The problem of child abuse is considerable in Sri Lanka and there is an urgent need to strengthen the services offered to the victims. Urgent steps are needed to safeguard these children who are affected by the abuse. There are many triggers and factors that place children at risk for abuse and neglect. Sri Lanka continues to battle the problem of child abuse. There has been an increase in the number of reported cases of child abuse in the country over the past few years. It was recently reported that 5,891 of child abuse cases were reported in the country from 2012 to 2020. There have been 54 cases of child abuse reported within the first 15 days of this year. However, there is no national database on child abuse in Sri Lanka. This is a piece of distressing news.
According to the experts, child abuse and neglect are the most common types of child maltreatment that impact child well-being. Child sexual abuse, neglect, and corporal punishment are the most commonly prevailing child protection issues in the country. In 1995, the penal code was amended to require that sexual acts with minors under the age of consent, 16, be tried under the offense of statutory rape, or under Article 365 of the penal code, which defines unnatural sexual acts and grave abuse. But delays in legal proceedings, lack of witness protection, and lack of assistance to victims are discouraging families and victims from reporting cases or seeking help. The ultimate responsibility to protect its nation’s children lies with the Government. The protection of children requires the combined and closely coordinated involvement of key players, with national governments giving the most important lead. The problem of child abuse is considerable in Sri Lanka and there is an urgent need to strengthen the services offered to the victims.
The WHO Definition of Child Abuse
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) as the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or she does not fully comprehend, is unable to give informed consent to, or for which the child is not developmentally prepared and cannot give consent, or that violates the laws or social taboos of society. Child Sexual Abuse Is a serious problem of considerable magnitude and it has profound consequences for the child. It is known to interfere with growth and development and has also been linked to numerous maladaptive health behaviors, and poor social, mental, and physical health outcomes throughout the lifespan. According to a survey, 90% of people sexually exploiting children are known to the children or are people whom the children trust.
Child Abuse -Sri Lanka’s Situation
Sri Lanka is facing a nationwide crisis of child abuse. The reports on child abuse, neglect, and exploitation are increasing in Sri Lanka as well. Most child sexual abuse victims never disclose and do not receive needed treatment. According to the figures tabled in the Sri Lankan Parliament in April 2013, there are about 15,000 legal trials pending Nationwide and more than 4,000 (27%) involve some form of violence towards a child. Parents of sexually abused children are scared to tell anyone due to fear of being shamed in society. A recent Audit Report by the National Audit Office said that 42,073 complaints (53%) had not been resolved. The report further said that cases had not been filed for 55 percent of the complaints submitted to the Attorney General within the previous 10 years. In Sri Lanka, there is also a big need for appropriately trained human resources and adequate child protection budgets. Several well-developed countries of the world have well-developed child protection systems, primarily focused on mandatory reporting, identification, and investigations of affected children, and often taking coercive action. However, Sri Lanka is not having such facilities. A lack of resources and weak political will have made it difficult for Sri Lanka to implement past legislation for protecting children.
Child Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse of children can be defined as contacts or interaction between a child and an older or more knowledgeable child or adult (a stranger, sibling, or person in a position of authority, such as a parent or caretaker) when the child is being used as an object of gratification for an older child’s or adult’s sexual needs. These contacts or interactions are carried out against the child using force, trickery, bribery, threats, or pressure. The studies have found a high rate of sexual abuse of both boys and girls within the family and in the community. Local newspapers, in recent times, have been carrying a disturbing number of reports on child rape and sexual harassment. A child is abused once every two hours while at least four women are raped a day in Sri Lanka, according to a top police officer.
Sex between a child and an adult is abusive because of the difference in age, use of force, and lack of understanding between them. Even, child sexual abuse never is the victim’s fault. All children and young people under the age of 18 have a right to be safe and should be protected from harm in any circumstances. One of the common factors that are found in child sexual abuse cases is that the abuse is done in return for something beneficial for the victim or perpetrator.
Some Child Sexual Abuse Perpetrators walk free
Often the complaints and cases stuck with no progress and the investigations show that very few of those cases are resolved through prosecutions. Many child abuse perpetrators walk free without facing charges. For instance, recently Nirantha Edirisinghe and Upul Hewa were involved in serious child abuse and trading in child pornographic material. Nirantha Edirisinghe, was arrested by the Kollupitiya Police following a tip-off that underage boys were being sexually abused. It is alleged that video footage was sold to clients in foreign countries with the help of Upul Hewa who is residing in Australia. The Police seized 135 CDs containing footages of child abuse, a pen drive, hard disk, memory card, camera, and mobile phone from the suspect’s house. Many photographs of children being sexually abused were discovered in the possession of the suspect and Police say footage saved on storage devices such as CDs recovered will be sent to the Government Analyst and Experts in IT, for a full report. The police report indicates that over 20 boys within 10-12 years of age were sexually abused by Nirantha Edirisinghe. Although this is a serious crime the suspects seem to be manipulating the investigations and obstructing justice. Recently the key investigator Mrs. Waruni Bogahawaththa had been removed from the investigation. Mrs. Waruni Bogahawaththa is a very efficient and experienced woman police officer who handled many child abuse cases successfully. Due to strange circumstances, Mrs. Waruni Bogahawaththa no longer handles this case. According to some reports the suspects have influenced the investigation by various methods. The suspects have spent a lot of money to conceal the crime. Ironically the National Newspapers maintain silence without reporting this child abuse case. We know that corruption remains part and parcel of daily life in Sri Lanka and it is a sad reality.
Nationwide Crisis
Sri Lanka is facing a nationwide crisis of child abuse. The reports on child abuse, neglect, and exploitation are increasing in Sri Lanka as well. According to the figures tabled in the Sri Lankan Parliament in April 2013, there are about 15,000 legal trials pending Nationwide and more than 4,000 (27%) involve some form of violence towards a child. Parents of sexually abused children are scared to tell anyone due to fear of being shamed in society. Victims and perpetrators of child abuse do not typically self-report to child protection services, therefore the responsibility of detection and reporting falls on the others.
A recent Audit Report by the National Audit Office said that 42,073 complaints (53%) had not been resolved. The report further said that cases had not been filed for 55 percent of the complaints submitted to the Attorney General within the previous 10 years. In Sri Lanka, there is also a big need for appropriately trained human resources and adequate child protection budgets. Several well-developed countries of the world have well-developed child protection systems, primarily focused on mandatory reporting, identification, and investigations of affected children, and often taking coercive action. However, Sri Lanka does not have such facilities. A lack of resources and weak political will have made it difficult for Sri Lanka to implement past legislation for protecting children. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka has a long way to go to achieve globally accepted child protection standards.
Demonstrating its continued commitment to empowering Sri Lankans through financial solutions tailored to real-life aspirations, NDB recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ACH Education, a leading international education consultancy firm. This strategic collaboration aims to streamline the overseas education journey for Sri Lankan students, offering them comprehensive financial and advisory support, making overseas education seameless.
The official signing ceremony took place with the presence of senior representatives from both institutions. Mr. Gihan Punchihewa, Assistant Vice President – Privilege Banking, signed on behalf of NDB Bank, while Ms. Chanaka Palihakkara, Managing Director of ACH Education, represented the consultancy.
With nearly a decade of experience in the international education sector, ACH Education has successfully guided thousands of Sri Lankan students in pursuing their academic dreams in countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada, and across Europe. Through expert counselling, admissions assistance, and end-to-end visa support, ACH has earned a strong reputation as a trusted partner in overseas education.
Through this partnership, NDB Bank will play a pivotal role in enhancing the overseas education experience by providing seamless banking solutions including education loans, foreign remittances, and other support services vital to studying abroad. By combining NDB’s financial expertise with ACH’s global education consultancy services, students and their families can expect a more integrated and stress-free approach to planning and funding international education.
Speaking on the collaboration, Mr. Gihan Punchihewa remarked, We understand that pursuing international education is both a major milestone and a significant investment. At NDB, we are proud to stand beside students and their families, offering solutions that simplify the financial aspects of this journey. Partnering with ACH Education allows us to provide a truly end-to-end experience that supports both ambition and achievement.”
As part of this broader initiative, NDB in partnership with ACH Education recently conducted a webinar themed Step into the world of learning without borders.” Attended by over 50 participants of the Bank’s affluent clientele, the session was led by Ms. Chanaka Palihakkara, Founder and Managing Director of ACH Education. The webinar served as a valuable platform to raise awareness on global education opportunities while also highlighting NDB’s Student File offering, a comprehensive solution that caters to the financial needs of students pursuing education overseas.
NDB Bank continues to expand its network of partnerships to deliver value-added services that go beyond traditional banking, aligning with its mission of being a bank for all the moments that matter. The partnership with ACH Education exemplifies this commitment, empowering the next generation of Sri Lankans to dream beyond borders by making overseas education seamless
NDB Bank is the fourth-largest listed commercial bank in Sri Lanka. NDB was named Sri Lanka’s Best Bank for Corporates at Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2024 and was awarded Domestic Retail Bank of the Year – Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Domestic Project Finance Bank of the Year by Asian Banking and Finance Magazine (Singapore) Awards 2024. NDB is the parent company of the NDB Group, comprising capital market subsidiary companies, together forming a unique banking and capital market services group. The Bank is committed to empowering the nation and its people through meaningful financial and advisory services powered by digital banking solutions.
Colombo, June 12 (Daily Mirror) – The new government which recalled all 16 Sri Lankan heads of mission in December, last year is yet to fill up eight of them despite the lapse of half of the year now, the Daily Mirror learns.
Out of these 16 missions, the government took measures to fill vacancies only at eight missions, and seven of them were with political appointees in stark contrast to its pre-election rhetoric that Sri Lanka’s Foreign Service would not be politicized. The ruling National People’s Power (NPP) was a major critic of the previous governments for politicization of the Foreign Service.
However, it has now made political appointments to the Sri Lankan missions in key countries such as the United Kingdom, Japan, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Cuba and Pakistan are the other two countries where appointments have been made from outside the service. Former Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya has been appointed Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.
The government recalled all the political appointments made by the previous government but not Sri Lankan Ambassador in Washington DC Mahinda Samarasinghe. It triggered concerns among career diplomats.
The past governments used to make political appointments at will, and most of the time relatives of politicians- sons, daughters, daughters’ in law, and siblings – were chosen. However, the new government has not picked relatives of ruling party politicians for diplomatic posts.
Yet, it has failed to make appointments to eight missions even after six months. At the moment, Sri Lankan missions in Malaysia, Kenya, Oman, Nepal, the Seychelles, Iran, Oman and Indonesia operate without heads of missions.
The government is also hamstrung in finding enough diplomats to run all the missions and various divisions in the Foreign Ministry because of lack of recruitments to the Foreign Service. There was a batch recruited last year. Before that, the last recruitment was made in 2018 after a gap of three years.
Colombo, June 13 (Daily Mirror) – Highlighting the new investment opportunities emerging in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake extended an open invitation to German investors to explore and participate in tourism-related ventures in the country.
The President, currently on an official visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, met with representatives from the German Tourism and Travel Industry Associations and Outbound Tour Operators this morning (13) at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Berlin. The discussions focused on fostering stronger partnerships between the two countries in the tourism sector.
During the meeting, President Dissanayake outlined the Sri Lankan government’s progressive initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable tourism. He emphasized ongoing infrastructure improvements, global promotional campaigns, and strengthened safety protocols designed to position Sri Lanka as a premier travel destination built on responsible and sustainable practices.
The President also drew attention to key areas of focus, including human resource development within the tourism industry, the promotion of cultural and eco-tourism, and the introduction of environmental protection initiatives. These efforts, he noted, form part of a broader strategy to enhance the tourism sector while safeguarding the island’s natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage.
Colombo, June 13 (Daily Mirror) – The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court today that the Attorney General has concluded that no criminal offense had occurred in the process of reducing the special commodity levy on imported sugar from Rs. 50 to 25 cents per kilogram, a decision made four years ago.
Further investigations has been recommended to determine if any party or individual had gained undue benefit or committed acts of bribery or corruption in connection with the tax cut.
This information was presented before Additional Magistrate Keminda Perera during the proceedings related to the ongoing investigations into whether the benefit from the sugar tax reduction, which came into effect at midnight on October 13, 2020, was passed on to the public or wrongfully accrued by certain individuals or groups.
The CID, citing the Attorney General’s opinion, stated that although no criminal wrong doing has been identified in the decision-making process of the tax reduction itself, the Attorney General has advised further inquiries to ascertain whether anyone received an illegal benefit, bribe or had engaged in corrupt transactions in relation to the policy decision.
After reviewing the Attorney General’s guidance and related documents submitted by the CID, the Additional Magistrate instructed the CID to hand over all relevant reports, files and evidence to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC). The Magistrate emphasised that CIABOC should continue the probe to identify whether any public officials or private individuals had committed offenses involving bribery or illicit gains as a result of the sugar tax reduction.
The case arises from a complaint lodged by Mahinda Siriwardena, former Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies, prompting the CID to launch an investigation. At the time, numerous parties alleged that the government incurred a loss exceeding Rs. 160 billion as a result of the tax cut and that the expected benefits were not passed on to the public, sparking claims of a large-scale sugar tax fraud.
