A senior religious scholar attached to the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) has called on lawmakers to exercise “wisdom, restraint and justice” in finalising the proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Act, 2026, warning that laws enacted in the name of security must not erode civil liberties, religious freedom, or public trust.

Sheikh Arkam Nooramith, a respected ACJU religious scholar and community guide, has issued a detailed public observation on the draft legislation, acknowledging the State’s duty to protect citizens from terrorism while stressing that national security and human rights must advance together.

“Terrorism in all its forms is a grave evil. It violates the sanctity of human life and destabilises societies,”

Nooramith said. “The State has not only the right, but the duty, to protect its people from such threats. At the same time, history—both ours and that of other nations—teaches us that laws enacted in the name of security must be crafted with wisdom, restraint, and justice.”

Concerns over broad definitions

In his observations, Nooramith cautioned that several provisions in the draft law rely on broad and ambiguous definitions, particularly those dealing with “encouragement,” “reckless dissemination,” “espousing the cause,” and acts “associated with terrorism.”

“Laws of this nature must be precise and narrowly tailored,” he noted. “A society governed by law requires that citizens clearly understand what is prohibited and why. Ambiguity can lead to inconsistent or excessive enforcement, which ultimately harms social harmony.”

As a religious scholar, Nooramith expressed particular concern over how legitimate religious discourse could be misunderstood or misapplied under expansive legal interpretations.

“Sri Lanka is a deeply religious society. Sermons, lectures, historical discussions and moral teachings are central to the spiritual lives of its people,” he said. “Even with protections for good-faith expression, there remains a real risk that speech or religious discourse may be misinterpreted when taken out of context—especially in an era of digital circulation.”

He warned that such risks are not theoretical. “They are rooted in lived experience,” he said, adding that a mature democracy must ensure that security laws do not unintentionally silence ethical, intellectual, or religious expression carried out in good faith.

The ACJU scholar also drew attention to provisions allowing the proscription of organisations, describing them as powers with “serious consequences” for association, expression, and livelihoods.

“Such authority must be exercised with strong judicial safeguards, transparent criteria and periodic independent review,” Nooramith said. “Laws gain legitimacy not merely from their intent, but from the fairness of their procedures.”

On detention, he observed that although the draft introduces more judicial oversight than previous legislation, executive-initiated detention supported by confidential material still raises concerns.

“From the perspective of justice, liberty should be restricted only under the closest judicial supervision, with a meaningful opportunity for the affected person to respond,” he emphasised.

Rejecting the notion that rights undermine security, Nooramith argued that human rights are essential to long-term national stability.

“Human rights are not obstacles to security; they are its foundation,” he said. “Societies that protect dignity, due process and fairness cultivate trust between citizens and the State. Societies that rely excessively on fear and coercion weaken that trust—sometimes irreparably.”

While welcoming the inclusion of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka in oversight mechanisms, he called for its role to be further strengthened to ensure genuine independence and effectiveness.

At the same time, Nooramith acknowledged that the draft law represents a significant departure from the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) of 1979, which he said caused “deep pain, fear and long-lasting grievances” across communities.

Among the positive changes he highlighted were the preamble’s commitment to constitutional rights and international human rights standards, increased judicial involvement, limits on prolonged detention, mandatory notification to next of kin and the Human Rights Commission, and explicit recognition that peaceful protest, dissent and advocacy do not constitute terrorism.

“These provisions reflect an understanding that security cannot be sustained through unchecked power,” he said. “They deserve recognition.”

Concluding his observations, Sheikh Arkam Nooramith urged lawmakers and citizens alike to learn from Sri Lanka’s past.

“Our history has taught us painful lessons about laws that, though enacted for security, became sources of fear and division,” he said. “True national security is not achieved by power alone, but by justice, trust and moral credibility. A law that protects the State must also protect the dignity of its people—all its people.”

His intervention comes amid growing public debate on the proposed legislation, as civil society groups, legal experts and religious leaders call for a balanced approach that safeguards both national security and democratic freedoms.

By Ifham Nizam ✍️

UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka has appointed Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC (TTE PLC) as Patron of its Climate Emergency Task Force, citing the company’s long-standing engagement in climate resilience, sustainability and low-carbon transformation within the plantation sector.

The appointment comes amid growing climate-related challenges facing Sri Lanka’s tea industry, including rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, soil degradation and increased incidence of floods and droughts. These impacts have begun to affect productivity, infrastructure and community wellbeing across both high-grown and low-country estates.

