The laws although are adequate to protect human rights, however the people must be aware of the rights they have so that they could seek protection. Additional Solicitor General, Palitha Fernando said at the International Human Rights Day Celebrations on in the Protection of Human Rights in Sri Lanka." Press censorship could be exercised during the war for security purposes. But only within the framework of the law of the land," he said.

The Human Rights Day observance was organised by the Intellectuals for Human Rights (IFHR) at the BMICH.

The protection of human rights is important to protect the country’s image in the eyes of the international community, the Additional Solicitor General said. Violation of human rights would destroy the image of the country in the world.

Therefore, he said, the people should be made aware of the places they could seek facilitation when they feel that their human rights have been violated. He said people were not aware that there was a Public Petitions Unit in the Attorney General’s Department which looked into matters of human rights violations. However, many petitions are received from INGOs and NGOs demanding to know what has been done to protect human rights.

Civil and Political Rights Secretary of IFHR, Anura Karunatilake handed the 2008 annual report on Human Rights Violations in Sri Lanka to the Additional Solicitor General.

Analysing the report Karunatilake aid that there was gross violation of the people’s right to live as seen by the number of killings of peoples representatives during the past year. It also shows that there is an increase in violence against the press culminating in attacks on journalists by university students.