Religious leaders and rights activists in  Sri Lanka have honoured prominent Catholic journalist and human rights defender Fredy Gamage who recently received Timor-Leste’s top civilian award for his remarkable contributions to its struggle for independence from Indonesia.
Gamage was hailed as a fear-less human rights defender in Timor-Leste and in his home country during a reception at the Cardinal Cooray Centre in Nego-mbo, about 40 kilometres from the capital Colombo, on Dec. 9.
Catholic priest and rights de-fender, Father Sarath Iddamalgoda, said Gamage’s commitment has persisted through decades of war, political crises, and social injustices that have plagued the island nation.
He is held in high esteem for dedicated efforts in championing the rights of north-eastern people throughout three decades of civil war in Sri Lanka, Iddamalgoda said.
Gamage organized impactful poster campaigns, such as “Tears and Fire of War,” effectively shedding light on the plight of innocent civilians caught in the conflict, he said.
“Through these campaigns, Gamage played a crucial role in informing the public about the hardships faced by minority Ta-mils, demonstrating his commitment to raising awareness about their struggles,” Iddamalgoda told the gathering.