News
Million Lankan women workers will lose their jobs if Trump’s 44 % tariff goes into effect

As many as a million Lankan women workers in key export sectors will lose their jobs and income if the 44 percent tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump come into force at the end of the 90-day pause, Asia News has reported.
Sri Lanka’s main export industries, such as apparel, tea, gems, rubber and cinnamon, that employ mostly women, will be the most affected by the new tariffs since the US market is one of their most lucrative.
Apparel workers reproach the government for its “lethargic attitude” and failure to consider the concerns of workers and unions, not least because their representatives were not asked to participate in the discussions on tariffs.
The apparel industry accounts for about 40 percent of the country’s total exports, and is crucial for its economy. It also employs mainly women from low-income backgrounds in rural areas, for whom these jobs represent a crucial pathway out of poverty.
Since most apparel workers are also breadwinners, their wages help extended family networks in economically disadvantaged regions.
“The Women’s Centre collaborated with 25 other women’s organisations to carry out our campaign against the US tariffs hindering women workers,” said its Executive Director, Padmini Weerasuriya.
If the tariffs go into effect, “Their take-home pay will decrease significantly,” she added. “As orders dip and approximately six million dependents will also be severely impacted.”
“These women need job security as factories are already discussing about possible layoffs of workers, since demand is likely to drop.”
Compared to India and Bangladesh, she warns, Sri Lankan women face greater competition since “the tariffs imposed on Sri Lanka are higher”. That is why several manufacturers are already moving their operations to Vietnam, Bangladesh and Africa.
If plants shut down, more than 350,000 women working will be impacted. AsiaNews met three of them, 33-year-old Subadra Aponsu, 31-year-old Hemamamli Akaravita and 30-year-old Sandamini Tissera who spoke about their difficulties.
“We are the breadwinners of our families as our parents are elderly and sick. Our siblings are married and they are unable to provide for our parents. During the past several years, we have been working hard and providing for our families. If we lose our jobs, we have no option but to mortgage our homes,” they explained.
“During the economic crisis, we had to sell our paddy fields. Currently, our employers are planning to leave the country. We may lose our jobs shortly. We are unable to find employment elsewhere as almost every apparel manufacturer is planning to sell their business. In our boarding house, several women have already lost their jobs.”
According to economic analysts Sampath Amarasinghe and Niroshini Caldera, “due to the new tariffs, there will be a significant decline in export volumes with a severe erosion of Sri Lankan goods’ competitiveness in US markets.” All this, they warn, could result in “many Sri Lankan products ending up out of reach for US consumers and businesses.”
The greatest risk concerns “price- and cost-sensitive categories like garments, where profit margins are already low and competition from other countries is intense.”
The new tariff will see exports to the United States drop by 20 percent, with an annual loss of about US$ 300 million in foreign currency earnings.
As Sri Lanka’s total exports of goods in 2024 reached US$ 13 billion, the experts conclude, this represents “a major blow to the country’s balance of trade” and “economic growth prospects”.
Meanwhile, several women’s groups started a petition last week in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone (the first and largest of the country’s eight FTZs). – (AsiaNews)
News
UNHRC Chief due here: Chagie asks NPP govt. to set the record straight