Sri Lanka is a nation proud of its rich culture, deep religious traditions, and warm hospitality. Tourists from around the world come here to experience our heritage, natural beauty, and vibrant society. Yet, with this privilege comes responsibility — every visitor must respect and abide by Sri Lanka’s laws, customs, and visa regulations. Unfortunately, violations of these rules—whether through ignorance or willful disregard—are increasingly common, threatening our social fabric, security, and international reputation.
The rule of law is the cornerstone of a sovereign nation. It guarantees that every individual—citizen or visitor—is held accountable to the same legal standards, protecting national security, social harmony, and justice without exception. It is imperative that all relevant Sri Lankan authorities — including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Sri Lanka Police, and Ministry of Tourism — act decisively and uniformly to enforce laws and visa conditions against all tourists without exception.
Sri Lankans traveling abroad abide by strict rules and regulations governing their conduct. Our citizens face limitations on carrying religious artifacts, bringing traditional foods, and undergo rigorous security screenings that may intrude on personal privacy. They respect foreign laws prohibiting working, preaching, or conducting business on tourist visas.
If Sri Lankans must respect such laws abroad, the same standards must unquestionably apply to all foreign visitors entering Sri Lanka. No exceptions. The law is universal and reciprocal — those who come to our shores on tourist visas must strictly abide by Sri Lankan laws and visa conditions, including the prohibition on unauthorized work, business activities, religious preaching, or any economic activity.
Tourists must respect Sri Lanka’s cultural and religious norms
Foreign tourists on tourist visas must adhere to the legal framework governing their stay. However, reports and observations reveal numerous violations occurring under the guise of tourism — activities that threaten our economy, culture, and sovereignty:
Working without proper permits or engaging in business activities on tourist visas, which is illegal.
Operating as tour guides or running transport services such as tri-shaws
Renting or leasing properties with the intent to sublease for commercial gain, violating visa conditions.
Establishing or funding unauthorized religious activities, prayer centers, or proselytizing on tourist visas.
Sri Lanka’s Buddhist heritage and religious customs command profound respect. Yet many visitors violate these norms by:
Disrespecting Buddha images, such as posing disrespectfully or wearing tattoos and clothing featuring Buddha’s image.
Ignoring dress codes and protocols at temples (not removing shoes, wearing inappropriate attire).
Taking unauthorized photographs in sacred spaces.
Exhibiting public displays of affection or boisterous behavior frowned upon in conservative society.
Such behavior undermines Sri Lanka’s cultural dignity. Visitors must be educated and, if necessary, penalized to prevent these offenses.
These violations are not minor oversights; they undermine the integrity of our immigration system and the rule of law. Allowing such breaches sends a dangerous message that some are above the law — an intolerable precedent for a nation committed to justice and fairness.
Ministries and Authorities must Act — Now
Responsibility for enforcing these laws falls squarely on key government bodies, including:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Department of Immigration and Emigration
Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority
Ministry of Tourism
Sri Lanka Police/Tourist Police and law enforcement agencies
These agencies must urgently review existing laws and enforcement mechanisms to:
Close loopholes enabling abuse of tourist visa conditions.
Strengthen monitoring systems for foreign visitors’ activities including overstay
Enforce penalties against individuals and businesses violating visa and immigration laws, regardless of nationality or status.
Equip and mandate frontline officers at ports of entry and within the country to detect and prevent illegal tourism-related activities.
Collaborate to maintain Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and uphold international commitments.
Take action against locals partnering with tourists for profit from illegal activities.
Establish a public hotline for reporting violations by tourists.
Launch proactive public awareness campaigns and provide clear multilingual information about visa rules and cultural expectations to educate tourists before and during their visit.
No exception, No Excuse — The Law Is Equal for All
The rule of law must be applied impartially and consistently. Whether the violator is from America, Europe, India, China, Israel, or elsewhere, they must be held accountable. Selective enforcement or inaction erodes public trust and compromises national security.
Moreover, law enforcement officials and government personnel who neglect or deliberately ignore violations must themselves face consequences. Impunity breeds contempt for law and invites further disorder.
We also urge foreign diplomatic missions to cooperate with Sri Lankan authorities by advising their citizens on the importance of respecting local laws and visa conditions, fostering mutual understanding and lawful travel.
Preserving Sri Lanka’s Sovereignty, Integrity, and Social Harmony
Sri Lanka must demonstrate zero tolerance for tourist visa abuses and illegal activities under any pretext. Respect for the law strengthens our country’s image, safeguards our people, and secures the benefits of responsible tourism.
Protecting our local communities from exploitation linked to illegal commercial or religious activities by tourists is essential to preserving social harmony and community well-being.
Unchecked violations risk damaging Sri Lanka’s hard-earned reputation as a safe, respectful, and culturally rich destination, directly impacting tourism revenue and local livelihoods, as well as giving a bad name to the countries of origin of these tourists.
We call upon the government and all relevant agencies to enforce justice without delay or bias. The time to act decisively is now.
Timely and consistent action against individual tourist violations is essential. Failure to address these breaches promptly fosters unnecessary negative public sentiment not just against the individual offender but unfairly against the entire country of origin. This breeds unwarranted generalizations and prejudices toward nations with which Sri Lanka shares long-standing historical, diplomatic, cultural, and economic ties. Protecting these valued relationships depends on upholding justice swiftly and fairly, ensuring that one person’s misconduct does not tarnish the reputation of entire communities or countries.
Most of all, Sri Lanka must prevent jungle law & kangaroo courts taking place when people take the law into their hands because the Government & officials looked the other way or neglected their duty.
Preventing Jungle Law, Vigilantism, and Radicalization
Most of all, Sri Lanka must prevent jungle law and kangaroo courts from taking place when people take the law into their own hands because the Government and officials looked the other way or neglected their duty. Inaction must also not leave room for radicals to exploit the situation and justify violent reactions. We must carefully consider every angle and possibility that could be manipulated to create mischief or unrest within Sri Lanka, as the motive to destabilize our nation remains alive and persistent.
Unchecked, these gaps in enforcement can be weaponized by malicious actors — both local and foreign — who seek to destabilize our nation under the guise of grievance or activism. Every Sri Lankan citizen must keep this possibility in mind and be vigilant. We must not allow ourselves to be fooled, provoked, or manipulated into joining any divisive or destructive action that would push Sri Lanka into deeper turmoil.
Timely, visible enforcement of the law — especially in the case of tourist visa violations — is not merely an administrative or Governmental duty. It is a strategic national imperative that protects our social cohesion, international relations, and internal peace, and requires the vigilance of all Sri Lankan citizens for the good of the nation.
In keeping with its commitment to empowering women through meaningful financial solutions, NDB proudly introduces exciting gifts from NDB Araliya, to women who empower the nation”. Running from 1st June to 31st July 2025, this exclusive campaign rewards both new and existing NDB Araliya account holders with special gifts for qualifying deposits made during the promotional period.
NDB Araliya is a dedicated women’s savings account that encourages financial independence, resilience, and long-term planning. This promotion offers women across Sri Lanka the chance to benefit from their savings habits in more ways than one. Customers who deposit Rs.15,000 or above during the campaign period will receive exciting gifts . These gifts serve as thoughtful tokens of appreciation for the trust and loyalty shown by Araliya account holders, and as a further incentive for women to strengthen their financial footing.
Open to both new and existing customers, the campaign reflects NDB’s belief that every woman should be rewarded for taking proactive steps toward securing her future. Whether opening a new account or topping up an existing one, eligible customers can enjoy exclusive benefits during the promotion period.
Beyond the campaign, the NDB Araliya account offers a range of unparalleled benefits designed with women’s financial well-being in mind. These include a free life protection cover of up to Rs.1,000,000 for the account holder and her immediate family, as well as a free hospitalization cover for both the account holder and her loved ones. Additionally the Bank offers a free NDB Shilpa Children’s savings account with a maximum deposit of Rs. 25,000 during child birth as well. In recognition of long-term saving discipline, Araliya customers maintaining a monthly average balance above Rs.25,000 are also entitled to a special gift voucher on their 21st birthday. Additionally, account holders receive a personalized Araliya-branded ATM debit card and many more exclusive benefits.
NDB provides special loan facilities tailored for female entrepreneurs and salaried women, supporting their dreams of launching or growing a business, or simply managing life’s daily needs with greater confidence.
With the Araliya Women’s Savings Account, NDB continues to make strides in creating financial tools that resonate with the evolving needs of women. This promotion is yet another initiative that reaffirms the Bank’s unwavering dedication to recognizing and uplifting the role of women in the economic and social fabric of the nation.
This commitment is also reflected in NDB’s continued efforts through Vanithabhimana, the flagship initiative that honours and celebrates Sri Lankan women who have made remarkable contributions across sectors, driving progress within their communities and beyond.
The UN’s actions against Sri Lanka post-2009 remain unprecedented in UN history. Never before has the Secretary-General appointed a Panel of Experts (PoE) to investigate a concluded internal conflict—especially after a recognized terrorist group was defeated. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s decision to appoint such a panel in 2010, bypassing both the UN General Assembly and UN Security Council, violated established UN procedures and set a dangerous precedent that undermines the sovereignty of UN member states.
Critique of UNSG Ban Ki-moon’s appointment of the PoE after a Concluded Conflict
1. Violation of Precedent and Neutrality
No Prior Case: Never before in UN history had a Secretary-General appointed a personal panel to investigate a concluded non-international armed conflict in a sovereign state that had defeated a designated terrorist group (LTTE).
Ban Ki-moon created a dangerous precedent by initiating an accountability mechanism outside the UN Security Council or General Assembly.
He acted unilaterally, using Articles 98 and 99, which are traditionally exercised in ongoing crises or active threats to peace—not post-conflict internal matters.
2. Misuse of Article 98 and Article 99
Article 98 allows the Secretary-General to perform duties entrusted by the General Assembly, Security Council, or other UN bodies—yet no such directive was given to Ban Ki-moon regarding Sri Lanka.
Article 99 empowers the Secretary-General to alert the Security Council if a situation threatens international peace.
Article 98(1) states: The Secretary-General shall perform such other functions as are entrusted to him by the General Assembly, the Security Council, or the Economic and Social Council.”
Article 99 empowers the Secretary-General to bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.”
By May 2009:
The war had ended.
The LTTE had been militarily defeated.
Over 290,000 Tamil civilians were rescued and humanitarian efforts were underway.
In short – there was no ongoing threat to peace warranting Article 99’s invocation.
3. Political Motives over Legal Mandate
The timing of the PoE’s creation in June 2010—one year after the war ended & one month after Sri Lanka launched its own accountability mechanism the LLRC —suggests the move was not to protect civilians but to appease diaspora lobbies, international NGOs, and Western diplomatic pressure.
Ban Ki-moon did not appoint similar panels for:
NATO’s bombing of Libya (2011)
U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia
Civilian deaths in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, or Yemen
Why only Sri Lanka? This selective scrutiny exposes the politicization of accountability under his leadership.
4. Bypassing Member State Consent
The PoE was not established through any UN resolution.
It was not approved by:
The General Assembly
The Security Council
The Human Rights Council
Ban Ki-moon relied solely on a Joint Statement with President Rajapaksa on 23 May 2009, which contained no legal commitment to a UN investigation—only a broad pledge to domestic accountability.
Transforming a political statement into a quasi-legal mandate for a panel with no official UN status demonstrates executive overreach.
5. Undermining Sovereignty and Post-War Recovery
Sri Lanka was engaged in:
Resettling IDPs
Demining former LTTE areas
Rebuilding schools, hospitals, places of religious worship and roads
Rehabilitating 12,000+ ex-LTTE cadres
The PoE’s release in 2011 derailed these efforts by:
Fueling international hostility
Encouraging UNHRC resolutions (2012 onward)
Reinforcing diaspora-funded propaganda
This hindered genuine reconciliation and reignited ethnic polarization—ironically undermining the very peace and accountability Ban Ki-moon claimed to promote.
6. Instrument of One-Sided Narrative
The PoE explicitly stated it was not an investigation but an advisory mechanism—yet its findings were LEAKED & thereafter used to:
Justify UNHRC country-specific resolutions
Fuel foreign intervention demands
Pressure Sri Lankan Govt to tweak its internal administrative systems including passing Acts.
Label the Sri Lankan military as war criminals, while ignoring LTTE atrocities
By focusing exclusively on alleged violations by the state, the PoE whitewashed the LTTE’s decades of terror—suicide bombings, human shields, child soldiers, ethnic cleansing.
The appointment of the PoE by UNSG Ban Ki-moon was a highly irregular, politically driven decision that violated established norms, undermined Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, and set a dangerous precedent of selective justice.
Rather than fostering reconciliation or peace, it emboldened LTTE-linked propaganda, deepened international mistrust, and exposed the UN’s double standards when dealing with terrorism, sovereignty, and accountability.
