Peoples and Events

• The Hague Appeal for Peace
• An orphanage for them too
• Help

The Hague Appeal for Peace

By Wathsala Mendis

The 20th century has been one of the bloodiest in the history of mankind. Millions of people around the world have been victims of war .

It is in this context that The Hague Appeal for Peace - an end-of-century peace campaign dedicated to the de-legitimization of war - has decided to refocus on the vision of a world in which violent conflict is publicly acknowledged as illegitimate, illegal, and fundamentally unjust.

Mangalika de Silva (Social Scientists' Association) and S. Balakrishnan (Centre for Development Alternative), of The Hague Appeal for Peace, Sri Lanka - the local coordinators - will represent Sri Lanka at the Hague International Peace Conference to be held from May 11-15 at The Hague.

Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, South Africa's First Lady Graca Machel, landmines activist Jody Williams, and East Timor independence movement leader Jose Ramos-Horta will join world leaders including Kofi Annan, Nelson Mandela, and Mary Robinson along with International Court of Justice Judge Christopher Weeramantry and hundreds of organizations and activists at The Hague.

The Hague Appeal, a civil-society initiated campaign and conference, has developed an agenda based on the four basic themes of: strengthening international humanitarian and human rights laws and institutions; advancing the prevention, peaceful resolution, and transformation of violent conflict; developing and linking disarmament efforts, including nuclear abolition; and identifying the root causes of war, and developing a culture of peace.

Significantly, the conference to be held this May at The Netherlands Congress Centre marks the 100th anniversary of the first Hague International Peace Conference, convened by the Czar of Russia and the Queen of the Netherlands to focus on building a lasting world peace.

An orphanage for them too

A group of concerned people in Kandy has formed the "Kandy Association for Community Protection through Animal Welfare" (KACPAW).

Their aim is to establish a home for homeless dogs and cats.

One of the objectives is eradication of rabies.

This organization believes that effective curbing of the growth of the homeless animal population is the long-term solution to eradicating rabies.

It hopes to obtain a suitable land close to Kandy to set up this transit home for such animals and is making steady progress towards achieving this end.

The Governor of the Central Province, Stanley Tillekeratne and the Mayor of Kandy, Harindranath Dunuwille have already expressed their full support for this endeavour.

KACPAW has as its Patrons Stanley Tillekeratne, the Governor of the Central Province, Dr. Eileen Pethiyagoda, Dr. Kumari Jayawardena and Dr. Dudley Dissanayake. The President of KACPAW is Dr. Ananda Jayasinghe, Senior Lecturer and Acting Head of the Department of Community Medicine, University of Peradeniya.

All those who are interested in becoming members of this organization in helping the cause (both in and out of Kandy as well as living overseas), could send their names and addresses (with contact numbers if available) to: Kandy Association for Community Protection through Animal Welfare (KACPAW), 191, D.S. Senanayake Veediya, Kandy (Tel [00 94] 08 225274). Membership forms will be provided on request.

The membership of KACPAW is open to anyone who wishes to cooperate with KACPAW and support its objectives.

Help

Heart patient

Nilanka Sanjeevani Cooray is a grade nine pupil of Princess of Wales College, Moratuwa.

Consultant Cardio Thoracic Surgeon Dr. P.A. Gooneratne has diagnosed her as having a congenital heart problem which has to be corrected by open heart surgery.

Her parents are not in a position to raise the necessary finance to meet the estimated cost which is approximately Rs. 125,000/- for the surgery and post surgical care at Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital.

The Lions of Katubedda, Moratuwa are trying to raise the necessary funds to save this precious young life. The public are kindly requested to send any donations to "Lions Club of Katubedda, Moratuwa. O/A Nilanka Sanjeevani Cooray People's Bank Katubedda. A/C No. 2-05-024332-5".

She needs surgery

Baby Farzana of Dematagoda needs to undergo Atrial Septal Defect surgery, as recommended by her cardiac surgeon Dr. Y.K.M Lahu.

The Lions Club of Wellawatte West has launched a fund to raise money for baby Farzana's treatment. A Savings A/C has been opened and the public are kindly requested to send their contributions to People's Bank, Maradana Branch savings account No. 209 041 932 0.

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