News

Violence: HRW urges world to pressure Sri Lanka to respect fundamental freedoms

Published

4 years ago

2022/05/11

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged foreign governments and international institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, which are offering assistance, to address Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, to insist that the government respect fundamental freedoms.

The following is the text of a New York date-lined statement issued by HRW on May 10: Clashes broke out in Sri Lanka on May 9, 2022 after government supporters attacked peaceful anti-government protest sites in Colombo, the capital, and elsewhere. The government should uphold the right to peaceful protest, ensure that the security force response to public disorder is proportionate and rejects excessive force, and promptly investigate and appropriately prosecute acts of violence.

Several hundred people, identifying themselves as supporters of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, arrived by bus, in Colombo, on May 9, and advanced to the Galle Face Green, where protesters, calling for the resignation of the government, have been peacefully camped for several weeks. Witness accounts and video footage show government supporters attacking the protesters with clubs and other weapons and setting fire to tents. Hours later, Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as Prime Minister.

“The attack on peaceful protesters by Sri Lankan government supporters has sparked a dangerous escalation, increasing the risk of further deadly violence and other abuses,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia Director at Human Rights Watch. “It is vitally important for the security forces to fully respect the right to peaceful assembly, and for those responsible for violence to be held to account.”

Kasumi Ranasinghe Arachchige, a protester who was at Galle Face Green, when the attack occurred, said that police forces at the scene, which included a water cannon truck, “retreated” when government supporters attacked protesters with knives and sticks. “They [government supporters] started destroying everything,” she said, describing damage to tents and other facilities, including temporary showers and a small library. “It seemed as if they knew what and who to look for.”

Over 150 people have been reported injured and at least five dead in different incidents, including the attack on Galle Face Green, and the government has imposed a nationwide curfew. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka and the Bar Association, as well as foreign diplomats, condemned the attack on protesters and called for an impartial investigation.

In recent months, Sri Lanka’s economic crisis has provoked widespread protests calling for political reform and for the resignation of the President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and his brother Mahinda, the Prime Minister. On April 1, President Rajapaksa imposed a State of Emergency, lifting it five days later. The government reimposed a State of Emergency on May 6 after police fired teargas and arrested students protesting near Parliament, which was adjourned until May 17. Although the protests have been overwhelmingly peaceful, the police fatally shot a protester on April 19, and on several occasions have used teargas and water cannon against protesters. The authorities have made numerous arrests and repeatedly imposed curfews.

Following the attack on the protesters’ camp at the Galle Face Green, there were numerous violent incidents in Colombo and elsewhere in the country, including clashes between government supporters and anti-government protesters, and attacks on the property of ruling party politicians. In Nittambuwa, 50 kilometers from Colombo, police said that Amarakeerthi Athukorala, a government member of Parliament, opened fire on protesters blocking his car, wounding one and killing another, then fatally shot himself.

Concerned governments and international institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, which are offering assistance to address the country’s economic crisis, should insist that the government respect fundamental freedoms, Human Rights Watch said.

The latest State of Emergency was imposed on May 6, but the government did not immediately publish the emergency regulations laying out the special powers assumed. Under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Sri Lanka is a party, certain rights may be derogated, or restricted, under a State of Emergency, while other rights, including the right to life and prohibition of torture, may not under any circumstances be limited. Any derogation must be limited and proportionate. Foreign governments, including the United States and Canada, as well as the European Union, have questioned President Rajapaksa’s decision to assume emergency powers.

Sri Lanka has a poor record under successive administrations of investigating and prosecuting countless grave violations of human rights. During a previous government between 2005 and 2010, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Mahinda Rajapaksa, as well as other senior figures in the current administration, were implicated in the killing and enforced disappearance of journalists and political activists and in numerous war crimes during the civil war that ended in May 2009.

“In recent weeks, thousands of Sri Lankans have peacefully protested against corruption and called for accountable governance and respect for human rights,” Ganguly said. “Pro-government supporters have responded to those calls with violence, which those in authority need to stop.”

All News Advertisement

Up Next

Sajith slams Stalin’s arrest

Don't Miss

Johnston opens newly developed 86.7km stretch of highway from Bibile to Chenkalady

Click to comment

News

India A beat Sri Lanka A by 8 runs in thriller

Published

5 hours ago

2026/06/9

Priyan

Sahan Arachchige played a crucial knock for Sri Lanka A

India A beat Sri Lanka A by eight runs in the first match of the tri series being played at Dambulla.

Batting first India A powered by almost a run a ball century by Rutraj Gaikwad [101 off 114 balls] and a half ton from Tilak Varma [60] posted 277/6. Mohammed Shiraz captured 2 wickets including the wicket of India’s 15 year old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooriyawanshi who was caught by Sahan Arachchige for 14.

In the chase Sri Lanka were in the hunt with 40 plus scores from Niroshan Dikwella, Avishka Fernando and Saddera Samarawickrema and a 72 ball 74 from Shan Arachchige but lost the momentum after Arachchige fell with the score on 262. Sri Lanka A fall short by 8 runs losing their last three wickets for the addition of seven runs !

SCORES:
INDIA A 277/6 in 50 overs [Priyansh Arya 32, Rutraj Gaikwad 101, Tilak Varma 60; Mohamed Shiraz 2-67] beat SRI LANKA A 269 in 48.5 overs [Niroshan Dickwella 47, Avishka Fernando 45, Sadeera Samarawickrama 46, Sahan Arachchige 74; Arshad Khan 2-24, Anukul Roy 2-49, Ayush Badoni 2-46, Vipraj Nigam 2-46] by 8 runs

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in action on India A debut•Jun 09, 2026 [SLC]

Mohamed Shiraz celebrates the wicket of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi [SLC]

News

Food Policy and Security Committee meets

Published

8 hours ago

2026/06/9

Priyan

A meeting of the Food Policy and Security Committee was held on Monday (08) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat under the co-chairmanship of Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, Lal Kantha and Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, Wasantha Samarasinghe.