The Panel of Experts: A Biased Construct
The three-member panel (Marzuki Darusman, Yasmin Sooka, and Steven Ratner) lacked both independence and objectivity. Their selection alone reveals deep flaws:
Yasmin Sooka, a EU employee and Executive Director of the Foundation for Human Rights in South Africa, has drawn criticism for using the organization’s resources to support the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP), which has published numerous reports alleging war crimes in Sri Lanka. Critics argue these reports rely heavily on anonymous or unverifiable sources, raising concerns about methodological rigor and neutrality.
Steven Ratner: A former adviser to the U.S. State Department, with a clear Western geopolitical bias. His past work demonstrates preference for responsibility to protect” (R2P) doctrines often used to justify interventions against states opposing Western hegemony.
Marzuki Darusman: The panel’s lead, previously involved in politically contentious inquiries, including in North Korea and Indonesia, his reports have regularly drawn criticism for partiality.
The PoE report itself:
Was not an official UN document (yet treated as such),
Was not mandated by the UNGA or UNSC,
Relied entirely on credible allegations” rather than verified evidence,
Did not follow due legal standards of evidence,
Did not allow Sri Lanka a chance to rebut allegations before publication.
The PoE was a political instrument, not a judicial body.
Post-War Consultative Mechanisms Ignored
From 2006 until the end of the war, a Consultative Committee met fortnightly, with participation from:
UN representatives,
Diplomatic missions,
INGOs and NGOs,
Sri Lankan military and government officials.
These meetings allowed for immediate reporting and redress of any grievances. No major concerns were raised during these sessions. Yet, suddenly after May 2009, an avalanche of war crimes allegations surfaced—many pushed by LTTE diaspora fronts or those living overseas who had never been to Sri Lanka.
This post-war shift suggests a deliberate, politically motivated campaign, exploiting humanitarian concerns for geopolitical gain.
UN’s Hypocrisy: Silence on LTTE Crimes
Despite decades of LTTE atrocities—including:
Over 300 suicide bombings,
Use of child soldiers (estimated 30% of cadres),
Targeted assassinations (including Rajiv Gandhi, Sri Lankan leaders, Tamil dissenters),
Ethnic cleansing of Sinhalese and Muslims from the North,
Attacks on religious places and transport hubs,
In fact today, 11 June in 1990 LTTE killed over 600 policemen across police stations in the Eastern Province.
—the UN never officially designated the LTTE as a terrorist organization.
Why?
Was it because Western donors used the LTTE as a bargaining tool in the region?
Was it geopolitical strategy to destabilize a non-aligned nation?
Was it due to diaspora lobbying in powerful UN member states?
Contrast with UN action on other Terrorist Groups
The UN’s treatment of the LTTE stands in sharp contrast to how it dealt with:
Group
UN Action
Al-Qaeda/Taliban
UNSC Resolutions (1267, 1373), sanctions, military authorization
ISIS/Daesh
Global coalition, sanctions, UN resolutions, criminal tribunals
Boko Haram
UNSC sanctions, condemnations, multilateral military response
Hezbollah (by some states)
Designation, arms embargoes, regional monitoring
Yet the LTTE:
Was never condemned by the UNSC inspite of over 30 years of terror
Faced no global sanctions,
Maintained international fundraising networks with impunity,
Its operatives were living in western capitals & openly carrying out propaganda campaigns with foreign politicians even attending them.
Enjoyed media, legal, and diplomatic backing in Western states.
This raises a serious question of double standards.
Why the Targeting of Sri Lanka?
Post-war Sri Lanka faced:
UNHRC Resolutions (2012–present) disproportionately blaming state forces, even sanctioning select commanders only.
Pressure to adopt hybrid courts (violating its Constitution),
Ongoing demonization by UN-affiliated special rapporteurs,
Biased reporting by Western-funded think tanks and NGOs.
Yet:
No LTTE leader has been indicted by any international body,
LTTE financiers and front groups continue operations in Canada, UK, and EU,
The UN has made no attempt to deliver justice to Sinhalese, Muslim, or Tamil victims of LTTE terror.
The Legacy of UNHRC’s Selective Justice
This era demonstrates:
Institutionalized double standards where only state actors are pursued,
Weaponization of human rights for regime change or compliance,
Diaspora-led lobbying masquerading as global civil society/HR activists
The erosion of trust in international justice mechanisms.
UNHRC-Imposed Legislative and Policy Changes in Sri Lanka
Following the UN Human Rights Council’s resolutions from 2012 onwards, Sri Lanka was subjected to significant international pressure to reform its internal laws and establish new mechanisms. However, many of these changes were criticized domestically for being externally imposed, lacking proper consultation, and undermining national sovereignty.
Key legislative and policy actions influenced or pressured by the UNHRC include:
Office on Missing Persons (OMP) Act, 2016: Established to investigate cases of enforced disappearances during and after the conflict, this commission was a direct response to UNHRC calls for addressing missing persons. While it aimed at reconciliation, questions remain over its effectiveness and independence.
Office for Reparations Act, 2018: Created to provide reparations to victims of the war, the establishment of this office reflected the UNHRC’s demands. However, critics argue that the process lacked adequate public consultation and that reparations have been insufficient & included for terrorists first.
Transitional Justice Mechanisms: Under UNHRC and OHCHR guidance, Sri Lanka was pressured to adopt transitional justice frameworks, including truth commissions and investigations aligned with international human rights standards. These mechanisms often conflicted with Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and existing judicial systems, sparking debates on their legitimacy and applicability. The ground reality that all of UN truth mechanisms were all failures.
13th Amendment (Devolution of Power): Although enacted in 1987, ongoing UN pressure focused on the full implementation and expansion of devolved powers to provinces as part of a political solution to ethnic grievances, challenging the country’s unitary state structure. A request that directly violates Sri Lanka’s constitution & showcases UNHRC’s blatant violation of UN charter.
Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) Amendments: The UNHRC consistently pushed for reforms to Sri Lanka’s PTA to better align with international human rights norms. Despite some amendments, the law remains in place, and its application remains a contentious issue in domestic and international discourse. Clearly, the aim is to weaken Sri Lanka’s sovereignty.
Expansion of the Human Rights Commission’s Mandate: The establishment and empowerment of Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Commission, with mandates influenced by UN expectations, aimed at increased monitoring and reporting on human rights issues, often under scrutiny for potential politicization. The current recommendations by HRCSL reveals its politicization & bias.
These imposed or pressured changes, justified by the UNHRC as necessary for reconciliation and accountability, have instead often deepened divisions, raised sovereignty concerns, and fueled political interference—undermining the country’s post-war recovery and reconciliation process.
The post-war period was Sri Lanka’s moment of recovery, reconciliation, and reconstruction. But rather than supporting this transition, the UN—with Ban Ki-moon’s biased precedent, the flawed PoE, and UNHRC’s selective resolutions—chose to punish a sovereign country for defeating terrorism.
Sri Lanka cannot proceed primarily due to the legally questionable actions of the former UNSG & the legally questionable resolutions together with their demands.
Instead of justice, Sri Lanka received politicized scrutiny. Instead of reconciliation, it received externally driven division. The question remains—is the UN committed to justice for all, or only for those aligned with its power blocs?
COLOMBO: Cash-strapped Sri Lanka on Wednesday announced a 15 percent increase in the electricity price to shore up revenues for the state-run utility, in line with conditions imposed by an IMF bailout. The Public Utilities Commission said it allowed the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to charge the higher rates from Thursday, six months after a controversial reduction that pushed the utility into the red. The government had forced a 20 percent price cut on the CEB in January, despite fears that it would cause the government-owned company to lose money and undermine the national budget.
Ensuring cost-recovery and doing away with subsidies is in line with the conditions set by the International Monetary Fund, which granted a four-year, $2.9 billion loan to help salvage Sri Lanka’s economy. The country had declared bankruptcy after defaulting on its $46 billion foreign debt in April 2022, having run out of foreign exchange to finance even the most essential imports, such as food, fuel and medicines. Months of protests over shortages led to the toppling of then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa in July 2022.
His successor, Ranil Wickremesinghe, secured the IMF bailout and proceeded to cut subsidies and raise taxes. Wickremesinghe lost the September election, but his successor, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, is pushing ahead with the IMF-backed reforms. Inflation, which peaked at nearly 70 percent in September 2022, has dropped sharply, and the country has been experiencing deflation since September. The IMF says Sri Lanka is slowly emerging from its worst meltdown and that the economy has turned around, although risks remain.- AFP
According to a document issued by the Anuradhapura Prison Superintendent, W.M. Athula Thilakaratne who received a Presidential pardon on Vesak Poya Day, and who is also an accused wanted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), appeared before the Anuradhapura Additional Magistrate’s Court today over a different case pending against him.
Athula Thilakaratne also came to the open courtroom of the Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate’s Court to observe the case against the Anuradhapura Prison Superintendent. This case was about the letter stating that Athula was released from case number HC/69/2018, which had been pending before the Anuradhapura High Court.
When the case against the Prison Superintendent was called, Senior Counsel Aravinda Habakkula, appearing for Prison Superintendent Mohan Karunathna, told court that his client had released Athula Thilakaratne according to the law.
The lawyer added that this was confirmed by the fact that Athula himself was present in court at that moment.
While the lawyer was explaining this, Athula Thilakaratne, who was in the open courtroom along with CID officers, raised his hand and informed the Magistrate that he was present.
Athula’s lawyer, Suranga Mohotti, also told court that his client had come to the Anuradhapura Additional Magistrate’s Court today (11) to appear for another separate case against him.
He added that his client was also at the Chief Magistrate’s Court at that time, appearing in open court because he had been legally cleared of case number HC/69/2018, which had been pending before the Anuradhapura High Court.
A group of CID officers, who had reportedly been searching for Athula Thilakaratne to arrest him, were also present in court for the Prison Superintendent’s case.
After the hearing ended, Athula Thilakaratne was seen chatting with his friends within the court premises and later left the area, passing the CID officers.
A discussion between Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President and officials of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change was held today (11) at the Presidential Secretariat.
The purpose of the meeting was to identify the priorities of the new government’s agenda and to express support for its implementation, President’s Media Division (PMD) said in a statement.
During the discussion, attention was focused on examining the programmes implemented by the Ministry of Digital Economy, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Export Development Board and the Board of Investment.
The aim was to identify their respective priorities and explore the provision of financial and technical assistance to support these areas, the PMD added.
As part of this field visit, officials from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change have agreed to visit each ministry, observe the respective programmes closely and provide the necessary support, it said.
Among those present at the occasion were Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Russel Aponso, Managing Director of the Asia Pacific Advisory Division of the Tony Blair Institute Jaleel Rashid, Head of Government Relations for the Asia Pacific team Anna Aden, Director of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation (Agri Technology) B.M.V.S. Basnayake, Director (Development) of the Ministry of Digital Economy Janaka Geekiyanage, Director General of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka Renuka M. Weerakone and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Export Development Board Mangala Wijesinghe, among others.
Between 2006 and 2009, Sri Lanka carried out a decisive military campaign to defeat the LTTE—one of the world’s most lethal terrorist organizations. This operation, aimed at ending nearly three decades of terror, was conducted under international observation with humanitarian safeguards in place.
Yet, the United Nations and UNHRC failed to uphold their mandate of neutrality and justice. Instead of supporting a sovereign nation’s right to combat terrorism and rescue civilians, they distorted facts, omitted critical context, and vilified Sri Lanka based on hearsay, propaganda, and political pressure.
This article reveals how the UN system ignored LTTE atrocities, suppressed evidence, and later retrofitted a biased narrative to criminalize the victors while absolving the terrorists. In doing so, the UN betrayed both its Charter and the very civilians it claims to protect.
1. The Justification Behind Sri Lanka’s Military Action
Sri Lanka’s war against the LTTE did not begin in haste—it followed nearly 30 years of:
Suicide bombings, assassinations, and ethnic cleansing,
Countless failed ceasefires and peace talks used by the LTTE to rearm & regroup.
The international community’s apathy despite mounting civilian casualties.
The final trigger came in July 2006, when the LTTE cut off water to 60,000 civilians by closing the Mavil Aru anicut—weaponizing a basic human need. This humanitarian crisis forced the state to act.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government launched a military campaign to:
Eliminate terrorism – not Tamils
Rescued over 300,000 Tamil civilians held as human shields & hostages by LTTE.
Unlike post-9/11 – a single event resulted in invasions led by Western powers without investigations, Sri Lanka’s actions were proportionate, targeted, and in response to sustained terror—not ideology or geopolitics.
2. UN/UNHRC’s Failure to Acknowledge Humanitarian Context
Despite the legitimacy of Sri Lanka’s objectives:
The UN and UNHRC ignored the LTTE’s provocation and history of violence.
They failed to acknowledge the world’s largest wartime civilian rescue: 295,000 plus civilians were evacuated and housed by the state.
The ICRC and foreign military attachés acknowledged the army’s professionalism and the government’s humanitarian response—but the UNHRC remained silent.
UN Resident Coordinator Neil Buhne confirmed in 2009 that the government facilitated UN access and cooperation in the war zone.
Neil Buhne, the UN Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka, is scheduled to travel to Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka today.”
