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Human rights: FM challenges Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust over its representations to Geneva

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4 years ago

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The Foreign Ministry has accused one-time member of the Human Rights Commission here Ambika Satkunanathan of propagating lies targeting the government.

The foreign ministry yesterday (04) issued the following statement in response to what it called numerous misleading statements contained in Satkunanathan testimony in her capacity as Chairperson of the Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust during an exchange of views on the situation of human and labour rights in Sri Lanka at the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights on 27 January, 2022: Ms. Satkunanathan’s testimony completely ignores the progress made by the government of Sri Lanka on many fronts and creates doubts about the government’s intents and sincerity, particularly at a time when it is engaged in a long-standing cooperation with the UN Human Rights mechanisms and the UN Human Rights Council and is delivering on its commitment to address accountability and reconciliation through domestic processes and institutions.

The Ministry is disappointed that among the recommendations made by Ms. Satkunanathan that the EU uses its leverage on GSP plus facility to exert pressure on the government on human rights. If Sri Lanka loses the EU GSP plus facility, particularly at a time when livelihoods of millions of Sri Lankans belonging to all communities are already affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the resulting losses would exacerbate poverty and income inequality. Some of the worst affected sectors will be fisheries and agriculture which are among the key industries in the North and the Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka.

The Ministry also notes that the unfounded allegations about discrimination of ethnic communities in her testimony are reminiscent of LTTE propaganda that once stoked hatred among communities. In a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country such as Sri Lanka, such allegations need to be refuted in the interest of social harmony and to prevent the spread of dangerous fallacies about Sri Lanka in the international community.

The Ministry refutes Ms. Satkunanathan’s claims on ‘a culture of impunity’. The Ministry wishes to point out that the government is engaged in a long-standing cooperation with the UN human rights mechanisms as well as with the UN Human Rights Council. Sri Lanka is delivering on its commitment to address accountability and reconciliation through domestic processes and institutions. The government has been actively engaging the international community including the UNHRC’s Universal Periodic Review and Special Procedures to address the various concerns that have been raised. This includes the allegations of systematic torture. The Government has made it clear that additional reforms will be undertaken to further strengthen the rule of law, access to justice, and accountability. It remains open to a constructive discussion on suggestions and further steps to address shortcomings.

The Ministry notes that Ms. Satkunanathan makes references to ‘Sinhala Buddhist nationalism’ and ‘militarisation’ as driving the actions of the Government. She makes vague claims of racial profiling in the absence of any concrete evidence of discrimination against minorities. In reply, the Ministry wishes to point out that Sri Lanka is a secular country and all citizens, irrespective of their religion or ethnicity share the same fundamental rights under the Constitution. Furthermore, Sri Lanka ensures access to public services such as free education and free health facilities without any discrimination on the basis of ethnicity or religion. In fact, even during the military conflict when large areas of the Northern and the Eastern Provinces were under the control of the LTTE, the government continued with the provision of such public services to those areas so that the civilians, who were mainly ethnic Tamils and Muslims, would not be affected.

Ms. Satkunanathan points to the Presidential Task Force on Archaeology which she accuses of being a tool for land grabbing and changing the demographics of minority-heavy areas and the Presidential Task Force on “One-Country, One Law” which she accuses of stoking ethnic hatred and violence. After the war, as displaced persons returned to the Northern and the Eastern Provinces, there has been an increase in unauthorised encroachment into forest areas inevitably leading to destruction of archaeological sites. So, there is an urgent need to take concrete measures in order to protect these sites. There is no truth in the claims that the Presidential Task Force on Archaeology is a pretext for land grabbing and introducing the Sinhalese to these areas. It may be noted that there is representation of all ethnic communities in this Task Force. With respect to the Presidential Task Force on “One Country, One Law,” it should be noted that it is expected to play an advisory role only. The Task Force’s recommendations will be first studied by the Justice Ministry, then the Cabinet of Ministers and finally the Parliament following the democratic tradition.

With regard to her allegations that the Northern and Eastern Provinces are ‘occupied’ by the military, it should be pointed out that the the majority (more than 92%) of the private lands occupied by the military at the end of the conflict in year 2009 have already been released to legitimate land owned civilians. A mechanism is already in place to expedite the process of releasing the remaining private lands.