The meeting extensively discussed the measures that should be taken and the preparedness required to mitigate any potential impacts on Sri Lanka arising from the anticipated global El Niño phenomenon.

Particular attention was given to the possible effects of El Niño on the agricultural sector. Discussions also focused on the need to ensure adequate water storage in reservoirs for the forthcoming Yala season and to safeguard drinking water supplies. Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe instructed officials to obtain the views and recommendations of the relevant institutions on these matters.

It was further decided to convene a special meeting of the Food Policy and Security Committee in the near future to continue discussions on the issue. Relevant line agencies, including the Ministry of Agriculture, the Department of Agriculture, the Mahaweli Authority and the Department of Irrigation, were instructed to prepare and submit comprehensive plans outlining measures to address the potential impacts of the El Niño phenomenon.

The Ministers noted that, just as the country had successfully managed challenges arising from Cyclone Ditwah and the conflict situation in the Middle East, plans were already in place to effectively manage this potential global challenge. They emphasised that the Government was giving special attention to the matter.

Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe further pointed out that natural disasters cannot be predicted with certainty and stressed the importance of developing contingency plans in advance to respond effectively to any eventuality.

Among those present were Senior Additional Secretary to the President Kapila Janaka Bandara, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, S. Aloka Bandara, Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena, Acting Director General of the Department of Meteorology, A. L. K. Wijemannage, Director General of the Department of Agriculture W. A. R. T. Wickramarachchi and other members of the Food Policy and Security Committee.

President’s Media Division (PMD)

News

PM launches the first phase of the National Education Management Information System

Published

17 hours ago

2026/06/9

Priyan

Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, stated that as a government committed to ensuring the future of the nation’s children, it is essential to establish an education system in which every child can equally experience quality education. The Prime Minister emphasized that decisions must be made based on accurate data, sound policies, and technological evidence in order to achieve this goal.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while attending the official launch of the first phase of the Human Resources Module of the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) and the pilot project of the e-Thaksalawa Learning Management System (LMS), held at Temple Trees on Saturday [6th of June 2026].

The National Education Management Information System has been developed to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of human resource management and administration, which are among the five key pillars of the ongoing education reforms.

Previously, each province operated its own independent information systems, and through this new platform, it is expected to manage all information relating to both national and provincial schools under a single integrated system. Accordingly, the first phase, the Human Resources Module, was officially launched. Under this initial module, teacher transfers in the provinces of Sabaragamuwa, Western, Southern, and North Western will be managed through the system, with plans to expand it island-wide in due course.

The remaining modules to be introduced in the future are designed to facilitate comprehensive human resource management for all academic staff in schools.

This initiative has been implemented through the collaborative efforts of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, the Ministry of Digital Economy, the Task Force on Digital Transformation in Education, provincial and zonal education authorities, technical teams, and the Sri Lanka Air Force.

Simultaneously, the pilot project of the e-Thaksalawa Learning Management System (LMS) was also launched, aiming to expand digital learning opportunities and enhance the teaching, learning, and assessment processes for students.

Addressing the occasion, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:

“Instead of allowing different sectors of the education system to function in isolation, we are integrating educational administration, the delivery of education, and educational content into a one framework. What we have embarked upon is by no means a minor undertaking.

Digitalisation is importance to our government. We must evolve and move forward with rapidly changing world. We believe that digitalisation is essential in order to deliver the public services more efficiently and transparently. In particular, the education reforms we will implement in the future require accurate data. Through the National Education Management Information System, we will be able to obtain reliable data while ensuring transparency and quality in education.

All national schools will be incorporated into this system in the near future. Teacher data from several provincial schools have already been entered. Through this platform, we expect to manage teacher recruitment, transfers, promotions, and other services related to the education sector in a transparent and efficient manner.

When digitalising public services, we must also nurture citizens with the knowledge and skills to use them. The primary responsibility for this lies with the education sector. That is why we have planned to build human capital through the e-Thaksalawa Learning Management System.

Digitalisation is not a substitute for teachers. Education is fundamentally based on human relationship. No matter how much technology is available in classrooms, learning does not happen automatically. It is the teacher who engages directly with students. Therefore, digital technology should serve as a tool that empowers teachers and further enhances their importance.

By using digitalisation, we intend to address key challenges such as providing high-quality education to under-resourced schools, ensuring that every school benefits from the expertise of capable teachers, and creating educational opportunities for children with special needs. Our vision is to use digitalisation to nurture humane, enlightened citizens who are prepared for the future.

During the event, commemorative plaques were presented by the Prime Minister to officials representing the Sabaragamuwa, Eastern, and Uva Provinces, as well as to officers of the Sri Lanka Air Force, in recognition of their contribution to the development of the first phase of the National Education Management Information System.

The occasion was attended by the Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne, Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Nalaka Kaluwewa, and Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy Waruna Sri Dhanapala, and Chief Secretaries of Provincial Councils, the Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, Provincial Secretaries of Education, provincial education authorities, senior officials representing the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Digital Economy and the Ministry of Education, as well as members of the Task Force on the Digital Transformation of Education and senior officers of the Sri Lanka Air Force.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]