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AI calls for protection of human rights of everyone

Published

4 years ago

2022/05/10

As the people in Sri Lanka are facing a catastrophic economic crisis, the government must protect the human rights of everyone and ensure an enabling environment for peacefully expressing dissent, Amnesty International (AI) said.

In a report titled ‘From Bad to Worse: Rights Under Attack During Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis’, the AI also called for the international community to support Sri Lanka in its recovery in line with obligations around international cooperation and assistance, with a particular focus on marginalized groups who are at grave risk.

“The crisis in Sri Lanka is a prime example of the interdependence and interrelatedness of economic and social rights and civil political rights. As such, human rights must be at the heart of discussions on Sri Lanka’s economic future,” said Yamini Mishra, South Asia Regional Director for Amnesty International.

“We urge the international community to step in where possible to support Sri Lanka with necessary financial and technical assistance, such as debt relief and aid, in line with a human rights based assessment of the situation to ensure the economic crisis does not deteriorate into a humanitarian crisis.”

Sri Lanka is facing a balance of payment crisis and a severe foreign exchange shortage compounded by Covid-19 lockdowns, pre-pandemic tax cuts and loss of access to international capital markets. As it stands, foreign exchange reserves are critically low, making the import of essential medicines, food items, cooking gas and fuel, immensely difficult. This is affecting all major sectors, including education, health and livelihoods.

At least five individuals have died while standing in line for essentials and, to date, a total of 75 individuals have reached Tamil Nadu in India seeking economic refuge. Thousands of people in Sri Lanka have taken to the street in a show of resistance using creative slogans, art, theatre, dance, music and technology. Their demands are for the resignation of the President and the Prime Minister, but also include calls for accountability for wide-ranging human rights violations, inter-ethnic, religious unity and harmony. According to the information collected by Amnesty International, the protests have been largely peaceful; however, in several instances, the Sri Lankan authorities have unlawfully restricted their right to freedom of peaceful assembly, including the use of force, tear gas and arbitrary detentions.

The authorities must uphold human rights to freedom of movement, liberty and security of person. Also, Sri Lanka has ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and has an obligation, both individually and through international assistance and cooperation, to guarantee economic and social rights. These rights include the rights to health, education, social security, adequate food, and an adequate standard of living.

In February this year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recommended that “social safety nets should be strengthened, by increasing spending, widening coverage, and improving targeting, to mitigate the adverse impacts of macroeconomic adjustment on vulnerable groups,” however, to date, the only proposals approved by the Sri Lankan Cabinet have been to provide ad-hoc handouts for a period of three months for low-income families. The government must urgently fund and expand social security systems and ensure that all people, including marginalised groups, are protected from the impacts of the crisis.

Amnesty International has observed that austerity measures introduced previously in several other countries in the context of economic crises have seriously impacted economic and social rights protections. In Greece and Spain, for example, austerity measures made healthcare less accessible and affordable, which had a disproportionate impact on those with lower incomes, and particularly on the elderly, those needing mental health care and treatment, those with disabilities, and with chronic health conditions.

“Lessons must be learnt from similar experiences from across the world to avoid serious repercussions,” said Yamini Mishra. “Any austerity measures introduced in Sri Lanka must be based on a human rights assessment, should be open for public scrutiny and feedback in an inclusive and participatory process, and all alternatives must be explored before they are introduced. Austerity measures must not disproportionately impact the marginalized groups and must be strictly temporary.”

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A new curriculum will be introduced for preschools in 2027, while steps will also be taken to train teachers accordingly – PM

Published

11 hours ago

2026/03/16

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that a new curriculum will be introduced for preschools in 2027, while steps will also be taken to train teachers accordingly and to regulate preschools through a regulatory authority.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing an awareness programme for preschool teachers in the Hambantota District on education reforms, held on Sunday (15) at the Ambalantota Pradeshiya Sabha Auditorium.

During the programme, preschool teachers briefed the Prime Minister about the challenges they currently face. Responding to their concerns, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya further stated:

“The issues within the preschool system cannot be discussed separately from the broader crisis in society and in the education sector. When we assumed office in 2024, our primary challenge was to free the country from its debt burden and to establish. a sound economic indicators.

Although 2025 was a challenging year, we were able to bring the country’s economy to a certain level of stability and manage the national budget accordingly.

While we were working towards economic recovery, the war in the Middle East began, which has had certain impacts on our country as well.

A significant amount of Sri Lanka’s foreign remittances come from our fellow citizens working in the Middle East. Today, both their livelihoods and employment are under threat. In addition, a large number of tourists travelled to Sri Lanka through Middle Eastern airspace, and the closure of those air routes and airports has reduced tourist arrivals. Another issue concerns fuel transportation. This problem has affected not only Sri Lanka but many countries around the world. If the war continues for a long period, it will have further impacts on us, and therefore we must be prepared. We also need to manage the economy carefully and reduce certain expenditures.

Although we have the ability to borrow, our intention is not to weaken the country’s economy by relying on loans.

