News
Initiative launched to enhance well-being of women and children in plantation sector
In a major step towards safeguarding the wellbeing of women and children from estate sector communities, the Centre for Child Rights and Business in partnership with Save the Children, and key stakeholders, the Planters Association of Ceylon, Plantation Human Development Trust, Ministry of Women and Child Affairs announced the launch of Sri Lanka’s first “Mother and Child-Friendly Seal for Responsible Business”.
In the backdrop of a looming economic crisis that threatens to erode Sri Lanka’s strong progress quality of life, key socio-economic and health indicators, the Mother and Child-Friendly Seal is designed to guide businesses on a path that incorporates the wellbeing of women and children across the estate sector.
“We believe in ensuring the wellbeing of women and children living among the plantation community as they are the key in influencing the sustainable development of the industry,” Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA) Chairman, and Director/CEO of Elpitiya Plantations PLC, Bhathiya Bulumulla stated.
The initiative also aims to provide encouragement to businesses in the tea supply chain – from brands, exporters, brokers, to plantation companies and estates – to make sustainable and meaningful investments in the wellbeing of women and children.
“For generations, women have been integral to the development of Sri Lanka’s plantation industry. By bolstering standards through the implementation of initiatives like the Mother & Child-Friendly Seal for Responsible Business, we are better able to protect the livelihoods and quality of living of all those connected to the plantation industry. Moving forward, we will also be engaging with all industry stakeholders in order to further expand these standards to the rest of the industry, in order to maximize the social utility of such programmes.” PA Media Spokesperson and Hayleys Plantations Managing Director, Dr. Roshan Rajadurai explained.
“For over eight years, we have continuously worked to improve the lives of children living in the tea estates. By investing $1.5 million, our programmes focused on introducing a child protection policy to tea planation companies, strengthening the community-based child protection mechanisms and empowering children for their child rights. This initiative has paved way to build strong alliances with the Planters Association, the Plantation Human Development Trust, and tea producers, exporters and brands to create sustainable standards for mother and child friendly tea estates.
“We also partnered with The Centre for Child Rights and Business in Sri Lanka with an aim to create the Seal initiative, used to differentiate Sri Lankan tea in the marketplace. Additionally, this initiative will create a governing body which will monitor commitments, results and issue the Seal,” Save the Children National Director, Julian Chellappah explained.
The Ministry of Women and Child Affairs closely collaborated on this initiative, as a key member of the advisory committee that provides strategic guidance.
“The Ministry of Women and Child Development is responsible for empowering, ensuring, and promoting the rights of women and children. The Mother and Child-Friendly Seal for Responsible Business is an important initiative, which will immensely support the objectives of the ministry,” Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs Nilmini Herath said.
The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.
Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.
The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses
will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”
In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125
News
Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area
The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.
The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.
A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.
Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.
The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.
The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.
The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.
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Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations
Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area
Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.
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