The Forum for Human Dignity was established in
1997 with Maheswary Velautham as Secretary at the helm. Within four
years the Forum has grown and found recognition among the Human
Rights Activists the world over. With an undaunted spirit, Maheswary
and her team of active workers, strove to preserve what is most
needed at the present juncture - Human Rights and Human Dignity. The
forum takes up cases of arbitrary arrests and harassment and
contacts The President’s Committee to find redress for the
victims. In the case of disappearances, the forum files Habeas
Corpus applications and also files cases in the Supreme Court to
restore the lost rights and Dignity of people. Maheswary and one of
the lawyers went all the way to India to see the Sri Lanka fishermen
arrested and in remand in Indian jails. The Forum was instrumental
in having the Indian fishermen jailed in Sri Lanka, released. Before
being sent home they were at the Mirihana camp and they were looked
after by the Forum. Annually the forum publishes the Situation
Report and is in touch with Amnesty International and other NGO’s.
Besides, the deportees Situation is also looked into and the forum
does its utmost to have them released or sent back to the land where
they sought refuge by getting in touch with the respective
embassies. |