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Civil society alleges harassment of Mullaitivu-based journalist

Published

5 months ago

2025/10/6

A group of civil society organisations and activists have condemned, what they called, the surveillance, harassment, and intimidation, of Mullaitivu-based journalist Kumanan Kanapathipillai. The following is the text of statement issued by the group consisting of 141 organisations and activists: Kumanan has, for more than a decade, reported on and documented human rights violations committed by various actors in the Northern and Eastern Provinces (North-East); thereby playing a proactive role in the Tamil community’s post-war demands for human rights protection and accountability.

His work includes documenting militarisation, crackdown on protests and memorialisations, repression of civil society, families of the disappeared, land appropriation, and broader Sinhala-Buddhisation of the North and East. He has moreover highlighted the plight and struggles of the families of the disappeared for years, and the Tamil community’s demands for justice for the atrocity crimes committed during the armed conflict.

The relentless harassment of Kumanan has been continuing for many years, prompting several international human rights organisations to classify him as a ‘journalist-at-risk’. In 2020, a group of men attacked Kumanan and another journalist while they were covering the illegal smuggling of trees. In 2024, the Counter-Terrorism Investigation Division (CTID) visited Kumanan’s parents and interrogated his associates. The harassment reached a crescendo on 17 August 2025, when the CTID interrogated Kumanan for seven hours, framing his photojournalism as work ‘against the government’ and a ‘terrorist’ activity. On 26 September 2025, during the United Nations’ Committee on Enforced Disappearances’ review of Sri Lanka in Geneva, a government representative made a statement justifying their harassment of Kumanan by alluding to suspicions about his involvement in financial crimes and terrorism.

The unfounded accusations and persistent harassment are an attempt to silence Kumanan, as well as to make an example of him as a warning to silence other Tamil-speaking journalists in the North-East. Even though Kumanan is not the only person in the recent past to experience inquiries and intimidation, the level of harassment that Kumanan faces, which goes beyond mere inquiry, is intended to remind other journalists of the existence of repressive structures. The psychological pressure and reprisals not only against them, but also their families and colleagues if they continue reporting on matters that challenge the official version of the truth, force journalists to self-censor.

The National People’s Power (NPP) government was elected on a promise to bring about a ‘system change’ by charting a different course than previous governments, particularly with regard to the treatment of Tamils. Regrettably, the attempts to curtail the freedom of expression of Kumanan and other media personnel in recent times are no different to the approach adopted by past governments. This demonstrates the failure of the NPP government to adhere to its election promises, particularly with regard to dismantling and reforming repressive State structures, such as the security agencies that disregard and violate the rights of the people, especially those in the North-East. Tolerating dissent, respecting and protecting press freedom and broader freedom of speech are the hallmarks of a healthy democracy.

We would like to reiterate that the government is responsible for the actions of security agencies; it has the duty to subject them to civilian scrutiny and ensure they do not violate the rights of citizens in the guise of safeguarding national security. In order to accomplish this, the government would have to respect constitutional safeguards, the rule of law and due process. Kumanan’s treatment indicates to the public, and particularly the Tamil community, that it is business as usual for state structures which are repudiating ‘system change’. Such actions of state entities will undermine the credibility of the government and increase the mistrust of the Tamil community in state structures.

In light of the escalation of the intimidation and harassment of Kumanan, we call upon the Sri Lankan government to immediately cease the surveillance, harassment, and intimidation, stop weaponising the law to label journalists terrorists for practising their profession, respect constitutionally protected rights and end the mis and disinformation campaign against them.

We urge the international community to impress upon the government the importance of taking on board and implementing the aforementioned requests, and pay increased attention to the human rights situation in the North-East, particularly the treatment of Tamil-speaking journalists and human rights activists. “

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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

4 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

5 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

5 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