3. Sri Lanka’s Civilian Protection Measures vs. LTTE’s Tactics
Government actions:
Declared multiple No Fire Zones (NFZs),
Airdropped leaflets, used loudspeakers to direct civilians to safety,
Maintained supply chains to hospitals and IDP centers in war zones.
LTTE actions:
Fired from within NFZs and civilian sites (hospitals, schools),
Executed civilians trying to escape,
Hid artillery among civilians to provoke return fire – blurring target.
Recruited children and detained families in combat zones.
UN field staff and ICRC witnesses observed many of these atrocities—but their testimony was downplayed or excluded from post-war UN reports.
4. UN Complicity through Silence and Suppression
Throughout the final phase:
The UN Secretary-General, diplomats, and humanitarian groups repeatedly called for the LTTE to release civilians—calls that were openly defied.
The UN failed to escalate these violations into global action or condemnation.
Civilian deaths caused by LTTE brutality were falsely attributed to the Sri Lankan military in post-war reports or rarely acknowledged as LTTE crimes.
Despite UN presence and data collection during the war, post-conflict reports disregarded this primary data and instead relied on diaspora narratives and unverifiable claims.
The UN internal panel (2012) criticized the Resident Coordinator for sidelining the Human Rights Adviser, highlighting operational bias:
In early 2009 the senior UN official in Sri Lanka, Neil Buhne, ‘excluded his Human Rights Adviser from key meetings…’ and agency heads at UN headquarters ‘were not instructing them otherwise.’”
5. Ignored Forums and Consultations During Wartime
The Sri Lankan government held bi-weekly meetings through the Consultative Committee on Humanitarian Assistance (CCHA), attended by:
UN agencies,
The ICRC,
INGOs and diplomats,
Civilian and military officials.
No allegations of war crimes were raised during these sessions.
Yet, after the LTTE’s defeat, these same entities reversed course—leveling grave accusations based on post-war speculation, not real-time data.
6. Selective Condemnation: UN’s silence on LTTE War Crimes
The UNHRC has never formally condemned the LTTE for:
Suicide bombings,
Political assassinations,
Use of human shields,
Child soldier recruitment,
Attacks on hospitals and civilian buses.
Despite being banned by over 30 countries—including India, the U.S., the U.K., and the EU—the LTTE was never sanctioned under UN resolutions like 1267 or 1373, which targeted similar groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIS.
7. UN Officials and the Problem of Manufactured Narratives
Post-war UN reports relied on questionable sources:
Internal UN field data was ignored.
Officials like Gordon Weiss inflated death tolls without evidence, later admitting the figures were speculative.
Reports by the SLMM (Scandinavian truce monitors) documenting 3,800+ LTTE ceasefire violations were dismissed.
Post-war, unverified claims by LTTE-linked INGOs and diaspora activists were cited as credible while wartime data and direct observations were erased.
I (Gordon Weiss) was used as a tool to disseminate exaggerated casualty figures that were not based on evidence but on speculation and political agendas… The UN reports became weapons to discredit Sri Lanka rather than impartial assessments.” — Confession on how UN reports became biased propaganda.
UN Internal Review Panel (2012): The UN failed to meet its responsibility to protect civilians. It was unprepared, under-resourced, and politically compromised. The lack of coordination and effective leadership exacerbated civilian suffering.” — Direct indictment of UN operational and moral failure.
8. Inaction on Global LTTE Networks
Even after the LTTE’s defeat:
Its fundraising arms and front groups operated in Western democracies under humanitarian covers.
The UN did nothing to dismantle these networks or prosecute those funding terror.
LTTE diaspora members who celebrated terrorism now influence UN lobbying and media narratives.
Post-LTTE defeat a former UNHRC head was seen attending pro-LTTE commemorations & making statements reversing her own official statements.
9. What did the UN do to Save Tamil Civilians?
Nothing.
No diplomatic intervention,
No peacekeeping initiative,
No UN effort to demand LTTE release civilians – except the usual statements no one listens to.
Instead, the UN retrospectively blamed the government that rescued those very civilians—while the terrorist group that caused their suffering was never held accountable.
10. Legal misconduct by UNHRC
The UNHRC weaponized human rights law in a context where International Humanitarian Law (IHL) applied.
The war was a non-international armed conflict against a banned terrorist group.
Yet, the UNHRC selectively quoted human rights clauses to politically shame Sri Lanka—ignoring the rules of armed conflict under IHL.
Their statements during this period were overwhelmingly one-sided, exposing a political—not legal—agenda.
Conclusion: Institutional Betrayal
The UN and UNHRC’s role during Sri Lanka’s final war against terrorism stands as a case study in:
Selective justice,
Willful blindness to terrorism,
Politicized post-conflict revisionism.
Key questions remain:
Why was Sri Lanka denied the same rights other nations exercised in defeating terrorism?
Why was LTTE brutality whitewashed while Sri Lanka’s sacrifices were criminalized?
Why is the UN silent about its failure to save civilians or support their liberation?
Until these are answered, the UN’s credibility in conflict resolution remains not just compromised—but complicit.
Gaza aid center was overrun by starving crowds. (Photo: video grab)
GHF has never been about delivering aid. It’s about using the illusion of aid to control the population of Gaza—and to give cover to war crimes.
Recent reports say that US AID is considering giving $500 million to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)—an aid” initiative launched at Israel’s request. At first glance, that might sound like a generous effort to help desperate Palestinians in Gaza. But peel back even one layer, and you’ll find a deadly political scheme masquerading as humanitarian relief.
This is not about helping hungry people. It’s about controlling them, displacing them, and starving them into submission.
Let’s start with some basics. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is not a humanitarian organization. It’s a US- and Israeli-backed scheme run by people with no track record in neutral aid work. Its first director, Jake Wood, resigned on May 25, saying the organization failed to uphold humanitarian principles. Then the Boston Consulting Group, which had secretly helped design GHF’s aid operations, pulled out and apologized to staff who were furious about the firm’s complicity in a system that enabled forced displacement and sidelined trusted UN agencies.
GHF brand new director is Johnnie Moore, an American evangelical PR executive best known for helping Donald Trump recognize Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem and push the US embassy move there—a move that only fanned the flames of conflict.
GHF’s entire premise is rooted in deception. It was launched with Israeli government oversight, without transparency, without independence, and—critically—without the participation of the United Nations or any respected humanitarian agencies. In fact, the UN has refused to have anything to do with it. So have groups like Doctors Without Borders, the Red Cross, and the World Food Programme, whose leaders have warned in no uncertain terms that GHF’s model militarizes aid, violates humanitarian norms, and places Palestinian lives at even greater risk.
GHF has never been about delivering aid. It’s about using the illusion of aid to control the population of Gaza—and to give cover to war crimes.
People in Gaza are starving because Israel wants them to. There are thousands of aid trucks, many loaded with supplies from the United Nations, that—for months—have been blocked from entering Gaza. They contain food, water, medicine, shelter materials—the lifeblood of a besieged civilian population. But instead of letting them through, the US and Israel are pushing their own version of aid: a privatized, militarized operation. Armed US contractors working with the GHF are reportedly earning up to $1,100 per day, along with a $10,000 signing bonus.
The GHF plan is to make aid available only in the south, forcibly displacing people from the north—driving them toward the Egyptian border, where many fear a permanent expulsion is being engineered.
From the very start of GHF’s operations, with the opening of two distribution sites in southern Gaza on May 26, the chaos turned deadly, with the Israeli military shooting at hungry people seeking food. In its short time of operation, nearly 100 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds more wounded. These are not tragic accidents—they are predictable outcomes of militarizing aid.
Let’s also address the fear-mongering claim that when the UN was in charge of aid delivery, food was being stolen by Hamas. There is no credible evidence of this and Cindy McCain, head of the World Food Programme, has publicly refuted this allegation, saying that trucks have been looted by hungry, desperate people.
The real threat to aid integrity isn’t Hamas—it’s the blockade itself, which has created an artificial scarcity and fueled black markets, desperation, and chaos..
To truly help the people of Gaza, here’s what needs to happen:
Shut down GHF and reject all militarized aid schemes.
Restore full US funding to UNRWA and the World Food Programme—trusted, experienced agencies that know how to do this work.
Demand that Israel end the blockade. Let aid trucks in—UN trucks, Red Cross trucks, WFP trucks. Flood the strip with food, medicines, tents.
Demand an immediate ceasefire to stop the killing and create space for meaningful relief and political solutions.
The starvation in Gaza is not a logistical failure. It is Israel’s political choice. And GHF is not a lifeline. It is a lie. It is complicity. It is diabolical. And US taxpayers should not be forced to fund it.
– Medea Benjamin is the cofounder of CODEPINK for Peace, and the author of several books, including Inside Iran: The Real History and Politics of the Islamic Republic of Iran. She contributed this article to the Palestine Chronicle.
The United States (USA) currently faces one of its most critical challenges: the unchecked influx of undocumented individuals across its northern and southern borders. Over the past few years, an estimated 31 million undocumented people have entered the country, a figure significantly higher than the official “catch and release” numbers reported by the current administration, which stand at approximately 13 million.
According to the Department of Border Patrol (CBP), over 65% of border crossings (borders extending thousands of miles) go undetected, underscoring serious gaps in border security and immigration enforcement. Furthermore, intelligence reports have raised concerns that adversarial nations have exploited this porous border by sending an estimated two million individuals with criminal backgrounds and an additional one million military-age men for espionage and destabilization efforts within the United States. This is the 21st century―there is no safe and sovereign nation without secure borders.
The fiscal impact of this demographic shift is substantial. Roughly 20% of the nation’s healthcare (including Medicaid), welfare, and public education budgets are allocated to serving undocumented populations. These are hardly discussed in the mainstream media, but exaggerate how sinful deportations are. These expenses place a heavy burden on taxpayers and contribute to rising costs of living nationwide, as well as a disturbing rise in violent crime. Although undocumented immigrants represent less than 10% of the total U.S. population, recent data attribute 56% of violent crimes to this group. Such statistics illustrate profound implications for national security, public safety, and social cohesion.
The growing public concern is often met with resistance by certain factions who oppose deportation efforts. These groups—comprising activists, politicians, billionaire donors to disrupt society, and others—organize protests, as happened in Los Angeles last weekend, to prevent the arrest of violent criminals, engage in legal challenges, and even obstruct enforcement through judicial activism by a handful of ideologically motivated federal judges with lifetime tenure.
These obstructions to arresting and deporting known violent offenders compound the risks to community safety and, eventually, the sovereignty of the USA. Those who vehemently oppose deportation (many paid to do so) should, at a minimum, be made to bear the responsibility for housing and financially supporting them, and formally making them pay for the victims of crimes. An official legal approach is warranted for them if they do not want to deport criminal invaders, those trespassers with criminal records, rather than shifting these costs onto the general population.
The persistence of this crisis cannot be justified on social, economic, or security grounds. Alarmingly, many experts view it as a deliberate political strategy aimed at altering the electorate. By granting de facto citizenship (and driver’s licenses) and voting rights through backdoor mechanisms—as observed in states like California—political factions seek to secure a long-term voter base, thus perpetuating their hold on power at the expense of the nation’s stability.
Sri Lanka, as a smaller island nation with distinct cultural and social dynamics, must heed these lessons. Current proposals to allow visa-free access for South Indians in the northern regions and to resettle foreign populations in eastern provinces (already happening at a smaller scale) carry serious risks of repeating similar mistakes as in the USA. These measures threaten national identity and sovereignty, cultural heritage, enhance the economic downturn, and social harmony. For example, prior government decisions to relocate Maldivian nationals and some Bangladeshis brought in. They settled in the eastern regions of the NCP—under the guise of environmental concerns—but driven mainly by political interests—and have already contributed to rising social tensions, violence, and unrest in the mentioned region.
Sri Lanka’s leadership must undertake a comprehensive assessment of the long-term consequences of immigration and population resettlement policies. Stop favoring ethnic minorities for short-term political gain that ends the harmony and peace within the nation. Prioritizing national unity, preserving cultural traditions, maintaining social stability, and safeguarding sovereignty should be paramount objectives. Failure to act decisively could lead to divisions and disruptions akin to those currently seen in the United States, jeopardizing the nation’s future peace and prosperity.
By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama Courtesy The Daily Mirror
The Colombo Port, long considered the economic heartbeat of Sri Lanka, is heading towards a ‘natural death’ due to mismanagement at the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), Co-Convenor of the Joint Alliance of Port Trade Unions (JAPTU) Shyamal Sumanaratne warned.
Speaking at a special media briefing yesterday in Colombo, Sumanaratne questioned whether President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is fully aware of the deteriorating state of affairs within the Ports Authority and the looming crisis surrounding the East Container Terminal (ECT).
Sumanaratne alleged that under the current administration, the SLPA has fallen into disarray, plagued by poor leadership and stalled projects. Despite sending six letters to Ports Minister Bimal Ratnayake and the Deputy Minister highlighting these issues, no responses have been received to date, he said.
He welcomed the recent removal of the Managing Director of the Ports Authority who previously served as the Project Director for the Eastern Container Terminal, but urged further action, over the departure of an experienced Ports Board member with crucial maritime expertise.
