Centre for Policy Alternatives

The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) "was formed in 1996 in the firm belief that the vital contribution of civil society to the public policy debate is in need of strengthening. Focusing primarily on issues of governance and conflict resolution, CPA is committed to programmes of research and advocacy through which public policy is critiqued, alternatives identified and disseminated. CPA is an independent, non-partisan organization which receives funds from international and bilateral funding agencies and foundations.

"CPA programmes are implemented through 05 units - Legal and Constitutional, Media, Conflict and Peace, Polling and Translation. Monitoring of election related violence is conducted through the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV), formed together with the Free Media Movement (FMM) and the Coalition Against Political Violence. CPA functions as its secretariat.

"All units work in close and regular cooperation on programmes. Their work ranges from public interest litigation and constitutional reform to the monitoring of the incidence of election-related violence, media reform, conflict transformation and a political solution to the ethnic conflict. In the fulfilment of its mandate, CPA has collaborated with a number of local and international civil society organizations including Article 19 and the Commonwealth Press Union, Conciliation Resources (UK), the Free Media Movement, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, UNHCR, ILO, Institute of Federalism, (Fribourg, Switzerland), Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, the International Telecommunications Union, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, INFORM, the Forum of Federations (Canada), Berghof Foundation for Conflict Studies (Berlin, Germany) and the International Media Support (Copenhagen, Denmark)." 

Listed as a partner organization of the International Center for Transitional Justice, and a member of the World Movement for Democracy's network.


 * Former Director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) Kethesh Loganathan (deceased)
 * In 2003 Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu was the Executive Director

"CPA, in collaboration with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), held a Workshop on “German Federalism - Its Relevance to Sri Lanka” 10th Sept at the BMICH, Colombo." 

"The [CPA's] Media Unit has worked with International Media Support (Denmark), IMPACS (Canada), The Media Unit: Working towards media freedom UNICEF, Panos - South Asia, British Council - Sri Lanka, the PressWise Trust (UK) and a number of Sri Lankan media institutions, including the Free Media M o v e m e n t (FMM), the Sri Lanka Working Journalists." 

Directors
"The founding Board of Directors of CPA was:
 * Charles Abeysekere
 * Sunil Bastian
 * Rohan Edrisinha
 * Cyrene Siriwardhana
 * Jayadeva Uyangoda
 * Bradman Weerakoon

"Following the death of Mr Abeysekere in April 1998, three new members joined the Board. They are:


 * Shelton Wanasinghe
 * Arjuna Parakrama
 * Gowri Ponniah

"In January 2002, on his appointment as the Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr. Bradman Weerakoon resigned from the Board. As of 1st November 2002, two new members joined the Board. They are:


 * Kethesh Loganathan
 * Sunanda Deshapriya

"On his appointment in February 2003 as Peace and Development Advisor to the UNDP, Nepal, Dr. Arjuna Parakrama resigned from the Board.

"At the January 2004 Annual General Meeting, Dr. Uyangoda did not stand for re-election to the Board of Directors.

"A new member, Ms. Anushya Coomaraswamy, joined the Board of Directors in January 2005.

"Mr. Javid Yusuf resigned from the Board of Directors in June 2006.

"Mr. Kethesh Loganathan resigned from the Board of Directors and as Head of the Peace and Conflict Analysis Unit as of 1st April 2006.

"Mr. Mangala Moonesinghe was appointed and Mr. Bradmon Weerakoon re-joined the Board with effect from 10th March 2006.

"The Executive Director of CPA since its inception has been Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu. Source

Funding
"CPA effectively commenced its programme of work in January 1997 with funds from the Asia Foundation under the USAID Citizen Participation (CIPART) Programme and from the Hewlett Packard Foundation, SIDA, NORAD, the Westminister Foundation and Alliance Lanka. In addition to the Executive Director and the Administrative Assistant there are 15 researchers employed on projects in the areas of law and constitutional reform, the media, political and social surveys." 

Contact

 * Web: http://www.cpalanka.org