TCHR Pays Tribute to Sunila Abeysekera

Sunila will be remembered by countless people locally and internationally for her unswerving dedication to human rights.

Sunila Abeysekera

(PARIS) - With heavy hearts we learn that veteran civil society activist late Charles Abeysekera’s (1926-1998), daughter and prominent human rights activist, Sunila Abeysekara, passed away on 9 September 2013. Sunila’s dedication and devotedness to human rights has a resonance in the date of her death - the very first day of the 24th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. If Sunila were healthy and able to travel, she would have been in Geneva for this session.

Members of TCHR met Sunila for the first time, in Vienna, Austria in June 1993, during the World Conference on Human Rights. TCHR had an Information stall with photographs and leaflets explaining the atrocities taking place in the North East of Sri Lanka. Sunil was a frequent visitor to our stall. We had discussions, debates and general chat on the situation in Sri Lanka. This was the beginning of our contacts with Sunila. Our exchange of ideas and views continued until we met her last in Geneva, during the Universal Periodic Review - UPR on Sri Lanka, on 1 November 2012.

Those who were close to Sunila were well aware that she was suffering from a cruel disease. Even though she was ill, she never gave up the task that she had been dedicated to for decades.

Sunila will be remembered by countless people locally and internationally for her unswerving dedication to human rights.

We, TCHR, express our deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to her family members, colleagues of INFORM, friends and all who were touched by her life.

Tamil Centre for Human Rights – TCHR

France

TAMIL CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - TCHR/CTDH

CENTRE TAMOUL POUR LES DROITS DE L'HOMME

(Established in 1990)

(UN accredited NGO to the World Summit on Information Society and the Warsaw Conference)

www.tchr.net