Alliance News : April - June 2016

Dreamers Who Do

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APRIL - JUNE 2016 THE NEWSLETTER OF THE NATIONAL CHRISTIAN EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE OF SRI LANKA

This Publication Is for Private Circulation Only

What’s up @ the NCEASL This issue captures a great number of programmes and activities implemented by the NCEASL’s teams during the second quarter of 2016. Our websites carry longer and more comprehensive reports of some of the articles appearing here.

Ps. R. M. Ariyaratne of the Christian Centre in Madulsima, Badulla received a cow from the Religious Liberty Commission of the NCEASL. He hopes to sell the milk he receives from the cow and use the manure to fertilise his vegetable plot. “We are serving amidst much economic difficulties” says Ps. Ariyaratne. “I am very happy to receive a cow because I will never be able to purchase a cow on my own.”

Reviving Relationships through Family Camp Young pastors entering ministry undergo many trials and hardships. Their issues range from balancing healthy relationships with their congregation, handling the demands of their family and financial problems, amongst a host of other responsibilities that go with ministry work. Most often the pastors’ wives share these responsibilities; helping their husband’s ministry.

Cont’d P. 2

Legal Documentation for Sri Lanka’s Malayaga Tamils Nearly 50 residents of the Kolapathana Estate, gather at the Kolapathana Tamil Primary School located in the Kotmale Division on 29 May. They were of the 310 who had applied for birth certificates over the course of 4 weeks.

Officers from the Divisional Secretariat visited them in their homes, assessed their legal documentation needs and made arrangements to provide them with the missing documents. Cont’d P. 2

Supporting the Dreams of Rural Communities Chrishanthini is the President of the Change Makers Club in Ulavanoor, Kilinochchi. Even though she is still schooling, Chrishanthini has already taken much initiative to help develop her community. As their leader, Chrishanthini ensures that the other club members study well and often helps the younger ones in their school work. Cont’d P. 7

The NCEASL’s relief and development arm, the Alliance Development Trust (ADT), was quick to respond to the disaster caused by the widespread flooding and landslides that took place in May. The ADT provided the victims living in Kolonnawa, Sedawatte, Kotikawatta, Orugodawatte, Kelaniya, Avissawella and Kegalle with emergency relief assistance, while opening the doors of its head office and regional offices as relief collection centres.

Among its programmes, the ADT also distributed microfinance loans, constructed toilets and supported several Community-Initiated Projects including the construction of a children’s playground and two community halls.

Foremost among the Religious Liberty Commission’s programme activities, was the launch of two reports exploring the Freedom of Religion and Belief for minority Christians in Sri Lanka. Other activities included a seminar that was held to raise awareness among vulnerable communities in Mullaitivu on access to legal services.

The NCEASL also facilitated a workshop on using video for Human Rights documentation and advocacy which was attended by activists, civil society personnel and journalists.

As always, we welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback. Email us or follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

The Media and Communications Unit

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Reviving Relationships... Cont’d P. 1 They help their husband’s ministry by leading the women’s prayer groups, Sunday school, house visits, etc. in addition to playing the dutiful role of the wife and mother to her children.

With hardly any guidance on prioritising their responsibilities, they could wear themselves out and jeopardise their families by spending less time with them.

Having identified this crucial issue, the NCEASL recently held two family camps at the Sanctuary House for young pastors (under 5 years in ministry) and their families. Over a period of 3 days, 24 pastors and their wives were counselled on prioritising their responsibilities to the Church and their families. This included discussions on the importance of the family unit and stable healthy relationships in the Church as well as in their communities.

“We spend a lot of our time counselling and guiding others but there’s no one to counsel us! I was reminded of my responsibilities as a husband and as a father; on supporting my wife and looking to the needs of my children. Usually we get so caught up in ministry that we take the family needs for granted” he said.

The interactive sessions helped the participants to discuss and resolve problems which are usually not discussed in the open such as relationships and how ministry workers should learn to balance the responsibilities towards their congregation as well as the needs of their families.

“We have three young children and it is a big challenge to bring them up as well as serve the Lord. I’ve been ministering for just 1 year and the experiences I have faced are new. When we serve the Lord we have to encounter problems that arise from the Church, the community as well as from our own family. We don’t show our problems to our congregation; we put up a bold front. We are aware of issues that can develop if we neglect our family life so we dedicate a day of the week to spend time with our family” said Pastor Jeewantha who attended the family camp held in May. Pastor Manojeban found the counselling he received very useful to balance his ministry work as well as his family commitments.

