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Major Indo-Lanka disagreement over Colombo’s continental shelf submission

Published

2 years ago

2024/07/10

…the issues before UN for adjudication

The United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (UNCLCS) is yet to make its position known with regard to Sri Lanka’s continental shelf submission as a result of a request made by India to the UNCLCS regarding the area claimed by Sri Lanka.

The Foreign Ministry yesterday (08) issued the following statement on what a senior official called a developing situation: The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to several media reports relating to Sri Lanka’s continental shelf submission to the UNCLCS in New York as well as to matters related to the ISBA in Jamaica on exploration of the cobalt-rich crust in the “Afanasy Nikitin Seamount”.

In this regard the Ministry wishes to recall that in terms of Article 76 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) all coastal States are entitled to claim an extended continental shelf beyond the 200 nautical miles Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Sri Lanka as a coastal State and following careful study and expert opinion presented its technical and scientific data and other material to the UNCLCS to establish the outer limits of the continental shelf on 8th May 2009. Sri Lanka presented its submission under the special method contained in the Statement of Understanding (SoU), in respect of States in the Southern part of the Bay of Bengal.

The UNCLCS appointed a Sub-commission to consider Sri Lanka’s submission in October 2016 and several rounds of discussions between the Sub-commission and the Sri Lanka delegation have taken place.

The UNCLCS is yet to make recommendations with regard to Sri Lanka’s submission and at present consideration of Sri Lanka’s submission by the UNCLCS is on hold due to a request made by India to the UNCLCS regarding the area claimed by Sri Lanka. The way forward in this regard is being pursued through diplomatic channels.

In a separate development, India has submitted an application to the ISBA situated in Kingston, Jamaica, for approval of a plan of work for exploration of cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts located at the Afanasy Nikitin seamount.

The ISBA is the authority established to consider and approve such applications by States, pursuant to Part XI Section 4 of the UNCLOS.

As the area of application for exploration of cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts lies entirely within an area claimed by Sri Lanka under its continental shelf submission, Sri Lanka has brought these considerations to the attention of the ISBA and requested to withhold this matter, until final recommendations are made on Sri Lanka’s submission through the UNCLCS process. The ISBA is following applicable procedures in this regard and the matter is ongoing.

At present, both matters are before the UNCLCS and the ISBA, which are two separate UN entities established to implement respective provisions of the UNCLOS.

Recent speculations in the public domain relating to ceding of Sri Lanka’s sovereign rights related to these matters is not based on the factual situation in this regard.”

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Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

15 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

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

Published

15 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

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.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

15 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

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.