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Women demand a say in peace process

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

Several thousand women from 42 women's organisations countrywide held a peaceful demonstration at Lipton Circus, Colombo yesterday to mark International Women's Day on the theme of safeguarding women's rights and gaining due recognition in society.

The event was organised by the Mothers and Daughters of Lanka together with the Sri Lanka Women's NGO Forum. They demanded that women be given participation in the ongoing peace process, existing laws be amended to prevent domestic violence against women and women's problems be solved to provide more opportunities for them to enter the political process and settle land dispute.

The Coordinating Secretary of the Mothers and Daughters of Sri Lanka Sriya Ahangama said four petitions were handed over to Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Refugees Minister Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena, Justice Minister W.J.M.Lokubandara, Women's Affairs Minister Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake and Lands Minister Rajitha Senaratne highlighting the above issues.

Media Coordinator of the Mothers and Daughters of Sri Lanka Chandani Kumari Herath said their major demand was the restoration of lasting peace in the country and greator women's participation in the ongoing peace process. We have also urged the authorities to overcome the problems faced by estate women and the women who are serving in Middle East countries.

She said women of different nationalities have participated in this demonstration. They had come from various remote areas such as Anuradhapura, Buttala, Moneragala and Mahiyangana.

Kumudeni Samuel, a member of the Mothers and Daughters of Sri Lanka said the petitions they handed over to Minister Jayalath Jayawardena and Minister Mrs. Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake urged the Government to carry out the peace process while safeguarding the rights of all the communities. Special attention should be focused on women who have faced hardships as a result of the war, they urged.

Women's participation was essential to safeguard peace in villages. Women can play a vital role regarding this matter, she said.

Padmini Weerasooriya, a member of the Mothers and Daughters of Sri Lanka said existing labour laws are to be amended to grant women workers entitlement for 100 hours of overtime per month instead of the present 100 hours per year. We want this amendment to be withdrawn as it would affect a large number of women workers in the Free Trade Zones, she said.

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