Throughout September, the NPC has held a number of community advocacy meetings as part of the CAFOD funded project designed to raise awareness about power sharing in Sri Lanka.  Members of NPC have visited the districts of Galle, Hambantota, Anuradhapura, Colombo, Kurunagala, Ampara and Ratnapura to engage with local communities about power sharing issues.

Each session commenced with an introduction to the objectives of the meeting, namely to promote power sharing as a means of resolving the ethnic conflict.  The key issues surrounding power sharing were then identified and particular emphasis was given to the need for implementation of the 13th Amendment.  There was also an explanation of the history of conflict in Sri Lanka.

After tea was provided the meetings reconvened with an examination of the differences between the federal and unitary systems of government.  There then followed discussion about federalism in other countries and the international experience of power sharing.  Finally, future planning was considered and participants were encouraged to carry forward ideas about power sharing in their local communities.

NPC believes that these meetings were successful in facilitating the dissemination of power sharing principles throughout the island and hopes that the project will help lay the foundation for a long term solution to the conflict.