It is particularly disappointing to see Ms. Satkunanathan’s allegations that ‘civic space’ is shrinking and that informal and extra-legal processes are used to curtail the activities of civil society organisations. The Ministry asserts that government views NGOs as partners and not as adversaries. The government acknowledges the constructive contributions made by civil Society organisations in the work of the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR) and Sustainable Development Council of Sri Lanka. It has also introduced certain policy changes to facilitate the work of NGOs such as bringing the NGO Secretariat under the Foreign Ministry. It must be reiterated that apart from operating routine security networks in the interest of national security, particularly after the devastating Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, the Security Forces and intelligence agencies are not engaged in monitoring or targeting any specific group of people in the country.

The Ministry refutes Ms. Satkunanathan’s claims of extra-judicial killings and arrests under the pretext of a “war on drugs.” With regard to the PTA, it should be noted that the government is in the process of amending the Act, which is now at the final stage and the international community is being briefed on that process.

Ms. Satkunanathan also alleges that the government is exploiting its friendship with China to “undermine the efforts of states that call for accountability for human rights violations” in Sri Lanka. On the contrary, mindful of strategic competition that is increasing in the Indo-Pacific region, our main foreign policy directive is to maintain neutrality, in line with the non-aligned foreign policy we have adopted since Independence. The Ministry wishes to point out that apart from China, Sri Lanka has entered into partnerships with several countries such as India and Japan to fill gaps in national infrastructure development. Such partnerships have no bearing on Sri Lanka’s commitment to address accountability and reconciliation through domestic processes and institutions.”


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Trade, Investment and Tourism Cooperation Forum strengthens economic ties between Sri Lanka and Vietnam

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3 hours ago

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2026/05/9

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Marking a significant milestone in strengthening bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Vietnam, the Sri Lanka– Vietnam Trade, Investment and Tourism Cooperation Forum was successfully held on Friday (08) at the Hilton Colombo.

The Forum, jointly organised by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, was held in parallel with the State Visit of President Tô Lâm of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The event was attended by President Tô Lâm and Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

The Forum underscored the importance of the longstanding bilateral relationship between the two countries and reflected the shared commitment to expanding economic cooperation.

The primary objective of the Forum was to further strengthen bilateral economic ties by focusing on key priorities including the expansion of trade, promotion of investment and enhancement of tourism cooperation. The event also provided an opportunity to explore new avenues of collaboration, strengthen business-to-business engagement and facilitate greater market access by bringing together senior government officials, entrepreneurs and industry leaders from both countries on a common platform.

During the Forum, direct air connectivity between Colombo and Ho Chi Minh City was officially launched. The new services, operated by Vietnam Airlines and VietJet Air, are expected to further strengthen relations between the two nations and their people.

Six Memoranda of Understanding covering key areas of cooperation were also signed during the Forum. In addition, a notable development was the establishment of the Sri Lanka–Vietnam Business Council under the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

Alongside the Forum, the Sri Lanka Export Development Board organised a business networking session, providing Sri Lankan and Vietnamese entrepreneurs with the opportunity to engage directly with one another. The event received strong participation from the private sectors of both countries, with businesses expressing keen interest in expanding trade and establishing resilient supply chains.

Representing Sri Lanka at the event were Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Environment , Dr. Dhammika Patabendi, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development ,Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Deputy Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation, Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku, Deputy Minister of Tourism Ruwan Ranasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Thilaka Jayasundara, Secretary to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, K.A.Vimalenthirarajah, Chairman of the Export Development Board Mangala Wijesinghe along with several other dignitaries and officials.

Representing Vietnam were Politburo Member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Organisation Commission , Nguyen Duy Ngoc, Politburo Member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Commission for Policies and Strategies , Nguyen Thanh Nghi, Politburo Member, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, Phan Van Giang, Politburo Member and Minister of Public Security, Luong Tam Quang and Politburo Member and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Le Hoai Trung, among others.