The trade union leader further accused SLPA’s current administration of misleading President Dissanayake by claiming that the Eastern Container Terminal would be ready for opening by June 30. In reality, Sumanaratne said, the terminal’s launch could be delayed by another year and a half.
He attributed this to a series of detrimental actions under the current leadership, including the transfer of key administrative officials, the cancellation of tenders, and the halting of critical procurement processes. Notably, the tender for the purchase of ‘Straddle Carriers’ essential equipment for container operations was cancelled after the new administration assumed office and has yet to be reissued. According to Sumanaratne, it would take a minimum of 200 days to acquire this equipment once an order is placed.
He also noted that essential infrastructure, including computer systems, transportation equipment, and the recruitment of trained personnel for terminal operations, remains incomplete. Additionally, work on the terminal’s route has reportedly been suspended on the recommendation of a committee appointed by the Deputy Minister of Ports.
The NPP government promised so much to port workers, but not a single promise has been delivered,” he said.
The media briefing was also attended by Thushari Priyanka, President of the National Employees’ Union; Indika Samarawickrama, President of the Free Employees’ Union; and Dickson Gomez, President of the United Employees’ Union, among other union representatives.
However, when this newspaper contacted Eng. Hedigallage to find out about the US$ 1 million payment to RMA Energy for the consultancy service provided for this project, and also to know how Dr. Siyambalapitiya could change his stance regarding RE addition to the grid after assuming duties as Chairman CEB, the former accused this newspaper of slinging mud at him
All these unacceptable explanations are given perhaps for two reasons. The first could be to conceal their inability to manage the system and the second reason is because a group of CEB officials connected to the diesel mafia are heavily losing their ‘income’ when electricity is generated from solar
When purchasing solar power, we- the CEB — pay them with rupees whereas we have to pay in dollars when purchasing coal or diesel power to procure the fuel. Just because this group of CEB Engineers are receiving commissions from this coal and diesel generation, but not a cent from solar generation, they opt to purchase power generated from coal and diesel,” sources said
By Nirmala Kannangara
Startling revelations have come to the fore as to how the present administration of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is attempting to promote thermal and coal power by curtailing renewable power generation.
For the first time in the history the CEB, it has switched off all rooftop solar plantsa over 100kW and instructed all rooftop and ground mounted solar system owners to switch off their inverters voluntarily to ensure the reliable and stable operation of the national grid during recent New Year season. The CEB claimed that this decision was taken due to the significantly low demand observed in the system.
However, most of the roof top solar owners disregarded this unusual directives. It is now reported how the CEB Engineers have forcibly entered ground mounted solar farms in many parts of the country during the festive season and switched off their inverters from 9am to 4pm for five consecutive days.
Giving various unacceptable explanations as to why Renewable Energy (RE) has to be curtailed, the CEB maintains that this curtailment was facilitated to maintain an adequate level of dispatchable generation and improve sufficient system inertia.
All these unacceptable explanations are given perhaps for two reasons. The first could be to conceal their inability to manage the system and the second reason is because a group of CEB officials connected to the diesel mafia are heavily losing their ‘income’ when electricity is generated from solar. When coal and thermal generations are minimised, these vested parties do not get their ‘commission’ as solar generation does not benefit them although it benefits the country. This is the first time orders were given to switch off not only roof top solar inverters, but also ground mounted solar as well,” a highly reliable source from the Sustainable Energy Authority told this newspaper.
Development Master Action Plan
Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) and the CEB drafted the ‘Renewable Energy Development Master Action Plan (REDMAP) 2023/ 2026’ in 2022 highlighting the importance in adding renewable energy (RE) to the national grid, especially from wind and solar. This was part of the Long-Term Generation Plan (LTGEP) that was drafted in line with the government’s policy to target achieving 70% RE by 2030, and to ensure timely implementation of RE additions to the system. CEB’s decision to ignore the instruction given in these reports and purchasing diesel and coal at a higher cost has raised eyebrows amongst their own engineers.
When purchasing solar power, we- the CEB — pay them with rupees whereas we have to pay in dollars when purchasing coal or diesel power to procure the fuel. Just because this group of CEB Engineers are receiving commissions from this coal and diesel generation, but not a cent from solar generation, they opt to purchase power generated from coal and diesel,” sources said.
As per the REDMAP, the proposed plan was to generate 1,795MW solar and 575 MW wind and other RE from 2023 to 2026. Having issued a report as such, what was the reason for the CEB to curtail RE and go ahead with costly thermal and coal power?
When drafting the REDMAP, Consultancy service to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) was provided by the Resource Management Associates (Pvt) Ltd (RMA) which is also known as RMA Energy, which was headed by the present Chairman of CEB Dr. Thilak Siyambalapitiya until September 2024 and presently by his wife.
RMA Energy provides consultancy services to ADB and World Bank (WB) on the country’s power sector. Having recommended to add more RE generation to the national grid at the time the report was drafted, this decision was ignored once he became CEB chairman and he wanted to purchase costly coal and thermal power by curtailing RE generation. It was even alleged that he was attempting to tender rooftop solar and ground mounted solar which is less than 10 MW for an unknown reason,” the Sustainable Energy Authority source told on condition of anonymity.
As per the CEB and Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) official data, from the time the REDMAP was issued and up to now only 793 MW Solar plants have been commissioned, a figure which includes rooftop solar units.
US$ 1 million paid
According to sources, it was the ADB that gave the grant to prepare this report ‘Way Forward of Integration of Renewable Energy Resources to the National Grid from 2023 to 2026 by Means of Appropriate Business Models’. Director General Power Sector Reform Secretariat and member of the Energy Committee, Eng. Pubudu Niroshan Hedigallage, has made a status most on his Face Book account, adding that US$ 1 million has been paid to RMA Energy for the consultancy services provided.
However, when this newspaper contacted Eng. Hedigallage to find out about the US$ 1 million payment to RMA Energy for the consultancy service provided for this project, and also to know how Dr. Siyambalapitiya could change his stance regarding RE addition to the grid after assuming duties as Chairman CEB, the former accused this newspaper of slinging mud at him.
I know who is behind this mud slinging campaign. You can write anything you want, but I am not scared of mud slinging,” Eng. Hedigallage said.
Meanwhile questions have been raised as to how Dr. Siyambalapitiya’s wife Namalee Siyambalapitiya continued to work for RMA Energy in the capacity of director even after the former had resigned from his post to accept CEB Chairmanship.
RMA earns hundreds of thousands of Dollars from these consultancies annually related to Sri Lankan power sector. What sought of conflict-of-interest policy has he adopted before he took over office at CEB? Has he divested of his interest in RMA Energy? Has his wife divested of her interest in RMA Energy? Have they resigned from all operations of RMA Energy and handed over the RMA Energy Management and technical control of the company? Since RMA is currently consultants to Offshore Wind Power on pre-feasibility assessment, have they recused themselves from this engagement or any project related to the country’s power sector? Is Tharaka Siyambalapitiya who is the senior project engineer of this company an offspring or a relative of the CEB Chairman?
Conflict of interest
Though the NPP government that assumed power promised to put a complete stop to all frauds, it has not lived up to its promises and appointed Dr. Siyambalapitiya to the CEB with such conflict of interest in place at CEB – the den of corruption,” sources alleged.
Questions have been further raised whether the decision to curtail solar power generation was due to ‘the rapid’ increase in rooftop and ground mounted solar and other inverter base Non-Conventional Renewable Energy (NCRE) plant installation which has resulted in substantial frequency fluctuations owing to low system inertia which becomes critical during disturbances leading to the frequent activation of the Under Frequency Load Shedding (UFLS) scheme and increasing the risk of tripping major thermal power plants? The SLSEA has said that the CEB should reveal to the consumers as to why frequency fluctuation is reported now and never before.
They claim that after the country’s economic recession, the demand for electricity has gone down steadily while rooftop and ground mounted solar parks have come up in numbers and these additions to the national grid is the cause for the frequency fluctuation. Before Dr. Siyambalapitiya took office there were no concerns for the safety and stability of the national grid, but it’s only now that they talk about a risk of tripping major thermal and coal power plants. Why is this?” sources alleged.
Deputy General Manager (System Control) CEB, Eng. M.B.S. Samarasekara by letter dated November 12, 2024, to AGM (Transmission Non-Wired Operation) has informed that immediate mitigatory actions must be taken to improve system demand and system stability during weekends and holidays with high NCRE penetration to the system.
***This letter ***further states, ‘This is to bring to your attention a matter of significant importance regarding the stability and reliability of the Sri Lankan power system, especially considering the rapid increase in rooftop solar plant installations and other inverter base NCRE plants.
‘The rapid increase in rooftop solar installations has introduced significant irregularities to the operations of the power system. This issue is particularly severe during long holidays, especially on sunny Sundays when industrial and commercial demands are exceptionally low. On these days, many dispatchable plants are not dispatched to accommodate the must run NCRE generation, resulting in substantial frequency fluctuations due to low system inertia. This problem becomes critical during disturbances, leading to the frequent activation of the UFLS scheme and increasing the risk of tripping major thermal power plants, particularly the Lakvijaya power plant.
‘On September 22, 2024, the system’s minimum demand of 670 MW occurred around 10.53hrs. During this period system operators observed significant fluctuations in system frequency, even the machine loads were adjusted. Consequently, it was necessary to curtail available NCRE (inverter based) generation to avoid further demand reduction and improve system inertia by adding more generation plants. The lowest recorded demand in 2024 at 670 MW prompted the curtailment of approximately 160 MW of NCRE between 10 and 15.00hrs to prevent system demand from dropping further to 600 MW. This curtailment has facilitated to maintain and adequate system inertia. Following the curtailment system demand increased to 820 MW, allowing for the dispatch of higher inertia plants in order to enhance system stability and resilience.
‘It is noted that the system frequency is experiencing rapid fluctuations and instability especially during daytime when the demand is exceptionally low. This instability is alarming and indicates the need for immediate mitigative actions, such as the incorporation of fast frequency arresting solutions into the system as soon as possible.
‘It is noted that during extremely low demand periods with the increasing of non-dispatchable renewable energy sources have compelled the National System Control Center (NSCC) to shut down more dispatchable plants, resulting in a significant reduction in system inertia. This loss of inertia substantially increases the risk of a total system collapse in the event of any system faults or disturbances.
‘Given these challenges, it is unlikely that the system can maintain resilience during such incidents.
‘As an immediate step to mitigate low demand risks, it is suggested to introduce new tariff rates of the industrial category on weekends and special holidays could encourage increased electricity usage on these low demand period until the proposed power system ancillary services are in place. By offering incentivised rates industries would be motivated to shift more operations to these days to help improve system demand and enhance the grid stability and resilience.
‘The investigation into operating large hydro power plants such as Victoria, Kothmale, Samanalawewa, Uma Oya and New Lakshapana in synchronous condenser mode reveals a promising opportunity to enhance grid stability and reactive power support. With the recent installation of Automatic Voltage Regulators these plants have the potential to operate effectively in this mode. Notably, New Lakshapana has the necessary infrastructure for synchronous condenser operation established during its refurbishment, though this capacity has yet to be fully utilised. Implementing this mode across these hydro plants could significantly strengthen grid stability by providing crucial reactive power without generating active power.
‘Evaluating the feasibility of operating Gas Turbine Generator 7 (GT 7) in synchronous condenser mode presents a promising opportunity to enhance system inertia and stability. As GT 7 has the highest inertia constant (H constant) in the Kelanitissa thermal fleet, operating it in this mode would allow it to provide essential reactive power and stabilise frequency fluctuations without generating active power. This approach could lead to a notable improvement in system resilience and ultimately strengthening overall grid stability under varying demand and supply conditions.
‘It is imperative to prioritise the installation of fast frequency reserves and energy storage systems such as battery energy storage systems (BESS), fast acting Gas Turbines, Flywheel Energy Storage Systems etc. These systems can provide the necessary rapid response to frequency deviations, thereby enhancing the stability and reliability of the power system.
‘These recurring low demand periods (especially holidays with good sunny and windy environment) highlight the critical necessity for an NCRE control desk with forecasting and monitoring facility at the National System Control Center and respective Distribution Control in order to effectively ensure grid security within permissible limits. Therefore, the implementation of an NCRE control desk should be given priority.
‘The spinning reserve requirement has to be reviewed accordingly when more NCRE is added, as a hot spinning reserve of 5% may not be satisfactory to maintain the system stability and reliability in future.
‘In future major generation contributions will be generated from NCRE sources and may require curtailments. Therefore, a proper mechanism for curtailments has to be formulated for future NCRE additions (at least for above 5MW scale).
‘Additionally, it is advisable to evaluate the minimum operating power and ramp rates for both hydro power plants and the CEB thermal power plants. This assessment will ensure sufficient capacity to accommodate additional power plants within the system, resulting in a significant improvement in system inertia.
‘Accordingly, please make immediate arrangements to effectively tackle these challenges and ensure resilient operation even during power system disturbances. This requires the timely commissioning of fast frequency response sources and the outline of alternative methods such as a new tariff category for low demand periods and the operation of existing plants in synchronous condenser mode where feasible. These measures will help stabilise the grid and improve system resilience’.