Former General Officer Commanding (GOC) of fighting Divisions Maj. Gen. Chagie Gallage has said that the government should take tangible measures to thwart interested parties from exploiting forthcoming visit by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk to propagate unsubstantiated war crimes accusations.
The Gajaba Regiment veteran said that the National People’s Power (NPP) government could use the top UN official’s visit to make a comprehensive presentation to him.
UN Resident Coordinator in Colombo Marc-André Franche recently announced the top human rights official’s visit. A delegation from Geneva is expected early next week.
Gallage pointed out that various interested parties, both here and abroad, issued statements ahead of the visit. Responding to The Island questions, the outspoken officer pointed out UK born Labour MP Uma Kumaran, a new entrant to UK parliament of Sri Lankan Tamil origin taking up what a section of the media called Sri Lanka’s new mass grave at Chemmani, Jaffna.
Having mentioned the Chemmani mass graves, the parliamentarian has written an open letter to Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy, MP, Kumaran has emphasized the responsibility on the part of the UK government to refer perpetrators of alleged war crimes to the International Criminal Court. “We must remind both lawmakers Lammy and Kumaran that the LTTE maintained its International Secretariat in London even at the time most probably a child suicide cadre blew up former Indian Congress Party leader Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991,” Gallage said.
The British Tamil Forum (BTF), too, has taken it up in an obvious bid to heap pressure on the government ahead of the UN Human Rights chief’s visit. The retired officer laughed at efforts to find fault with Sri Lanka for eradicating terrorism 17 years ago while massive death and destruction was taking place in Gaza, Iran and Israel.
Alleging that successive governments since the end of the war in May 2009 pathetically failed to counter unsubstantiated war crimes allegations, Gallage stressed the NPP’s responsibility to set the record straight.
Commenting on various parties comparing Sri Lanka’s successful war against LTTE terrorists and the Israeli offensives following Hamas raids in southern Israel in early Oct 2023, the former GOC said that they couldn’t be equated under any circumstances. “Ours was an internal conventional military threat that had been created by India in the 80s. We had no option but to neutralize that threat when it threatened to overwhelm the democratically elected government,” the retired officer said. “In other words what we really did was self-defense. That is the truth the likes of MP Kumaran flagrantly exploited to their advantage,” Maj. Gen. Gallage said, challenging the parliamentarian to disclose why and when her parents fled Sri Lanka.
The global community must appreciate the eradication of the LTTE for once and for all as terrorism shouldn’t be allowed to succeed anywhere in the world under any circumstances. The madman who massacred 77 people in Norway, mostly teenagers in two attacks on the same day in 2011 had been influenced by the forcible eviction of the Muslim community from the Northern Province in 1990, Maj. Gen. Gallage said. Those who carried out the suicide attack on guided missile destroyer USS Cole in the port of Aden, Yemen in Oct 2000 declared they were inspired by Sea Tiger attacks on Sri Lanka Navy.
Instead of protesting the UN Human Rights chief’s visit, Sri Lanka should use the opportunity to highlight how the LTTE’s eradication benefited the country. Ending the despicable practice of forcible conscription of children was one of the significant achievements, the retired infantry officer said. Whatever those who couldn’t stomach Sri Lanka’s victory over the LTTE say in a bid to belittle the war winning armed forces, the truth is the LTTE regarded children as cannon fodder.
“How many lives were saved as a result of our triumph over terrorism 17 years ago,” Gallage asked, urging the Tamil Diaspora and other interested parties to come to terms with the reality. The LTTE couldn’t be resurrected by peddling lies, Maj. Gen. Gallage said, reminding how mega lie about Mannar mass graves and killing captured/surrendered LTTE cadres by lethal injections during the yahapalana rule exploded in their face.
Responding to another question, the ex-field commander said that the combined armed forces could have finished off the LTTE much earlier if they didn’t take the civilian factor into consideration. Referring to Wikileaks revelations, Gallegae said that no less an organization than the ICRC soon after the end of the war admitted that they could have done so but chose to proceed with care and in the process suffered more losses.During 2009 (Jan 1 to May 19) the army lost about 2,400 officers and men.
By Shamindra Ferdinando ✍️
News
NPP vows action against Mahinda, Maithri, Ranil, Basil, others over dairy cows

NPP MP Nihal Galappatthi told Parliament yesterday that several top political figures, including three former Presidents and a number of former Ministers, had been implicated in a USD 110 million cattle import scam.
Galappatthi named former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena, and Ranil Wickremesinghe, along with former Ministers Basil Rajapaksa, P. Harrison, Wijith Wijithamuni de Zoysa, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, and Lakshman Wasantha Perera, as being involved in the large-scale fraud.
Galappaththi declared that none of those responsible would be shown leniency.
The MP said the scam involved the importation of aged, non-productive cattle on the pretext of importing dairy cows. The project, which was presented as a means to boost local dairy production, had become a vehicle for massive financial irregularities, Galappatthi said.
by Saman Indrajith ✍️
News
As dengue rages in 16 districts authorities to hold National Mosquito Control Week

The National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) yesterday announced that the health authorities would launch a nationwide mosquito control week from 30 June to 05 July across 16 high-risk districts.
The campaign had been in response to a surge in mosquito density driven by ongoing southwest monsoon rains, said Dr. Priscilla Samaraweera, Community Specialist at the NDCU, speaking at a press briefing in Colombo.
“This programme will target 111 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) divisions. Our teams will carry out inspections in vulnerable areas to detect and destroy mosquito breeding sites,” Dr. Samaraweera said. “Red notices will be issued to premises found to be maintaining breeding grounds, and legal action will follow where necessary.”
The move comes amid a concerning rise in dengue cases, with 26,775 infections and 14 related deaths reported so far this year. The Western Province accounts for nearly 45% of the total cases, while high numbers have also been recorded in the Eastern, Sabaragamuwa, and Southern provinces.Dr. Samaraweera confirmed the current year’s first dengue-related child fatality and urged the public to cooperate with disease control efforts to prevent further loss of life.
By Chaminda Silva ✍️
-
Features5 days ago
As I remember, from 50 years ago: the 75-80 Katubedda Engineering Batch
-
Features5 days ago
Writing History on Paris Clay – French Open 2025
-
Life style5 days ago
Miss World from Thailand!
-
Features4 days ago
When the water rises: Climate change and the future of Yala’s Mugger Crocodiles
-
Editorial6 days ago
Sugar Scam: Get at bitter truth
-
Features5 days ago
Failed institution
-
News4 days ago
SC appointment: AKD withdraws his nominee, SJB to raise issue in House
-
Business1 day ago
Spring board to ‘unleashing a new era in start-up driven growth’