News
The government intensified its crackdown on dissent in 2022 – Amnesty International
The government intensified its crackdown on dissent as thousands of people protested against the dire economic situation, Amnesty International said in its latest annual world report.
The report, The State of the World’s Human Rights, highlighted that The rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly came under fierce attack by law enforcement agencies, which at times used unlawful force leading to deaths and injuries.
“Protesters were arbitrarily arrested, detained using draconian counterterrorism legislation, and ill-treated in custody. Serious human rights violations committed during the internal armed conflict remained unaddressed. Families of people forcibly disappeared continued to seek truth and justice. Amendments to the Prevention of Terrorism Act failed to address key human rights concerns, and Muslims and Tamils continued to be targeted under the Act,” AI said.
Given below are excerpts of the report on Sri Lanka: “The PTA, which had been used in previous years to facilitate torture, enforced disappearances and prolonged detention without trial, remained in use despite government assurances of a moratorium. Amendments to the PTA in 2022 failed to bring it in line with international law and standards, as it continued to facilitate the prolonged detention of suspects without charge, among other concerns.
“The authorities made no progress in bringing to justice in fair trials before ordinary civilian courts all those suspected of criminal responsibility concerning allegations of violations of international human rights and humanitarian law during the three decades-long conflict. Emblematic cases made no notable progress. In light of Sri Lanka’s failures to provide redress to victims of crimes under international law and grave human rights violations, the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution in October extending the mandate and capacity of OHCHR’s Sri Lanka Accountability project to collect, consolidate, analyse and preserve information and evidence for future accountability processes.
“Domestic transitional justice bodies, including the Office on Missing Persons and the Office on Reparations, lost the confidence of victims’ families further after being undermined by the appointment of members not deemed independent. Families complained of being surveilled, intimidated, and restricted from holding peaceful protests and memorialization initiatives, while being pressured to accept financial compensation and death certificates in lieu of certificates of absence until the fate of those forcibly disappeared could be ascertained.
“The government showed renewed interest in setting up a truth and reconciliation commission to address the grievances of those affected by the war. However, such a process had yet to be set up in line with the findings of public consultations on reconciliation mechanisms by the end of the year.
“Domestic redress mechanisms including the National Human Rights Commission remained politicized. In October, the legislature passed an amendment to the Constitution, ostensibly to make appointments to key commissions more independent. However, the council that makes such appointments required nomination by a majority of government members, bringing the independence of their appointments into question. The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions recommended that the National Human Rights Commission be downgraded due to its lack of independence, amongst other concern
“In a landmark decision, in March the CEDAW Committee found that the criminalization of consensual same-sex sexual conduct between women under Section 365A of Sri Lanka’s Penal Code (1883) violates their right to non-discrimination. The CEDAW Committee called on the Sri Lankan authorities to decriminalize consensual same-sex sexual conduct between women. A Private Member’s Bill seeking to amend the Penal Code provisions that criminalize same-sex conduct was handed to the president in August, but did not receive government support by the end of the year.
Muslim and Tamil minorities remained disproportionately affected by the use of the PTA. Even in cases where suspects were released on bail, who included Hejaaz Hizbullah, Ahnaf Jazeem, Davaniya Mukunthan and Mohamed Imran, their livelihoods remained affected by bail conditions which included the freezing of their assets and restrictions on livelihood-generating activity.”
The annual festival of St. Anthony’s Church on the Palaitivu Island, Jaffna was successfully held on 21 and 22 Mar 25.
Demonstrating its commitment to community and social responsibility, the Sri Lanka Navy enabled facilities for the conduct of the event and
convenience of devotees.
In accordance with the directives of the Commander of the Navy and under the supervision of the Commander Northern Naval Area, the Navy provided sea transportation for the event. Additionally, they ensured the safety and convenience of devotees by providing sanitary and medical facilities, drinking water, essential infrastructure, and deploying lifesaving teams.
The main mass of the church festival was conducted by the Vicar General of the Jaffna Diocese Very Rev. Fr. P Josephdas Jebarathnam.
This year’s event saw the participation of a gathering of priests and nuns from various regions, alongside a significant number of devotees.
The festival also highlighted the Navy’s ongoing dedication to fostering social welfare and promoting religious and cultural harmony.