Stability and reliability
Although Eng. Samarasekera’s said letter has recommended to take certain steps claiming their ‘significant importance regarding the stability and reliability of the country’s power system’, the suggested decisions should have been implemented by the CEB before this situation occurred.
Their deliberate failure cannot penalise either the consumers or investors. The prevailing least cost long term generation expansion plan approved by the PUCSL contains 20MW/50Mwh battery storage in 2024, 100MW/400MWh batter storage in 2025 and a further100MW/400MWh battery storage in 2026. CEB has not taken any action to have these storage facilities in place and now recommending having battery storage facilities. The consumers and investors should question the CEB why the energy storage systems and synchronous machine in the generation plan was not implemented by CEB,” sources added.
Even though Eng. Samarasekara has proposed many ways to face this challenge in his letter, the management has selected switching off existing Solar and curtailing the future expansion of Solar catering to the requirement of Thermal Mafia citing various technical reasons, it is learnt.
When we contacted Eng. Samarasekera to find out why the CEB is interested in promoting thermal and coal generation and why he has requested to formulate a proper mechanism to curtail for future NCRE additions, Samarasekera wanted this newspaper to get the information from CEB Spokesman Eng. Dhammika Wimalaratne.
When Eng. Wimalaratne was contacted regarding this matter he said that the CEB had requested all rooftop solar system operators to switch off their inverters from April 12 to April 21, with the utmost concern for the safety and stability of the national grid.
With the country being bankrupt and the economy shrunk, factories were closed down and the demand for electricity dropped significantly. However, in the meantime, due to low interest bank loans given for solar installations, the number of rooftop and ground mounted solar parks came up rapidly. As a result, solar power generation went up speedily and due to low demand, CEB had to shut down coal and thermal plants to balance the situation. The larger power plants provide a critical service to the grid called ‘inertia’, which helps keep the electricity frequency stable though solar or RE cannot provide such an assurance to the grid. Without adequate inertia, even a small problem can cause frequency problems, leading to partial or total blackouts. The demand on the national grid was reduced to as low as 1550 MW in the morning hours during the festive season. As a result, a surge in solar generation forced CEB to shut down large synchronous generators—such as hydro, and thermal plants—which are crucial for grid stability.
When asked whether the CEB and the Sustainable Energy Authority didn’t know what the future consequences would be, when drafting the LTGEP and REDMAP that planned 2, 728 MW renewable energy plants by 2026, Eng. Wimalaratne said that it should be asked from those who drafted these reports and that he cannot give a proper answer to it.
This is a good question, but it should be posed to those who drafted the reports. Without having battery energy storage system there is no way we can store the solar generated power. As the country faced the financial crisis, many factories and businesses were closed down and the electricity demand came down whereas the generation picked up after the banks gave low interest loans to install solar panels. Last December we got a loan from the ADB to set up 100 MW battery energy storage system. We hope that we will not have to curtail solar generation once this system is implemented,” he said.
According to him, only rooftop solar inverter owners were asked to switch off but not the ground mounted solar inverters.
Solar parks interfered with
Although Eng. Wimalaratne said so, several ground mounted solar companies on condition of strict condition of anonymity told this newspaper that CEB Engineers entered their solar parks forcibly during the festive season and switched off their inverters which has caused huge losses to their businesses.
We invested several billions of rupees for these projects. But due to the CEB’s arbitrary decision we lost around Rs.200, 000 per day. Who is going to compensate for this loss?” asked representatives of ground mounted solar companies.
According to Eng. Wimalaratne, until battery energy storage systems are installed, the national grid has to rely on large synchronous machines to supply inertia and ensure stability.
CEB Engineers have forcibly entered ground mounted solar farms during the festive season and switched off inverters
At present, Sri Lanka does not have this facility nor advanced solar inverters that can provide this support. Sri Lanka has over seven million electricity consumers, but a mere 100,000 have installed rooftop solar panels. When the grid becomes unstable, everyone has to pay the price,” he added.
Although Eng. Wimalaratne said that larger power plants provide a critical service to the grid to keep the electricity frequency stable though solar or RE cannot provide such an assurance, questions are raised why the Ministry of Energy is conducting pre-feasibility assessment stakeholder workshop to develop Offshore Wind Power potential in the country.
By letter dated March 5, 2025, Additional Secretary (Development and Procurement), Ministry of Energy, T. Prassanth has sent a letter to the Director General Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority inviting them to attend a workshop for the said workshop.
***The letter states, ‘The Ministry of Power and Energy along with the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority implemented technical assistance from the World Bank to conduct studies towards developing offshore wind power potential in Sri Lanka.
‘The study was conducted by Pondera Consult, an experienced international offshore wind consultancy based in the Netherlands in collaborating with their national counterpart, RMA Energy.
We are pleased to inform you that, as communicated, a follow-up workshop is organised to present the pre-feasibility findings.****
CEB maintains that this curtailment was facilitated to maintain an adequate level of dispatchable generation and improve sufficient system inertia
When contacted, Additional Secretary (Development and Procurement), Ministry of Energy, T. Prassanth, to find out how much RMA Energy were paid to this project, the former said that she doesn’t know as this workshop was started few months ago.
This is not a loan, but a grant from the World Bank. So, we do not know how much this consultancy firm was paid as their fee is paid straight to that company but not through the government or the Ministry,” she said.
When met Chairman Dr. Thilak Siyambalapitiya in his office to find out how much the electricity consumers have to pay for the whims of the thermal and coal interested CEB Engineers though he and his company-RMA Energy when providing consultancy services when drafting the REDMAP and for the ongoing offshore wind power feasibility assessment project, the proposal to add more RE to the grid by 2030, he said that after the country faced an adverse economic situation, the power demand came down rapidly but the RE addition increased.
‘I explained you in detail how a power system is planned and operated to ensure stability and economic operation and how the share of renewable energy in the grid has grown from a minimum of 29% in 2012 to 55% in 2024. This growth did not happen by accident, but through efforts of all: governments, SLSEA, CEB, LECO and RE investors.
‘Long-term generation expansion plan of CEB 2023, approved by PUCSL was based on the demand forecast which says ‘demand has to be 18,725 GWh in 2025’. However, we will cross 16,000 GWh this year. Peak forecast will be 3283 MW; but we will not even cross 2800 MW this year. The conclusion is that the demand is not growing as expected. For 2024, PUCSL approved 160 MW of rooftop solar but we have facilitated 650 MW of new solar, this mean the supply is growing but customer demand is not growing. By January 2024, there should have been 20 MW and by January 2025, 100 MW of battery storage. None of them are available. They should have been procured to purchase these batteries in 2023 and 2024 respectively but procurement process was started only recently. The previous management was grappling with the economic crisis, I do not blame anyone for that delay.
Surplus of generation
‘So, until the demand grows plus storage is established, especially on holidays, all types of power plants have to be cut back. Electricity thus has to be produced at the same time the customer wants it. When there is a surplus of generation, we first cut off all our oil burning power plants, which are very expensive which is more than Rs 35 per unit. Hydropower generation is then curtailed but it is limited by drinking water and irrigation requirements downstream, determined by the Water Board and Mahaweli Authority. Then we curtail CEB’s own renewable energy power plants- Mannar wind power 100 MW and the smaller hydropower plants at Nilambe, Uda Walawe and Inginiyagala. Then if the supply is still in excess, we curtail the coal power plant which purchase price is Rs 19 per unit in order to absorb solar power (price ranges from Rs 15.50 to 42, depending on which year, and which type of contract you signed).
If you log on to CEB website you can see how CEB power plants of all sorts are curtailed on any day, to absorb renewable energy.
‘Like any other similar power plants worldwide, the coal power plant has a special feature. It cannot be cut back to very low levels of production as it has to be switched off completely. If switched off during daytime there will be a delay and an additional cost to restart because it is required to meet the customer demand in the night. Yet in the run-up to the New Year holidays, CEB switched off one coal generator completely, and cut back the other 2 to the minimum during daytime to maximise absorbing solar power and then ramped up at nightfall.
‘Renewable energy is curtailed only as a last resort. The very low demand during New Year holidays was anticipated. It became acute this year, owing to large solar capacity installed in 2024, against a demand that is not growing. So 2025 holidays were different to 2024, more supply, stagnant demand. Hence the cautious cut backs of solar PV larger than 100 kW, on commercial and industrial roofs, and cut back of others only as required’.
When it was said that there are allegations against him for the attempt to curtail, RE, though his own company RMA Energy provided consultancy service to draft the REDMAP that stated the importance in adding RE to the grid and proposed how much RE should add to the system from 2023 to 2026, Dr. Siyambalapitiya said that the consultancy service was provided to the ADB somewhere in 2022 but not to the government of Sri Lanka or to the CEB.
Yes we proposed what the RE capacity that should be added, and how it is to be added and where, well into the future,” he said.
When he was told that CEB Engineers are alleging that he is behind the planned curtailment as he has an interest in coal generation, Dr. Siyambalapitiya queried what evidence this newspaper has that he has interest in coal generation, and what kind of interest is alleged.
‘I am a 65-year old power system planner by profession, since 1982. My overall objective is to work whenever, wherever I am, to ensure Sri Lanka gets electricity at the lowest economic cost, within the government policy framework, whichever the government is in power. So depending on the world trends, I campaign for Sri Lanka to build/not to build different types of power plants for/against government policy and objectives of least cost.
CEB’s decision to purchase diesel and coal at a higher cost has raised eyebrows amongst its own engineers
As you would see, different types of electricity generation has many features: stability, cost, intermittency, renewable, fossil.It is a balancing act; not an argument of this against that, but all types of power plants, big, small, fossil, renewable working together to serve a reliable power supply at lowest cost, aligning with government policy.”
When asked whether he and his wife have divested of their interest in RMA Energy and have resigned from all operations of this company and have no hand in any management and technical control of RMA after accepting the Chairmanship of the CEB which is conflict of interest, and also whether the company has refused offshore wind power pre-feasibility assessment or any other ongoing project in the country’s power sector since he took over CEB office, Dr. Siyambalapitiya said that he resigned as the Managing Director RMA Energy when he took over office at CEB in September 2024.
A new MD has taken over RMA Energy. The company provides consultancy services to banks, developers, governments worldwide. My wife or I have not divested shares in the company. I have no hand in any operations of the company. The company, in any case, is not a service provider to CEB or the Government or Sri Lanka. Offshore wind power pre-feasibility study was conducted for the World Bank in 2023-2024 which was concluded in 2024. I was the team leader of the Sri Lanka study team. The study was won through a competitive bid in 2023.
After I left the Company, the team leader position was also transferred to the new MD. Certainly there was a concluding seminar on the Off Shore windpower study a few weeks ago, to present the findings. The World Bank requested the Ministry of Energy to decide and invite participants to attend a seminar, in which, who did the study, was disclosed, as it is the policy of the government and the World Bank. The study was concluded well before I joined CEB in 2024.
Finally, I agreed to be CEB Chairman for a limited period and that period has now ended. As soon as the government finds a replacement, I will be leaving office,” he said.
A protest promoting LGBTQ rights near the Nallur Kandaswamy Temple in Jaffna has drawn strong criticism from Geethanath Cassilingam, Chief Organizer of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) for the Jaffna District, who said the act goes against Tamil culture and religious values.
In a statement, he stressed that while individuals may seek rights, they must also respect the traditions and beliefs of the Tamil community, especially in sacred spaces.
Cassilingam said, What a shocking shame to see a group of people promoting gay rights and forcing their so called beliefs in front of the sacred Nallur Kandaswamy temple in Jaffna, a sacred place for not only people of Jaffna but the whole country and worldwide devotees.”
He said the protest was against Tamil culture and added it was shocking to see them mocking this culture by promoting their beliefs in front of the most sacred place in Jaffna.
Furthermore, Cassilingam claimed that these groups have hidden agendas and are funded by secret groups who want to enforce their western beliefs on our children.
Meanwhile, he referred to another incident near the temple where many activists and individuals firmly voiced their opinion against a cafe selling meat within the Nallur Temple area and collectively changed the cafe to change their menu to vegetarian in respect of the sacred premises.
However these groups are now quiet when the Tamil culture is being mocked by these groups who are enforcing their so called rights in sacred places,” he stated.
This so called western culture must stay away from religious and holy sites and they must respect the cultures of communities as they ask for rights for themselves,” he added.
Colombo, June 10 (Daily Mirror) – President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has condemned widespread corruption within crucial state departments, revealing that some officials entrusted with upholding the law are themselves engaging in criminal activity.
Speaking at a Poson Poya commemoration event in Mihintale, President Dissanayake addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding a recent Presidential pardon, using the occasion to highlight deep-rooted misconduct within the public service.
Not all, but certain officials in key departments have been found participating in corrupt and illegal practices,” the President said, pointing to alarming examples across multiple institutions.
He accused the Prisons Department of unlawfully releasing inmates, and claimed that some police officers have turned into protectors of criminals rather than working to suppress crime. He also alleged that officials in the Immigration Department are issuing forged passports to underworld figures, while the Department of Motor Traffic is involved in corrupt dealings concerning vehicle registrations.