A pastor and family enjoying quality time at a family camp

Legal Documentation... Cont’d P. 1 The evaluation and preparation of over 300 birth certificates were carried out as part of the NCEASL’s programme to ‘Promote Access to Legal Services to Marginalised and Vulnerable Communities’. The programme was carried out through the NCEASL’s relief and development arm - the Alliance Development Trust.

The NCEASL that has been working in partnership with the Divisional Secretary of Kotmale to implement this programme was fortunate to have the support of its Additional District Registrar, Mr. D.P.R.S. Wijesinghe and his colleagues. “The people who live on the estates here don’t get a monthly salary.

They are paid for their day’s work. So they can’t keep away from work. But if there’s a programme such as this they will definitely come” said Mr. Wijesinghe.

we face without birth certificates and today through this organisation this problem has been addressed.”

Legal documentation clinics were also facilitated in the Wedamulla, Dunsinane, Harrow and Queensberry Estates in the Kotmale Division. These clinics conducted between March and June benefited more than 1000 individuals.

“There are many school drop outs in this area, most of them don’t continue up to their O/L so the need for an identity card doesn’t arise until they have some other need – to apply for a job or a passport”, explained the NCEASL’s Project Coordinator, Sarah Arumugam, stressing the need for raising greater awareness on their legal rights in addition to the provision of access to legal services.

56 year old Thangaiha Murugaiya who has been living in the Kolapathana Estate for the past 20 years was surprised at the relative ease through which he was able to obtain his new birth certificate. “The Grama Niladhari (village officer) came from house-to-house and spoke to us. We told him about the problems Page 2 Alliance News April-June 2016

Legal documentation being handed out

#EmpoweredWomen

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FEATURE STORY

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he advertised study tour to Sri Lanka on the notice board of the Department of Social Work of St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore, had looked like a good idea to Maya Jose. It promised to further her understanding of social work, hands on, in a post-war environment. The previous year, a group of 46, consisting of six lecturers and 40 students, had experienced the first of such an encounter. They could not stop talking about it with the younger, second year students of Maya’s group. Motivated by their stories, Maya Jose decided she wanted to see true life stories of recovery with her own eyes. She even hoped she could apply in the field what she was learning. The second study tour was based on the successful model of the previous year and promised to be an experience she would not encounter in India. She was hooked. She signed up for the challenge. So did 42 other students from the Department of Social Work.

Dreamers Who Do: Social Work Students Experience Post-War Sri Lanka

The days could not pass soon enough for Maya. Finally, 2 weeks later on 16 April 2016, Maya and her friends from St. Joseph’s College were there, in person, in Sri Lanka. She pinched herself to tell herself that it was real. She had waited for this day and it had finally arrived. She made a mental note not to miss out on a single moment. The first 2 days were assigned for orientation at the Sanctuary House (SH) the NCEASL’s retreat and training centre in Pamunungama, Sri Lanka.

“Our students follow Medical Psychiatry or Community Development. Tomorrow our students can be policy makers and people who can bring about change. This experience is very useful for them to carry back” said Dr. Lavinia, a lecturer of the Department of Social Work, who was on her second visit accompanying students to Sri Lanka. “People working in the IT industry experience a different kind of stress.

Bangalore is an IT hub and people are prone to give up easily.” She added, “once the students listen to experiences with amputees, people who have lost their husbands and other family members, they take away a different perspective. It is about hope. How people in Jaffna, Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi are coming back and having hope for life again is amazing. That is what we carry back and why we are back here again. The present generation needs that - hope and positivity.

This is what students need and what we have to give people.”

During the 2 day orientation programme, the students were apprised of the length and breadth of the field-work carried out by the Alliance Development Trust’s (ADT) five regional offices and seven satellite stations. Maya sat with rapt attention listening to programme officers of the ADT as they spoke about their work and methods used in the field. Curious to compare notes with the situation back at home, Maya and her friends rapidly fired questions on rights, issues, interventions and processes with the successive trainers. In one session, a trainer, interactively and in depth, spoke about the multiplication effect and how to maximise the reach of programmes using existing networks of partners.

Another programme officer introduced the students to the ADT’s work in the field of gender issues. Yet another introduced them to the work carried out in the area of Community Development Education through role-play and another helped them understand the terminology used in development work.

are two parts to education; academics and practice. A classroom setting gives you only a small percentage of knowledge; 99% would be in the field. The best thing we can do for them is to let them experience the development and intervention at a grassroot level. These things are not available in Bangalore. Refugee and the rehabilitation problems are totally different to the problems of someone working in an IT company. We’d like to get the most of this educational tour” endorsed Prof. Akshay, another professor who was visiting Sri Lanka with the study group.

