Honorary Graduates
Orations and responses
Response by Dr Radhika Coomaraswamy
Chancellor, I would like to thank the University of Essex for this honour.
The University of Essex has a international reputation for being a Centre of
Excellence with regard to human rights so it is, indeed, a privilege to be here
with you today.
I would like to dedicate this honour firstly to Dr Neelan Tiruchelvam, a
scholar, an activist and a visionary who was brutally assassinated in Sri Lanka
in 1999. He was my mentor and my guide. He had a vision for Sri Lanka that
involved having its citizens enjoy peace, human rights, democracy and a measure
of pluralism. I hope his vision will come true for my country some day and I
will work tirelessly to ensure that vision is a reality.
I would also like to dedicate this honour to all the women of the world who
have been victims of violence, who have approached me in countless letters as
well as individually and have called upon the United Nations to listen to their
narratives. Even though they have been the victims of the most horrific kinds of
violence whether domestic violence, rape in normal times or during armed
conflict or sexual slavery, many of these women have taken control of their
lives and are fighting for justice and humanity in their own societies. They are
a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and a reminder of human
courage.
Finally let me say that recent events have pointed to the fact that human
rights is extremely important. They do not occur only in the third world. They
occur everywhere. It is important that we unite to fight, to protect human
rights. It is important that we make human dignity centre place in our national,
regional and international agendas.
Thank you again, Chancellor.
Radhika Coomaraswamy
15 July 2004