This is the state of the country,” the President declared, adding that the nation’s social structure is under threat from such systemic failures.
However, he noted that recent law enforcement efforts have led to the arrests of several officials from the Immigration, Department of Motor Traffic, Prisons, and Police services on corruption charges.
Over the past decade, global corporations have positioned themselves as champions of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), aligning publicly with the LGBTQIA+ community through sponsorship of Pride Parades, rainbow branding, and internal inclusive” workplaces. These initiatives were widely heralded as progressive milestones, signaling a new era of social responsibility. The LGBTQIA community thought the corporates had their interests at heart. That could be further from the truth. In reality, corporations viewed the LGBTQIA community as a niche market to exploit for profit. As economic returns faltered, corporate enthusiasm for LGBGTQIA is fast on the decline.
Increasingly, major corporations are quietly retreating from Pride sponsorships, scaling back DEI efforts, and removing rainbow branding. This shift is not accidental—it reflects a stark economic reality: corporate investments in Pride and DEI are failing to generate the profits they expected. If they thought they would win customers – they have discovered they have lost more than they have won.
What once seemed like a winning strategy is now seen by many business leaders as a liability. The profit-driven corporate embrace of inclusivity” is collapsing, revealing that much of the movement was a performative and ideological ploy rather than genuine support or concern for LGBTQIA demanded lifestyle.
Customers Who’ve Stopped Shopping Due to LGBTQIA+ Promotion
Bud Light (Anheuser‑Busch): Sales dropped nearly30%, nationwide massive boycott after partnering withtrans influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Bud Light lost USD26billion.
Target: Target lost shoppers due to Pride merchandise and inclusive bathroom policies – Surveys showed a drop from 42% to 38% in customer loyalty—Target removed Pride-themed merchandise from many stores
Walmart: In 2024 terminated DEI programs, ended racial equity training, ceased evaluating LGBTQIA & decided not to renew its 5 year $100m commitment.
Companies Dropping Pride Parade Sponsorships (by Country)
United States: San Francisco Pride:
Comcast
Anheuser-Busch
Diageo
La Crema
Together, these departures resulted in around USD300,000 in lost funding
Other US cities: Comcast, Coca‑Cola, PepsiCo, Citi, Amazon (Audible), Target, and Nissan pulled support, causing USD200,000–750,000 shortfalls
New Zealand: Auckland Pride:
NZME
Vodafone
BNZ
ANZ All pulled sponsorship over a dispute concerning police uniforms
United Kingdom: Birmingham Pride:
City council withdrew £15,000+ funding amid budget cuts
Canada: Toronto Pride:
Criticism over corporate float” dominance; small and racialized community groups priced out or marginalized
Companies Removing LGBTQIA+ Rainbow Colors or Branding
Hansen (Denmark): Removed rainbow logo and LGBTQIA+ content from U.S. communications after safety threats and boycott threats
Nike: For the first time since 1999,did not launch a Pride collection in 2024, shifting instead to internal community programs
Target: Scaled back Pride displays, limited in-store merchandise, and discontinued a decade-long partnership with GLSEN
Google/Alphabet: Displayed inconsistent rainbow branding—applied it in Western markets but withheld it in others—highlighting selective usage.
What this shows us is:
Corporate backing was conditional—valuable only while it served profit or image goals.
Consumers exert power—backlashes (like those against Bud Light and Target) had real financial impact.
Event organizers are bearing the cost—Pride parades face sizeable funding gaps.
DEI branding lacks consistency—companies employ rainbow logos selectively, often withdrawing when politically risky.
The Profit Motive behind Corporate Support
LGBTQIA movement was a corporate profit initiative from the outset & nothing else.
Companies anticipated that:
Creating a new customer base:creating a younger generation of consumers purchasing pro-LGBTQIA merchandise.
Increased brand loyalty:Belief that diversity” would boost sales.
Attracting global talent:Belief that inclusivity” would improve employee recruitment. Merit has regained due place.
Market differentiation:Belief that use of Rainbow branding and participation in Pride parades would provide brand presence in public.
Expectations led to substantial investments for sponsorship, LGBTQIA events, hiring promoters, etc – the calculated revenue corporates expected their investment to translate to did not occur.
Example 1: Levi Strauss – Jennifer Sey former Brand President:
It’s a strategy to make money. … When those campaigns stop doing that, they’re going to stop doing it.”
Sey states corporate Pride branding was entirely profit-motivated — and that support evaporates once it stops being financially advantageous.
Example 2: Out Leadership CEO / Merrill Lynch
And we brought in twobillion dollars of LGBTQ assets…
We got Merrill Lynch to support LGBT rights because I tied it directly to business.”
This confirms that corporations often make calculated decisions, directly linking LGBTQIA+ initiatives to asset and revenue goals.
Example 3: Target CEO’s Investor Acknowledgement
Target CEO Brian Cornellpublicly admitted during investor calls that:
Sales fell nearly6% after launching Pride merchandise, partially due to a negative guest reaction.”
Theyscaled back Pride products to protect team safety and appease customers.
This shows astrategic policy reversal, based entirely on profit and public reaction — not on principle.
Example 4: Starbucks Internal Memo
A Starbucks memo instructed stores toremove Pride decorations, citing political caution:
Rather than demonstrating inclusivity… our store will disavow decorations entirely.”
Pride organizations in 2025 reported budget shortfalls of $200,000–$750,000 because top sponsors like Anheuser-Busch, MasterCard, Comcast, and Target withdrew their funding.
The clear rationale: avoid political and consumer backlash to protect profits, even at the expense of previous support.
Example 5: Pullbacks in Streaming Platforms
Axios notes thatNetflix, HBO Max, Apple TV+, and others significantly reduced Pride Month promotions, while Hulu and Peacock did not — signaling a selective, economically driven pullback.
Public Perception: Profit vs. Principle
AJune 2025 Pew poll found:
68%of LGBTQ+ adults believe corporate Pride support is profit-driven.
Only16% view it as genuine. – hype failed, consumers are fed up
A 2024 Axios/YouGov poll found that 68% of LGBTQ+ adults believed corporate Pride support was primarily profit-driven, and only 16% believed it was sincere. Consumers, even within the community, began disengaging
Consumer skepticism reveals that corporate allyship is mainly transactional.
The corporate push into LGBTQIA+ branding, DEI programs, and Pride sponsorships began in earnest around 2012–2015, peaked between 2018–2022, and began collapsing in 2023–2025.
Estimated Corporate Investment Duration: 8 to 10 Years
Year
Key Events & Milestones
2012–2015
Early adopters (Apple, Google, Levi’s, Nike, Starbucks) began visibly supporting Pride.
2016–2018
DEI departments expanded rapidly; brands like Target, Disney, Netflix doubled down.
2019
50th anniversary of Stonewall – corporate participation hit record highs.
2020–2022
Post-George Floyd era triggered aggressive DEI funding and woke marketing.
2023
Bud Light backlash marks the beginning of serious public revolt.
2024–2025
Major pullbacks: Target, Anheuser-Busch, Nike, Walmart, and Pride event sponsors exit.
Summary
Most brandsinvested for 8–10 years in LGBTQIA+/DEI efforts.
Why they stopped: public backlash, falling profits, and growing political risk.
The Reality Check: No Profit, rising costs
The corporate assumption that DEI and Pride sponsorships would boost long-term profitability has not materialized in practice. Firms are now experiencing the opposite effect—growing costs, declining returns, and reputational backlash. Resulting in CEOs & brand managers quietly retreating to avoid controversy.
The DEI Bubble Is Deflating – Departments quietly dissolving
Corporations are laying off DEI staff and cutting budgets for inclusivity” programs. DEI departments are often first to be downsized in cost-cutting cycles.
The freeze in USAID funding has significantly affected LGBTQIA+ programs globally, driven primarily by the January 2025 executive order from President Trump to pause foreign aid, explicitly excluding DEI and gender-identity initiatives including transgender surgeries.
Google, Meta, and Amazonhave all laid off DEI staff since 2023.
Netflix’s DEI teamwas reduced during budget restructuring.
Smaller companiesand franchises have either merged DEI with HR or eliminated it altogether.
This retraction speaks volumes: if the initiatives had been driving real profit or productivity, they would have been protected. Instead, it’s clear they were maintained for optics, not outcomes.
Globally too the pinch was being felt among LGBTQIA+ Communities
South Asia (India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan)
Nearly all USAID-funded LGBTI projects—including health, legal aid, and entrepreneurship initiatives—were suspended
Hyderabad’s Mitr Clinic, Andhra Pradesh’s first trans healthcare center, shut down after serving 150–200 clients monthly
Philippines
Organizations like LoveYourself lost critical support for HIV testing and LGBTQIA+
Uganda
Africa Queer Network, funded largely by USAID, had to cease operations, with staff sent home and services discontinued
Global Advocacy Organizations
Outright International paused programs in 32+ countries; the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute lost ~$600,000—two-thirds of its yearly budget
Corporate Blowback: The Backlash that Broke the Illusion
The LGBTQIA+–corporate alliance is fast collapsing following a wave of consumer backlash, brand boycotts & public criticism. Many corporations now find themselves scrambling to contain the fallout from what has become an ideological liability.
Disney, once a DEI poster child, faced subscription declines and investor criticism over LGBTQIA+ content in children’s programming. The backlash grew so intense that the company quietly walked back several projects and reshuffled its leadership.
These events sent an unmistakable message: the assumed customer base was not as aligned as anticipated. The promise of increased loyalty, goodwill, and revenue failed to materialize. Instead, these companies watched their reputation fracture across political lines.
Rainbow Branding becomes a risk
Rainbow logos and merchandisinghave started disappearing.
Starbucks,Levi’s, and Walmart either scaled back or completely withdrew Pride-themed decor and advertising.
Streaming giants such asNetflix and HBO Max significantly toned-down Pride promotions in 2025.
Rainbow branding is now perceived by large swaths of consumers asideological activism, leading to boycotts, security risks for employees, and damage to long-standing brand trust.
Corporate support for LGBTQIA+ causes was never unconditional. It was a calculated business strategy — one that presumed mass consumer alignment and overlooked cultural complexity. When financial returns didn’t meet expectations, and when backlash threatened market share, these companies retreated.
What began as a show of solidarity with LGBTQIA community now appears, to be a short-term marketing ploy, leaving a wake of disillusioned youth, fractured trust, and an entire movement wondering what happened.
The Medical Fallout: Rise in Youth Transitions, Lifelong treatments & health crises
Surging Youth Transitions fueled by Corporate-Backed Narratives
The normalization of gender identity fluidity — promoted aggressively through corporate campaigns, DEI trainings, and media — has led to a dramatic increase in the number of children and adolescents identifying as transgender or non-binary.
According to recent data:
In the U.S., the number of youth (ages 13–17) identifying as transgendermore than doubled between 2017 and 2023 (Williams Institute, UCLA).
The UK’sTavistock Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) saw a 4000% increase in referrals over a decade, particularly among girls identifying as trans boys.
In Canada and parts of Europe, similar exponential growth has been reported, with clinicians concerned over a surge in teen-onset gender dysphoria.
These numbers don’t reflect a natural organic trend but a socially and ideologically driven surge — enabled by corporate messaging and health care systems incentivized to provide pharmaceutical and surgical solutions.
The Business of Transition: A multi-billion-dollar Industry
Pharmaceutical giants profit immensely from the gender transition process, which often requires lifelong dependence on medical treatments:
Hormones & Puberty Blockers
Lupron (Leuprolide)– originally used for prostate cancer – is now widely prescribed to children to pause puberty.” It can cost $10,000+ per year and must be administered for years.
Estrogen and Testosterone therapies– used for gender affirmation – are often lifetime medications, generating stable revenue for companies like AbbVie, Pfizer, and Eli Lilly.
Industry analysts estimate theglobal gender reassignment market will reach $1.95 billion by 2030, driven primarily by hormonal drugs and surgeries.
Surgeries
Top surgeries (double mastectomy for transmasculine youth): $9,000–$15,000 per patient.
Bottom surgeries: $25,000–$100,000+ depending on procedures, with long-term complications requiring follow-up treatments.
In the U.S., some states now cover these under Medicaid or insurance — meaning the pharmaceutical and medical industries are reimbursed by taxpayers. (the call to make LGBTQIA legal is to enable these operations via taxpayer funding)
Psychological Risks and Irreversible Outcomes
A 2021 study in theJournal of Sex & Marital Therapy found no conclusive evidence that hormone therapy reduces long-term suicide risk or improves mental health, contradicting the justification often cited for early interventions.
60–70%of youth with gender dysphoria resolve their identity without intervention if left alone through puberty — yet these children are being fast-tracked into permanent changes.
Detransitioners, a growing group, are beginning to speak out against how corporate and activist narratives pushed them into irreversible decisions, often as minors.
HIV/AIDS and Pharmaceutical Dependency
While corporations paraded Pride flags, the actual health metrics within parts of the LGBTQIA+ community worsened:
In the U.S.,70% of new HIV diagnoses in 2022 were among gay and bisexual men, according to the CDC.
PrEP medications (like Truvada and Descovy)— developed by Gilead Sciences — are now being marketed to youth and transgender individuals as part of inclusive healthcare.”