On their return from a full 4 day encounter in the field, a tired

“Tomorrow our students can be policy makers and people who can bring about change. This experience is very useful for them to carry back.” - Dr. Lavinia

Although only 2 days in Sri Lanka, Maya was quick to congratulate Sri Lankans on their warm, welcoming hospitality. “Sri Lanka is a beautiful place. People are very welcoming and the food is great.” She added, “today’s session really broadened everyone’s perspective. We learnt the difference between relief and development and we are looking forward to how we can actually connect with people and help them connect with resources.”

Most of all she was pleasantly surprised by the advances made by women in the north of Sri Lanka.

“In India, we don’t have the concept of a female-headed household. Here in Sri Lanka, there is a defined term. It is an accepted position. But in India, even if the husband is not alive, the woman does not assume the position of the head of household. Even if she has been abandoned, nobody recognises her as the head of the household. Maybe when we go on the study tour I can interact with them and find out their problems, coping strategies, culture, administration and policies related to women, mental health policies and what reforms could be brought in to make things even better” she anticipated eagerly.

Immensely satisfied with the good foundation they received from the ADT, the students left for their field tour with joy. “There

Students taking back memories of their study tour

but motivated Dr. Lavinia enthused, “what we will take back with us from our field visit is the resilience of the people. How the people have come back to life after the war is amazing.When you think of how easily demotivated we are from little things in the world and then compare it with how the people of Sri Lanka have come back after a war, it is motivating. I think this batch of students are very lucky. This is my second time to Sri Lanka and I see 101% improvement since last time and we can’t wait to come back again.”

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NEWS IN BRIEF Human Rights Seminar for Community Leaders The Religious Liberty Commission (RLC) of the NCEASL convened a Human Rights Seminar for community leaders in Mullaitivu that focused on the theme of ‘Promoting access to legal services for marginalised and vulnerable communities in the Northern Province’. The meeting which convened on 27 May, is the fourth seminar conducted since the inception of the project in December 2015 and the second for the Northern Province. The seminar saw the participation of 40 community leaders representing Rural Development Societies and Women’s Rural Development Societies.

During the seminar the participants identified land and inheritance related issues, sexual and domestic violence and the violation of the language rights policy among some of the pressing issues faced in their communities. In the discussion that ensued, Mr. A. Sarveswaran - a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo - who was the resource person at the gathering, pointed to legal remedies for the concerns raised.

Video for Human Rights Documentation The Media and Communications Unit of the NCEASL facilitated a workshop on Video for Human Rights Documentation and Advocacy at the NCEASL. Arul Prakkash WITNESS’s Programme Manager for Asia and the Pacific was the resource person at the workshop.

WITNESS is an international organisation that trains and supports people using video to advocate and lobby for the wider recognition and implementation of Human Rights.

The NCEASL opened the workshop to include activists, civil society personnel and journalists using and experimenting with video for advocating Human Rights. The Free Media Movement, Families of the Disappeared, Sri Lanka Development Journalists Forum, Right to Life Collective and the Suriya Women’s Development Centre in Batticaloa were among the organisations that were represented.

The participants who had a background in documenting Human Rights abuses, found Prakkash’s insights to video production, safe and ethical filming techniques and advocacy strategies using video very helpful. The workshop comprised an introduction to practical and technical aspects of producing short films and presentations by the participants of short films they had filmed and produced as part of their group activity that day.

395 Church Leaders Ready to Face New Challenges During the second quarter of 2016, the Missions and Evangelism conducted four Standing Strong Through the Storm (SSTS) training seminars for pastors from Galle, Mullaitivu, Polonnaruwa and other selected districts. A total of 395 church leaders and others involved in ministry participated. The seminar focused on equipping the participants on how to effectively respond to religious persecution and also included counselling sessions for families as well as youth.

“The learnings would be a great help to my future ministry. This

programme has equipped me to face persecution, remain strong and continue my ministry” said Pastor Alahakoon who has been serving a Christian community in Habarana for the past 18 years.

Stella, Jayasena and their three children were also among the participants who attended the SSTS programme at Polonnaruwa. “I meet many people from different walks of life as I visit homes, from door-to-door, to sell educational books.