(PMD)

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Accelerate projects related to resolving the public’s drinking water issues – President Instructs Officials

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4 hours ago

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2026/05/9

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed officials to promptly identify and commence the projects required to resolve the drinking water issues that have become a major concern for the public.

The President also instructed officials to formulate plans with close attention to the current needs of the people, pointing out that the inability to ensure an adequate supply of drinking water has given rise to numerous problems affecting the public.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake made these remarks during a discussion held on Friday  (08) afternoon  at the Presidential Secretariat with relevant officials to review the current status of national drinking water, community water supply and wastewater management projects, the progress and requirements of budget allocations, as well as future plans.

The President further instructed officials to submit a report indicating the projects that could be identified and commenced immediately, the required allocations and the expected completion dates. He stressed that financial constraints should not be treated as an obstacle and directed officials to prepare project plans and submit the necessary funding requests accordingly.

He also instructed that, rather than depending on foreign loans, greater attention should be given to completing projects as far as possible using domestic funds. In addition, he directed that staff required for project planning be recruited on contract basis.

The President also emphasised the importance of utilising capital expenditure allocations within the same year for the relevant projects. He pointed out that failure to do so would result in adverse consequences such as additional project costs, the loss of benefits from the funds already spent and the need to allocate capital provisions again in the following year for the same projects.

During the discussion, the President separately reviewed the projects being implemented and planned to resolve drinking water issues faced by people in the districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Monaragala, Kandy, Gampola, Anuradhapura, Vavuniya, Jaffna, Ampara, Batticaloa and Polonnaruwa, along with the progress achieved and the issues that had arisen in implementing them.

Officials also informed the President that deteriorating main water pipelines had resulted in insufficient water capacity being supplied to residents in the Colombo District. They further presented plans to address these issues, while the President highlighted the need for close coordination and systematic planning between the Road Development Authority and the National Water Supply and Drainage Board in carrying out these activities.

The President also instructed officials to take steps to commence the Weli Oya Reservoir Project next year in order to support flood control and meet drinking water requirements in the Colombo District.

Attention was also drawn to the North Central Main Canal and North Western Canal projects. Reviewing the progress of projects being implemented to address the severe drinking water shortage faced by people in the areas of Welikanda, Medirigiriya and Lankapura, the President instructed officials to expedite the completion of projects that would not incur significant costs by using domestic funds.

The President further pointed out the importance of implementing all projects in a highly systematic and organised manner and ensuring that their benefits are delivered to the public. Although certain projects had been suspended midway due to priority being given to essential projects, he stressed that all projects were aimed at addressing the needs of the people and should therefore be carried out in a planned and methodical manner.

Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply Dr Susil Ranasinghe, Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Prasanna Gunasena, Deputy Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply T.B. Sarath, Deputy Minister of Cooperative Development, Upali Samarasinghe, Members of Parliament including Samantha Ranasinghe, Nishantha Samaraweera, Sunil Biyanwila, Manjula Suraweera Arachchi, Shantha Padmakumara Subasinghe, Wasantha Piyathissa, Roshan Akmeemana, Ilan Kumaran, M. Jegadeeswaran, and S. Thilakanadan and Kandasamy Prabhu, Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply L.B. Kumudulal, Director General of the Department of National Budget Jude Nilukshan, Chairman of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board Engineer A.M.P.C.P. Bandara, Chairman of the Water Resources Board R.M.S. Bandara, Director General of the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka H.M.J.K. Herath and several other state officials were also present at the occasion.

(PMD)

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President of Vietnam and delegation departs Sri Lanka

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4 hours ago

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2026/05/9

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Tô Lâm, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and his delegation departed Sri Lanka on Friday (08) night from the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, successfully concluding the State visit undertaken at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The visit by the Vietnamese President and the accompanying delegation further strengthened the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Sri Lanka, while paving the way for numerous mutual benefits for the peoples of both countries.

This marked the first visit to Sri Lanka by a Vietnamese President in 15 years. The visit also comes at a significant moment as Sri Lanka continues its forward journey towards economic stability under the present Government.

Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Sunil Handunnetti, was present at the airport to bid farewell to the Vietnamese President and the delegation.

President’s Media Division (PMD)

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