TTE PLC, one of the country’s leading plantation companies, has implemented a range of adaptation and mitigation measures in response. According to the company, erratic rainfall in highland estates has led to soil erosion, damage to estate roads and factory infrastructure, and reduced soil moisture, while southern low-country estates have experienced heat stress among workers, flash floods and heightened risks of vector-borne diseases.

In response, the company has expanded initiatives focused on reforestation, soil and water conservation, rainwater harvesting and watershed protection. These measures aim to strengthen sustainable tea cultivation while improving regional water security and community resilience.

UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka said the Patron role recognises TTE PLC’s sustained investment in renewable energy, carbon management, water stewardship, biodiversity conservation and social development. As Patron, the company is expected to support the Task Force’s efforts to promote coordinated private-sector action on climate change.

TTE PLC reports that its renewable energy generation exceeded 30,800 gigajoules in 2024 and 2025, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Micro-hydro projects across several estates generated approximately 7,975 megawatt-hours of electricity during the 2024/25 period, supplemented by rooftop solar installations at factories. The company also maintains an externally assured greenhouse gas inventory, recording 23,431 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in its most recent reporting cycle, a year-on-year reduction of about seven per cent.

The company has stated that it is the first Sri Lankan plantation entity to assure climate disclosures under the SLFRS S1 and S2 standards. In addition, more than Rs. 58 million was invested during 2024 and 2025 in projects related to reforestation, water security and energy efficiency, alongside waste management initiatives that reduced estate waste volumes.

Community engagement forms a central component of TTE PLC’s approach. Estate families are involved in the design of rainwater harvesting systems, community nurseries supply seedlings for reforestation programmes, and home gardening initiatives aim to improve household food security. Digital platforms are also used to promote awareness on waste management and resource conservation.

UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka said the appointment highlights the role of the plantation sector in advancing national climate goals. TTE PLC’s climate roadmap includes targets to ensure year-round water availability by 2030, fully integrate regenerative agriculture practices by 2035, and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

The recent flooding at the University of Peradeniya caused by Cyclone Ditwah has exposed what the Sri Lanka Veterinary Association (SLVA) describes as a deep-seated national crisis, highlighting the vulnerability of the country’s veterinary education system and raising concerns over food security, public health and economic resilience.

While several faculties at the university were affected by the unprecedented rise of the adjacent Mahaweli River, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science sustained the severest damage. As Sri Lanka’s only fully-fledged veterinary faculty, the disruption has implications that extend far beyond the campus, with nationwide consequences for animal health services and disease control.

According to the SLVA, academic buildings, laboratories, animal housing units, diagnostic facilities, libraries, teaching hospitals and specialised equipment were either submerged or destroyed. Decades of research data were also lost. Senior academics have described the incident as the worst flooding experienced by the Faculty since its establishment more than 50 years ago.

Preliminary estimates place the financial losses at several billion rupees. More critically, the disaster has disrupted teaching schedules, halted essential research programmes, compromised clinical training and displaced both students and staff. The association warns that these setbacks threaten the continuity and quality of veterinary education at a time when national demand for trained professionals is already acute.

Concerns over the Faculty’s location within the flood plains of the Mahaweli River are not new. Professionals have long cautioned about the risks, but the recent floods exceeded all historical records at Peradeniya, marking the first event of this magnitude since the Faculty’s inception. With climate change increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, the SLVA says the likelihood of recurrence can no longer be dismissed.

Sri Lanka currently relies on a single institution to train veterinary surgeons, a dependency that has resulted in a significant workforce shortfall. The country requires an estimated 200 veterinarians annually, but the current output is around 100, leaving a deficit of nearly 50 per cent. This shortage affects livestock productivity, disease surveillance, food safety and public health, as well as the growth of key sectors such as dairy, poultry, meat, aquaculture and companion animal services.

In light of the proven vulnerability of the Peradeniya site and growing national needs, the SLVA has renewed calls for the strategic relocation of the Faculty to a safer, climate-resilient location. A modern, integrated veterinary faculty, the association argues, would strengthen Sri Lanka’s capacity to protect food security, enhance public health preparedness and build resilience against future climate-related disruptions.

The SLVA has urged policymakers to treat veterinary education as a matter of national strategic importance, warning that delayed action could undermine the country’s health systems and economic stability.