The people share their problems with me even though I am a stranger to them” said Stella. “I am better equipped to counsel those whose family lives are broken through what I have learnt here at this seminar” she added.

Pastor Shanthalal from Alawwa has faced much persecution in the past. “We were taught with good illustrations from the Word. I was greatly encouraged and strengthened on how to forge through the difficult tests that would come and how to handle such situations” he said. “Had I known these teachings before, I may have handled my past trials in a different way.

This seminar has been a great blessing to me.” The SSTS programme is designed to motivate the Church to press on in times of adversity while preparing them for pressures and religious persecution.

Microfinancing to Help Livelihood Ventures Microfinance loans worth SLR 35,000 each were distributed among 20 beneficiaries from the Theravil village in Mullaitivu, at a ceremony held at the District Secretariat on 31 May 2016. These loans were distributed among selected applicants who eagerly attended the training programmes on identifying the resources available to them, formulating a business plan for their livelihood ventures and creating the necessary links to market their products.

The guests and dignitaries who attended the distribution ceremony provided valuable advice to the recipients of the loans in their addresses. They encouraged the beneficiaries to maximise their profit by planning their expenses. The recipients were also advised to use this opportunity given by the Alliance Development Trust (ADT) as a chance to elevate their present living conditions and thereby strive to come out of the cycle of poverty. The recipients hope to utilise the loans to engage in agriculture and animal husbandry.

Playground Open in Trincomalee The children of Kilikunjumalai – a rural village in Trincomalee – were gifted a playground on 14 June 2016.

The Shalom Children’s Park which was declared open by the ADT’s Regional Coordinator for the Eastern Province, is complete with swings, a slide, see-saws and a pyramid ladder. As the children of this community had no access to a play area, the community approached the ADT with their request for a playground for the children. The ADT encouraged the development committee to construct this park and provided the necessary guidance and financial support needed. This playground will benefit a total of 75 children who can now play and spend their leisure-time in a safe and child-friendly space. Together with the playground, the ADT also gifted badminton rackets, shuttlecocks and a net for the use of the older children.

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Supporting Dreams... Cont’d P. 1 She always thought that it would be nice if the club had a hall of their own to study in. For years, they had gathered in their village community centre but the adults’ activities would often disturb or obstruct their club activities and studies.

Chrishanthini often discussed this issue with the members of the village development committee. She suggested that they ask the Alliance Development Trust (ADT), which had implemented so many development projects in the village, to construct a study hall for the children. The members of the development committee approached the ADT on the matter of expanding the community hall for the needs of the club as well as for the official purposes of the development committee.

On 31 June 2016 the ADT gifted a newly reconstructed community hall to the people of Ulavanoor at a small ceremony graced by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the ADT, local government officials, community leaders and members of

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the development committee. The extended wing that was added to this centre is now sufficient for the community’s gatherings and children’s club meetings. The ADT also gifted tables, benches, a blackboard, cupboards, library books and a computer for the children’s study hall. Furthermore, 10 tables, tablecloths and flower vases were gifted to the development committee so that they could rent them for occasions and thereby generate income for the extra classes for the children.

Chrishanthini is extremely happy that this study hall for the children has become a reality. She has many plans for evening classes for the children of the village. “This hall will be very useful for us” says Chrishanthini. “We assure the ADT that we will make good use of the equipment given to us.”

Similarly, a community hall, two toilets and a water supply system were gifted to the community of Theravil in Mullaitivu.

Religious Freedom Examined in Two Reports

he National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) launched two reports exploring the situation of the Christian minority in Sri Lanka and the freedom they have to manifest their faith.

The compilation of the research studies was commissioned to Verite Research by the Religious Liberty Commission (RLC) of the NCEASL and financially supported by USAID-Sri Lanka. The data for both studies were provided by the RLC. The reports were launched on 19 May at an event in Colombo with the participation of members of the diplomatic community, the clergy and civil society.

During the discussions that ensued, several of those present, congratulated the NCEASL and Verite Research on the compilation of two very valuable resources. Harim Peiris, the former Director General for Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation, in highlighting the importance of the role of the reports said that it was an important form of documentation that will help further efforts to lobby and advocate for Religious Freedom in Sri Lanka. “… it answers the first obstacle that we face, when one goes to deal with this issue, which is, there’s a contestation on the facts, that this doesn’t happen at all” he said.