You are aware that we have begun implementing education reforms. Within that policy framework, we are also taking steps to reform preschool education. So far, the establishment of preschools and early childhood development has not been carried out in a systematic manner. Therefore, we must regulate and standardize all preschools, which is not an easy task.

First, all preschools must be formally registered. We have already prepared a curriculum for teacher training. In addition, we plan to introduce a new curriculum for preschools in 2027, provide teacher training accordingly, and regulate preschools through a regulatory authority. A recognized curriculum has also been prepared for the preschool diploma. In the future, priority for preschool teachers will be given based on these qualifications. We will also take gradual steps to enhance the professionalism of preschool teachers and establish a proper salary structure”.

The Prime Minister further stated that preschools fall under the authority of Provincial Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas, while the line ministry can only provide policy recommendations. She also emphasized that issues related to preschools should be addressed in a systematic manner through structural committees and District Development Committees.

Member of Parliament Nihal Galappaththi and other public representatives, along with preschool teachers from the Hambantota District attended the awareness program.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

News

Be mindful of the accuracy of information before sharing it on social media – PM

Published

12 hours ago

2026/03/16

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the weakening of public trust in information disseminated through the media is extremely dangerous for a society, and emphasized that people must be mindful of the truthfulness of information before sharing it on social media.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing the “Sandeshaya” Media Awards Ceremony held on 14 March at the Kularathne Hall of Ananda College, Colombo. The event was organized with the aim of providing Sri Lankan school students with an opportunity to actively contribute to the national media discourse while promoting ethics, responsibility, and critical thinking.

During the “Sandeshaya” Awards Ceremony , lifetime awards granted only once in a lifetime were presented to distinguished veterans in the media field, while media awards were also presented to talented students in the school category. The ceremony was held under the patronage of the Prime Minister.

Expressing her views further, the Prime Minister stated:

“We live in an era where information technology and the media are changing rapidly. Along with these changes, many opportunities have emerged, but we are also confronted with numerous challenges.

We must prepare our younger generation to live in a society and a world transformed by information technology and the media.

When we observe the changes taking place in the media today, we can say that the media and information have become democratized. In the past, access to knowledge and information was largely limited to privileged or powerful groups. The authority to communicate information and decide what should be disseminated was held by a small group. However, with the advancement of technology, this has changed dramatically. As a result of this revolutionary transformation, information, data, and knowledge have now become accessible to everyone. In that sense, it is a positive development.

At the same time, we are no longer merely media viewers or consumers. As citizens, we can also become media creators. Citizens now have significant space to engage with the media and share information. While this is positive in one sense, it also carries certain dangers. There are serious questions, issues, and challenges regarding responsibility and credibility in the dissemination of information. Today, information flows so rapidly that it is sometimes difficult to determine what is true. Making decisions has become increasingly challenging. Not only in our country but globally, there have been many instances where societies have been set ablaze due to misinformation or deliberately distorted information. We have witnessed numerous occasions where people’s lives have been destroyed as a result.

Sometimes, without even realizing it, we get trapped on the internet. We share various things through our social media platforms, both necessary and unnecessary. However, what we often forget is that a large amount of personal information accumulates on the internet through these actions. Once incorrect information becomes widespread in this way, it becomes extremely difficult to erase.

The spread of false information weakens public trust in the information provided by the media, and this is extremely dangerous for a society. For the sustainability of a society, it is essential to maintain trust among citizens and trust in the institutions that influence people’s lives. Only through the trust we can safeguard the sustainability, continuity, and security of a society.

However, what has happened today due to the spread of misinformation? We no longer have confidence in our leaders. We do not even trust elders. There is doubt about whether the news we receive can be trusted. When credibility weakens within a society, it can push that society into crisis.

Therefore, it is extremely important to cultivate a culture that strengthens trust in leadership, promotes confidence in elders, and enhances awareness about reliable sources of information. In this context, those entering the field of media carry a significant responsibility.

Just like the senior professionals we honored today, you too may one day enter this field. However, there is a vast difference between the era in which they entered the profession and the era you will enter. You will carry a unique responsibility to strengthen the credibility of the media and to stand firmly behind the information you present.

You must be able to stand by the information you provide. You must reflect on whether the information you share is true and who might be affected by it. Ensuring the credibility of the information you disseminate is also your responsibility.

Similarly, as users of any form of media, we all bear a responsibility to verify the reliability of the information we receive and to be aware of how to distinguish between truth and falsehood. That is why digital literacy and media literacy are essential. It is also for this reason that we believe such subjects and concepts must be incorporated into education reforms so that our student generation can learn them.’

The Prime Minister further stated that citizens have a responsibility to be mindful of the truthfulness of information before sharing content found on the internet and social media with others.

The event was attended by the Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media Anil Jasinghe, Principal of Ananda College D.M.L.P. Dissanayake, journalists, principals, teachers, and students.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

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Heat Index at ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Monaragala, Mannar, Anuradhapura and Vavuniya districts

Published

12 hours ago

2026/03/16

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 3.30 p.m. on 15 March 2026, valid for 16 March 2026.

The public is warned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at
some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Monaragala, Mannar, Anuradhapura and Vavuniya districts.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491