(Navy Media)
Twenty nine percent of Sri Lanka’s adolescent population, or approximately 3.5 million young persons aged 10 to 19, are currently not attending school, according to the latest findings of the Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) 2024 Sri Lanka report, released recently.
The survey, conducted with the participation of 3,843 students from grades 8-12 in 40 government schools across the country, sought to assess health-related behaviours, identify risk and protective factors, and help shape policies and programmes designed to improve adolescent health in Sri Lanka.
Among the survey’s findings, nearly one in five students—17.4%—reported consuming unhealthy amounts of alcohol, with a significantly higher percentage of boys involved in this behaviour. The report also highlighted the prevalence of unhealthy food choices, with 28% of students drinking sugary beverages daily, and 28.5% regularly eating salty snack foods. Alarmingly, 29.3% of students consumed high-fat foods on a regular basis, and 40.9% reported daily consumption of food rich in sugar. The trend of unhealthy eating was further underscored by the revelation that 70.4% of students had consumed instant food at least once in the past week.
The survey also sheds light on weight issues among adolescents. Among students aged 13-17, 21.4% were found to be underweight, while 12.1% were classified as overweight. In addition, 12.8% of students had experimented with smoking, either trying a cigarette or more.
The findings were unveiled during a presentation led by Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni, Deputy Minister of Health and Media, at the Family Health Bureau Auditorium. The report, a joint initiative between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, was produced with technical and financial support from the World Health Organization (WHO).
It provides a comprehensive look at a range of health issues affecting adolescents, including nutrition, physical activity, mental health, substance abuse, violence, injuries, sexual health, and more.
Key stakeholders present at the event included Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Media; Dr. Chandima Sirithunga, Director of the Family Health Bureau; Christian Skoog, UNICEF Representative for Sri Lanka; Dr. Alaka Singh, WHO Representative in Sri Lanka; Aburrahim Siddiqui, Country Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) and Dr. Nalika Gunawardana, Regional Adviser at WHO’s Asia Pacific Office.
Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has raised concerns over Sri Lanka’s failure to move forward with large-scale foreign investments, warning that the stalled USD 700 million Adani project alone is a major setback for the country’s economic recovery.
“Adani’s project is about USD 700 million. That’s no joke. We need that money to recover,” Wickremesinghe emphasised, pointing out that additional development projects in Trincomalee could have brought in another USD 400–500 million.
“Just imagine—over a billion dollars in investments has been stopped,” he added.
Joining Ada Derana’s current affairs programme ‘@Hydepark’ recently, Wickremesinghe also expressed disappointment at Sri Lanka’s uncertain stance on these projects, particularly in relation to its commitments under the 2023 Indo-Sri Lanka Vision Document.
“Most of the Indians I met recently—it was embarrassing for me. I told them these projects were under consideration, but the truth is that I don’t know whether they are still being considered or have been rejected,” Wickremesinghe said, warning that delays in these investments could damage Sri Lanka’s economic ties with India and deter other potential investors.
“Once India invests in us, others will follow. By 2050, India will be the world’s second-largest economy. We need growth, and the only way to achieve it is by working with other countries and creating an attractive environment for foreign investment,” the former President said.
While acknowledging that Sri Lanka has reached a point of economic stabilisation, Wickremesinghe stressed the need for long-term reforms.
“Right now, we are only stabilizing—nothing more. To move ahead, we need major changes. We don’t need to be poor. We can build a trillion-dollar economy, and we must go for it,” he noted.
Navy assist to conduct St. Anthony’s Church festival in Palaitivu
Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and Northwestern provinces after 2.00 p.m.
One in three SL adolescents not attending school: Report
-
Business4 days agoCargoserv Shipping partners Prima Ceylon & onboards Nestlé Lanka for landmark rail logistics initiative
-
Features2 days agoThe US, Israel, Palestine, and Mahmoud Khalil
-
News2 days agoScholarships for children of estate workers now open
-
News2 days agoSeniors welcome three percent increase in deposit rates
-
Business4 days agoSri Lankans Vote Dialog as the Telecommunication Brand and Service Brand of the Year
-
News3 days agoDefence Ministry of Japan Delegation visits Pathfinder Foundation
-
Features4 days agoThe Vaping Veil: Unmasking the dangers of E-Cigarettes
-
News2 days agoJapanese Defence Delegation visits Pathfinder