Visit www.nceasl.org for a full report

Gehan Gunatilleke, the principle researcher of one of the reports titled Silent Suppression: Restrictions on Religious Freedom of Christians demonstrated in his presentation the key findings that came as a result of analysing 972 incidents from 1994-2014. The findings pointed to violence and its correspondence to ethno-religious discourses, the active role of the state in restricting freedom of worship and the enabling role of the state in violence.

The study on the second report - Judicial Responses to Religious Freedom - was carried out through examining a cross-section of judgments on freedom of religion from the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and the Magistrate’s Court. Sabrina Esufally, Analyst and Head of Law at Verite Research, briefed the audience on the methodology used and the findings of the research. Among the findings presented, Esufally highlighted the “failure to contest the legality of state sponsored religious discrimination” where she also referred to the question of legality surrounding the circulars (2008 and 2010) pertaining to the construction of places of religious worship. One of the main findings of the report also demonstrated how positive orders concerning Religious Freedom was most often procedural, with a majority of cases concluding through a settlement.

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A participant picks up copy of the report

PROJECTS AT A GLANCE MISSIONS AND EVANGELISM Standing Strong Through the Storm seminars for 395 participants from Galle, Mullaitivu and Polonnaruwa School of Church Planters seminar for 20 church planters islandwide Family Camp attended by 24 pastors and families Award ceremony for 53 students of the Alliance Institute, Badulla on completion of an IT course Vouchers for 1,650 flood-affected families in Colombo, Kandy, Kalutara, Gampaha and Puttalam School packs for 250 landslide-affected students in Kegalle

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY COMMISSION 2 Human Rights seminars for a total of 106 community leaders in Vavuniya and Mullaitivu 3 advocacy training programmes held in Vavuniya, Mullaitivu and Nuwara Eliya for 58 community leaders 4 day advocacy training programme for 19 Religious Liberty activists Launch of 2 reports on the status of Religious Freedom in Sri Lanka (Silent Suppression: Restrictions on Religious Freedom of Christians and Judicial Responses to Religious Freedom) Issuing of 1,703 legal documents at 5 legal documentation clinics held in the Central Province 1 local forum for 19 community leaders in Mullaitivu Legal intervention on behalf of 2 pastors persecuted for their faith and ministry Emergency assistance for 7 pastors from Galle, Gampola, Warawewa, Batticaloa, Balangoda, Kegalle and Meegoda Educational support for 223 children islandwide through the Kids Ed and Evangel Care Scholarship programmes 376 Sinhala and Tamil Bibles distributed in the Central, Uva and Western Provinces Legal aid for 7 pastors in Ampara, Galle, Puttalam, Meegoda, Weeraketiya and Gampaha Building approval granted to Jesus Touch and Healing Ministry in Batticaloa, as a result of the RLC intervention over the past 3 years Livelihood assistance for 10 families in the Central and Uva Provinces

RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT Distribution of 321 relief packs for flood victims in Colombo Distribution of 308 school packs for flood-affected students in Colombo Donation of dry rations needed to provide breakfast for 2 weeks for 60 flood-affected students in Colombo Distribution of 250 cooked meals for flood victims in Colombo Cleaning of a flood-affected home benefiting a family in Colombo Capacity building programme for 49 development committee members and volunteers from Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Anuradhapura and Trincomalee Capacity building programmes on governing and strengthening Community-Based Organisations (CBO) for 71 CBO members and government officers from Batticaloa Planning and progress meetings with 20 development committee members from Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Anuradhapura and Trincomalee Support for 5 Community-Initiated Projects benefiting 3,383 persons in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Trincomalee and Colombo Distribution of 44 microfinance loans in Mullaitivu and Trincomalee Support for children’s club activities benefiting 165 persons in Jaffna, Vavuniya and Trincomalee Cultural events benefiting 1,106 persons in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Anuradhapura and Galle Child protection programmes for 97 persons in Vavuniya, Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Colombo and Galle Nutrition programmes for 91 persons in Vavuniya and Trincomalee Donation of dry rations benefiting 100 children from an orphanage in Mullaitivu Medical examinations for 697 persons in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Anuradhapura, Trincomalee and Colombo Training programmes for 27 children’s club volunteers from Trincomalee, Colombo and Galle Gift of sport items for 67 children in Trincomalee Construction and renovation of 20 toilets benefiting 525 persons in Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Trincomalee Installation of 2 community water supply systems benefiting 450 persons in Mullaitivu Sexual and Reproductive Health awareness programmes benefiting 327 persons in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Anuradhapura and Trincomalee An integral training for 40 students from St. Joseph’s College, India

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