objectives are:
1. To formulate and recommend to the Cabinet of Ministers, policies on reparations to grant individual and collective reparations to aggrieved persons.
2. To facilitate and implement such policies on reparations as approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, by the office for Reparations, including specialised policies on public education, memorialisation and on children, youths, women and victims of sexual violence and persons with disabilities.
3. To establish links to ensure the compatibility of the office for reparations with other mechanisms aimed at reconciliation.
4. To monitor and evaluate the progress of delivery of reparations to eligible aggrieved persons
GRANTS TO FAMILIES OF MISSING PERSONS
“The (OR) makes monetary grants to victims of conflict as a form of reparations. The focus of the OR is to assist aggrieved persons (victims) in ways that will provide meaningful assistance that is sustainable. Hence, the grant is not intended to serve as compensation but is given as a form of monetary relief. Families of missing persons are included in Livelihood development programmes, with particular focus on women who are heads of households”.
“Families of missing persons are among those to whom monetary grants are made by the OR on receipt of confirmation from the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) that the person is in fact missing. In terms of section 11(a) of the OR Act No. 34 of 2018, the OR is empowered to “receive recommendations with regard to reparations to be made to aggrieved persons, from the Office on Missing Persons.”
“Since the year 2022, the OR has received recommendations from the OMP to make payments to claimants in respect of a family member who they confirm are missing, after the conduct of an inquiry by the OMP into complaints made to the OMP by the family member (a claimant). The sum granted is Rs. 200,000/= per missing person, and is the same as the sum granted to applicants who make direct requests to the OR for monetary relief on the basis of the death of a family member”.
The three-step procedure followed by the OR on receiving the recommendation from the OMP is as follows-
STEP 1- OBTAINING INFORMATION FROM FAMILY:
“The letter received from the OMP confirms that the person named therein is reported missing, based on documents produced to the OMP, and recommends that a payment be made to the complainant named therein.
The information in the letter is sometimes inadequate to affirm the identity of the missing person and ascertain whether any previous grants have already been made to the family of that person on a direct application made to the OR. Hence the OR proceeds to obtain necessary information from the OMP and/or the complainant regarding – (1) the identity of the claimant and the missing person (Name, address, NIC number if available), to check from the OR information system whether a payment has been made previously and (2) the Bank Account to which the grant money should be remitted.
Where appropriate, the OR requests an affidavit from the claimant to state that no member of the family has previously received any payment on account of the death of that family member. A template of the Affidavit is provided by the OR”.
STEP 2 –
Processing the claim on receiving information.
STEP 3 –
Remittance of grant money to claimant.
CONCLUSION
With the conclusion of the Armed Conflict in Sri Lanka in May 2009, the approach to Reconciliation recommended Internationally, by the UNHRC, and by some Sri Lankans, was to address accountability for violations committed during and after the conflict through mechanisms of Retributive Justice that involve investigations, evidence gathering followed by prosecution. Over the years, Sri Lanka has laboured under these pressures without any meaningful outcomes as far as Reconciliation is concerned. This has been the experience with other countries as well.
The primary reason for this being the inability to gather credible evidence associated with violations committed over the PAST 16 to 30 years for Reconciliation to be meaningful. Furthermore, since the process is time consuming, the impression created is that no Government is serious about Reconciliation. This has left the survivors of all communities frustrated and disappointed in respect of their emotional and physical aspects of living in the PRESENT.
In the meantime, Sri Lanka set up the Office for Reparations (OR) and Office on Missing Persons (OMP) in 2018. Over the last seven years, these Offices have been working in the shadows, focusing on the physical needs and priorities of the survivors with a focus on the PRESENT and not on the PAST. This enables visible and tangible benefits to the survivors which is far more meaningful to their daily physical living with feedbacks to their emotional wellbeing, as well, than attempting to uncover the TRUTH of what took place decades ago. However, the need to expand the mandate of the OR to cover the development of Policies that address the causes that initiated the conflict is imperative.
Hence, the present Government should make the expanded Objectives of the OR the theme of their model for Reconciliation because the relevance of the PRESENT has its roots in meditation that promotes living in the PRESENT as being the most rewarding for human wellbeing. This model should first be discussed with a representative group of communities in Sri Lanka followed by first presenting it to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, during his visit to Sri Lanka, and then to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva as a Resolution for acceptance.
by Neville Ladduwahetty
Features
Unique mashup cover…

Mayuka Aparnatha may not be seen and heard in all parts of the country, performing live on stage, but he is certainly a star on social media, and has done modelling, as well – both ramp and photographic.
His preference, at the moment, he says, is to work on cover songs, adding that he does his covers with a touch of his own.
His latest song is titled ‘Asai Mannam’ and it has just been released. It is his fourth cover and also marks his first-ever mashup.
According to Mayuka, ‘Asai Mannam’ is a unique Sinhalese interpretation of the South Indian hit ‘Asa Kooda’ by Sai Abhyankkar and Sai Smriti.
“I consider this cover special because it’s a mashup with the song ‘Ma Diha’ by Dilu Beats. To my knowledge, this is the first-ever Sinhala cover of ‘Asa Kooda.’”
Mayuka’s musical journey began when he was very young.

Mayuka in action in the ‘Asai Mannam’ video
“Coming from a musical family, where my grandparents were involved in stage and drama, I naturally gravitated toward singing. I took part in inter-school competitions, as a child, and was fortunate to win a few. It has always been my dream to become a singer.”
Mayuka says he received formal training at KK Music, adding that he began making his music by starting with cover songs on YouTube.
Prior to ‘Asai Mannam,’ he has released three other covers, which are also available on his YouTube channel – MAYUKA.
Of course, one would say that the turning point in his musical career was when he participated in The Voice Sri Lanka, aired on Sirasa TV, and competed under Coach Raini’s team. He progressed until the battle rounds.
“Being a part of that show was a dream come true and something I can proudly tick off my bucket list.”
Mayuka went on to say that creating this official cover and music video of ‘Asai Mannam’ has been a rewarding experience.
“Music has always helped me through emotional and mental challenges, and I sincerely hope my songs can do the same for others, whether by healing, comforting, or simply bringing joy.”
Says Mayuka: “I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has supported me so far. I hope those who resonate with my style will continue to listen, and I look forward to sharing more music with you in the future.
“I’m also incredibly grateful to be featured in The Island newspaper. Thank you so much for the support.”
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