News
Ali Sabry has raised issue of illegal detention of Lankans with Myanmar govt: Foreign Ministry
The Foreign Ministry has said it is aware of the situation in Myanmar where Sri Lankan nationals have become victims of human trafficking for cybercrimes. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Myanmar have continued to seek the assistance and cooperation of the Myanmar authorities on the safe repatriation of Sri Lankan nationals who have been trafficked to Myanmar. It may be noted that this situation has been an ongoing issue since 2022.
The Foreign Ministry has said in a media statement: “As a result of the rescue and repatriation efforts spearheaded by the Consular Affairs Division of the Foreign Ministry in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Embassy in Myanmar and the Myanmar Government authorities, from time to time 32 victims were rescued in the 2022/2023 period.
“Given the grave nature of the situation, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry raised concerns on the safety of Sri Lankan nationals with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar Than Swe on the sidelines of BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in Bangkok, Thailand. The Foreign Ministry officials continue to raise serious concerns on the safety of Sri Lankan nationals with the Myanmar Ambassador in Colombo and seek assistance and early intervention to secure their rescue and repatriation.
“As per the information available to the Ministry, at the moment 56 Sri Lankan nationals are being held in the Myawaddy area in Myanmar. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is taking all possible steps to liaise with Myanmar Government authorities and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to resolve this issue. The Myanmar Government has informed of difficulties in accessing that area due to the prevailing rebellious situation in the country.
“The Ministry has already taken action to inform and continuously engage with all stakeholders, including National Anti–Human Trafficking Task Force (NAHTTF), Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Human Trafficking, Smuggling Investigation and Maritime Crime Division, and the Department of Immigration & Emigration regarding this issue.
“On December 19, 2023, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Myanmar Janaka Bandara met Home Affairs Minister of Myanmar Lieutenant General Yar Pyae, and Director General Consular Affairs of the Foreign Ministry of Myanmar, U. Aung Kyaw Oo, in Nay Pyi Taw. During the meeting the Ambassador requested urgent assistance from the Myanmar Government to rescue the Sri Lankan nationals who were trafficked into the country by human smugglers.
“It is learnt that the job offers are mainly in the IT sector and Sri Lankan nationals travel to Myanmar using visit visas, instead of work visas and contracts. These workers travel to Myanmar, without registering with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been requesting all Sri Lankan nationals, seeking job opportunities in the Southeast Asia region not to fall prey to human trafficking and criminal syndicates who offer large salaries without proper job contracts and work visas.
“The Ministry will continue to seek all possible avenues to ensure the safety and security of our nationals and seek early repatriation in consultation with the Government of Myanmar.”
Foreign News
One dead in US after being struck by taking off Frontier Airlines plane
A person has died after jumping an airport perimeter fence in the US state of Colorado and being struck by a Frontier Airlines plane, according to authorities.
Denver International Airport said the unusual incident occurred late Friday, after the unidentified individual gained access to the tarmac.
It said the “pedestrian jumped the perimeter fence and was hit just two minutes later while crossing the runway”.
A brief engine fire followed the collision, which was put out by emergency responders, according to the airport.
It said that 12 of the 231 people on board suffered minor injuries, with five hospitalised.
The airport said investigators had examined the fence line where the individual entered and “found it to be intact”.
It added that the struck individual “is not believed to be an employee of the airport”.
“We are extremely saddened by this incident and express our sympathies to those involved,” the airport said.
Both local authorities and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) were investigating the incident.
Airport safety in the US came under renewed scrutiny earlier this year amid a prolonged shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which temporarily left both Transportation Security Agents (TSA) and air traffic controllers working without pay.
While instances of people being killed on airport tarmacs are rare, Friday’s incident came a day after a Delta employee was killed after an airport vehicle struck an airbridge at Orlando International Airport.
In March, two pilots were killed after an Air Canada Express plane crashed into a fire-rescue vehicle at LaGuardia Airport in New York.
About 225,000 people travel through Denver International Airport a day.
[Aljazeera]
Latest News
Showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern, Uva, North-western and Northern provinces and in Anuradhapura district.
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 10 MAY 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 10 May 2026 by the Department of Meteorology
The low-level atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka is likely to develop into a low-pressure area around 11th of May. Therefore, the prevailing showery conditions over the island are expected to continue during the next few days.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at most places over the island, and cloudy skies are expected over the island. Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern, Uva, North-western and Northern provinces and in Anuradhapura district.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
News
Lanka Port City officials to meet investors in Dubai
ECONOMYNEXT –Colombo Port City (CPC) officials will head to Dubai to meet with investors on June 11, as Sri Lanka’s most ambitious economic zone looks for further foreign investments.
“We are meeting people in Dubai and the Middle East in order to demonstrate that Colombo Port City can be a supplementary zone of investment,” Harsha Amarasekara, Chairman, Colombo Port City Economic Commission (CPCEC), told Economynext.
The meeting will be organised by CPCEC, China Harbour Engineering Company, Consulate General of Sri Lanka – Dubai, and the Embassy of Sri Lanka – Abu Dhabi.
Foreign investor meetings have been a consistent factor in marketing CPC, and identifying potential markets has been a priority for CHEC and CPCEC.
“We have shortlisted and identified primary markets and we have combed the globe in that to say have a rationale behind why you would want to do certain things, a road show in a particular country,” Thulci Aluwihare, Deputy Managing Director, CHEC Port City Colombo, told Echelon Media.
“Once we kind of shortlist on that, then we aggressively go and market Port City, first Sri Lanka I should say, then Port City.”
“Sri Lanka is known in the world as a tourist destination, not essentially for a doing business capital. That is the narrative that we are trying to change,” he added.
-
News3 days agoMIT expert warns of catastrophic consequences of USD 2.5 mn Treasury heist
-
News5 days agoCJ urged to inquire into AKD’s remarks on May 25 court verdict
-
News6 days agoUSD 3.7 bn H’tota refinery: China won’t launch project without bigger local market share
-
Editorial3 days agoClean Sri Lanka and dirty politics
-
Editorial6 days agoDeliver or perish
-
Opinion5 days agoSecurity, perception, and trust: Sri Lanka’s delicate balancing act
-
Editorial2 days agoThe Vijay factor
-
News1 day agoSLPP expresses concern over death of former SriLankan CEO