The HIV treatment and prevention drug market is projected to surpass$37 billion by 2030, with most profits coming from daily, lifelong regimens.
LGBTQIA+ community claimed this addiction as empowerment,” but it was nothing other than medical dependency that benefits pharmaceutical giants far more than patients.
LGBTQIA+ Community was Marketed — Not Empowered
Corporate LGBTQIA+ activism had less to do with empowerment and more to do with market creationfor profit:
Children were turned intolifelong medical customers.
Major corporations profited from the illusion of allyship,” while the community became increasingly medicalized, divided, and now abandoned as profits decline.
As former GSK executive Martin Roussel admitted in a 2023 industry forum:
The LGBTQIA+ market was a strategic opportunity — a culturally activated, politically protected group with clear pharmaceutical dependencies. It was a perfect storm for long-term ROI.”
Who Really Benefited?
Pride flags are reducing. Rainbow packaging is disappearing. DEI departments are being dismantled. Yet, the medical interventions, identity confusion, and health burdens remain — particularly among the youngest and most vulnerable.
The LGBTQIA+ community — and especially transitioning youth — were used.
As corporations retreat from LGBTQIA+ branding and DEI initiatives under mounting public and financial pressure, questions must now be asked of the UN and its agencies — the very institutions that lobbied governments worldwide to legalize and normalize these ideologies under the banner of human rights. For years, bodies like the UNHRC, OHCHR, and UNDP aggressively partnered with corporations to promote sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) legislation, often overriding cultural, religious, and democratic resistance in Global South nations. Now that the private sector is quietly withdrawing due to brand damage, consumer backlash, and a lack of commercial return, these agencies remain unapologetically entrenched, offering no introspection or accountability.
Nowhere is this more evident than in CEDAW — a treaty created to eliminate discrimination against women, but which has since morphed into a platform for ideological overreach.
Through General Recommendations,” the CEDAW Committee has demanded decriminalization of homosexuality, legal recognition of transgender identities, and education reforms promoting gender theory — all under a treaty that never mentioned gender identity” or sexual orientation” to begin with. Feminist groups globally have begun to reject this shift, warning that CEDAW is now undermining the very women and girls it was created to protect, by erasing biological sex in favor of gender identity and silencing legitimate child protection concerns.
These unelected bodies — unlike the corporations now fleeing — are not accountable to markets or electorates. Their continued pressure on sovereign states, without local consent or benefit, reveals an ideological agenda divorced from lived realities. When both profit and people push back, and when even corporate allies abandon ship, who exactly are these UN agencies still speaking for? And why are their agendas immune to the same scrutiny applied to the private sector?
It is a warning for Sri Lankan Parents.
What this means for Sri Lanka
1. Wake-Up Call against Blind Imitation
Sri Lanka and similar nations have often felt pressured to mimic Western liberal trends — from legalizing same-sex relationships to embedding DEI policies in public and corporate life. But now, as Western nations and their corporations are reversing course, it becomes evident that these trends were not based on deep, lasting values — they were ideologically fashionable and profit-driven fads.
Lesson: Following Western trends without cultural, social, or economic alignment can lead to policy disasters that harm a society more than help it.
2. Proof that ‘Inclusivity’ was a Manufactured Trend
The sudden retreat of corporate giants — after pushing DEI and LGBTQIA+ branding for a decade — proves that much of this was strategic PR, not moral commitment. It was manufactured to:
Capture youth markets,
Exploit identity trends, and
Earn social capital cheaply.
Lesson: Legislating based on Western ideological hype — rather than national values, local data, or cultural context — exposes nations to foreign social experiments with no accountability when those experiments fail.
3. Policy Reversals in the West = Time to Reassess at Home
If the very nations that promoted LGBTQIA+ rights, gender identity policies, and DEI mandates are now:
Defunding programs,
Firing DEI departments,
Reversing school curricula, and
Backing out of pride campaigns, then why should Sri Lanka or any other countryblindly legalize or endorse what is clearly no longer seen as valuable even by its creators?
Nations like Sri Lanka must stop legislating based on temporary Western approval. What is trending today in Washington or London may be abandoned tomorrow — but the damage to Sri Lanka could be permanent.
In 2023, a deceptively packaged proposal was tabled to amend Section 365 and fully repeal Section 365A of Sri Lanka’s Penal Code — laws that currently criminalize unnatural sexual acts and gross indecency. LGBTQIA+ lobbyists and their foreign-funded backers claimed these were colonial relics” and tools of discrimination.” This is an outright falsehood. A legal Trojan Horse. A weaponized lie to justify their lobbying.
These lobbyists are not pursuing equality — they are hijacking Sri Lanka’s legal system to decriminalize all forms of homosexuality, erase protections for children, and break down religious, cultural, and moral safeguards that have protected society for generations. They are not even bothered about adults sexually abusing children to satisfy their lusts.
What Rewriting Penal Code 365 Really Means:
1. Decriminalize Homosexuality in All Forms
By removing the words man” and woman” from Section 365, the rewritten version proposed in 2023 which the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka is now recommending removes any criminal penalty for any unnatural sexual act — regardless of context, setting, or potential for harm. The lame excuse that this abuse is covered in other acts omits to accepts that only in 365/365A does the crime specifically cover same-sex sexual abuse. In other provisions, the lawyers would need to argue the case & everything would boil down to interpretations. The disadvantage would always be with the victim.
What rewriting Penal Code 365 actually means:
Male-male, female-female, and nonbinary sexual acts — allfully legalized.
Anal and oral sex— formerly prosecutable under 365 — now protected by law.
Only bestiality remains penalized. Every other human-to-human act —no matter how unnatural, exploitative, or immoral — becomes fair game.
Bottom line: Does the above remotely cover discrimination or does it advocate lust? This is not about ending discrimination. This is about enshrining any form of homosexual conduct as untouchable in the law — regardless of age, setting, or consequence.
2. Erase Protections for Male Children (particularly under 365A)
Section 365A is one of the few legal shields male children have in Sri Lanka against predators. Rather than repeal this entirely as was the 2023 proposal, this should be amended to include female & 365A should be further strengthened. However, the Human Rights Commission Sri Lanka appears to want to remove this safeguard too.
If 365A is repealed:
Indecent behavior, grooming, and coercive acts toward boys — such as exposing, touching, or verbal abuse — will no longer be punishable unless statutory rape can be proven.
Underage male victimslose legal recourse unless a full sexual assault with penetration occurs — a near-impossible standard in many real-life abuse cases.
Bottom line: This is legal disarmament of the system meant to protect boys from abuse in homes, schools, temples, churches, and tuition centers. It’s open season on male children, and the LGBTQIA+ lobby knows it.
Presenting 365A as a discrimination” the LGBTIQA lobbyists want to completely remove this provision. HRCSL are also happy to oblige. Once again look at the list of prominent names who are also agreeable!
3. Remove Legal Safeguards in Schools, Hostels, and Orphanages
Sections 365 and 365A currently empower authorities to monitor and prosecute sexual misconduct. The repeal will strip away these powers.
What’s at stake:
Hostel wardens, principals, clergy, and matronslose legal grounds to intervene unless rape is proven.
Indecent exposure, molestation, and grooming in orphanages and schools?No longer prosecutable.
Same-sex sexual experimentation or coercion in boarding facilities?Now protected behavior.
Bottom line: Children in institutional care become sitting ducks, while the system looks away — not out of ignorance, but because the law now forbids action. How can HRCSL even recommend such?
4. Open the door to Foreign Ideologies that contradict Sri Lanka’s Cultural & Religious Values
Let us be clear: This is not a domestic legal reform. This is a foreign ideological coup.
These laws are being rewritten under direct pressure from foreign-funded NGOs, Western embassies, UN agencies, and LGBTQIA+ global lobby groups.
Their goal is to:
Introducegender-fluid education in schools (how bizarre to even promote the idea that a person is neither male nor female – those promoting such need immediate mental appraisal)
Legalizesame-sex marriage
Normalizeminors undergoing gender transition (the West is now reversing having experienced the dangers)
Punish cultural dissent as hate speech” – this new term was specifically introduced to silent the sane voices
Bottom line: This isn’t modernization — it’s moral invasion. It’s a hostile cultural takeover — by stealth — disguised as human rights.” It is an attack on the nation’s Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, and Christian foundations.
Expose the Lobbyists — Call Out the Cowards
Let it be stated without apology:
The lobbyists behind this scheme — both local and foreign — have deceived the Sri Lankan people, misled the President, manipulated the Cabinet, and attempted to outmaneuver the legal system by using human rights” as a mask to push a foreign agenda.
They haveexploited children’s rights rhetoric to promote sexual permissiveness.
They haveshamed the public into silence, using Western media tools.
They haveinfiltrated law faculties, civil society groups, and public discourse to normalize what is not normal.
They have lied. And now they must be named, shamed, and held accountable.
This is not progress.” This is cultural betrayal, and the Sri Lankan people must rise with clarity and courage to reject this ideological blackmail.
This Is Not Reform — It’s Surrender
Repealing or rewriting Penal Code Sections 365 and 365A is:
Not about ending discrimination – Police statistics prove a non-existent discrimination”
Not supported by crime data or judicial necessity
Not requested by the general public
Not aligned with any religious or cultural value in Sri Lanka
Australia is desperate. Driven by US hegemony, Australia is on a mission to get anyone it can get to confront China. For this reason, the Australian Defence Minister was in Sri Lanka. The two countries agreed to strengthen defence cooperation and dialog but fell short of any concrete agreement. Sri Lanka has no regional or global security threats or enemies, therefore, Sri Lanka should not invite trouble and certainly not fight others’ wars. This is a golden opportunity for Sri Lanka to put Australia on the mat on Tamil terrorists. Unlike other US military proxies, Australia is yet to ban Tamil terrorist groups. Banning Tamil terrorist groups must be a precondition for any defence understanding with Australia. No deal is possible without it.
Though it is a large country, Australia has a small military. It will be routed easily in a war with China. Its diverse population is very unlikely to take up arms against a war they cannot win. This has led to desperate attempts by Australia to win neighbors for its impending war with China. Despite calling the Indonesian president a human-rights abusing dictator, Australia has reached out to him a number of times begging him to agree to defence deals. All south Pacific nations and other neighbors have been wooed by repeated diplomatic moves.
Sensing the desperation, these countries have played their cards right. They have demanded massive economic and other benefits in return. These include funding for education, infrastructure, sport, English language education, increased migration quotas, recognition of their languages in Australia’s cultural funding mechanisms, mutual recognition of universities, wheat and other food donations and a number of other sweeteners. Sri Lanka must ask the same. This is the time.
However, despite getting these Sri Lanka should not get involved in regional conflicts. The maximum Sri Lanka should do is provide verbal support, diplomatic support and follow the friend to all, enemy to none” stance. If Australia refuses to ban Tamil terrorist groups as banned terrorist groups, Sri Lanka should flatly refuse any defence agreement or discussion. If USA, UK, the EU and India could ban Tamil terrorist groups, there is no reason why Australia cannot. After all Sri Lanka is not looking for backup to fight a losing war with China.
Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai 23a, auburn side Dehiwala
Dear Mr. President,
There is no doubt that we, the people had great hopes when we brought you into power. Whatever the masses may say, the majority still believe in you and we recognize the fact that you need time to fulfil all your promises and some are harder than you imagined and it is highly appreciated you’re allowing the Ministry of justice take its independent course without political interference.
All well and commendable, but unfortunately you have failed miserably in one aspect, which, the intellectuals, the decent people, the educated masses of this country expected dearly. It is the way the behavior of today’s politicians in the parliament. In spite of boasting of educated majority in the parliament – at least on your side, I must say, watching the happenings of the parliament procedures is – to say the least, painful, worse than a fish market.
I remember being taken to watch the parliament procedures as a student those days when my uncle Mr. A.C.S. Hameed was a parliamentarian. I still remember the awe and respect I felt for the politicians – though, then too, there were heated arguments and vehement opposition but all were expressed with due respect and dignity. No thumping of desks nor shouting matches – certainly no personal insults. We students learnt how to conduct a debate or a negotiation and we felt great respect for our law makers.
But now! The procedures may serve as vulgar entertainment for some but certainly it is repulsive and horrible to watch the so called lawmakers. Even in our class rooms such childish, uncouth behavior will not be tolerated, leave alone in any respectable organization. These uncultured so called leaders often behave like village thugs, shout without prior permission to speak often going beyond his/her given time, while the Speaker shouts himself/herself hoarse. Half of what is said is lost in the roar by the opposition. All in all, it is an unruly, unattractive, ugly circus. Yes, that’s what it is.
Known for discipline, we expected from NPP, decent behavior, as opposed to the past politicians, when you took over. But no, the same attitude, same disrespect for the highest echelon of the country, same thuggery and boorish behavior goes on. Those days it was seen only be visitors, but knowing that not only the whole country, even the entire world is watching, these bunch of LEADERS do not feel ashamed to behave in this unbecoming way.
Its time we put this right. Strict rules must be applied in our parliament and the parliamentarians must be given a training on the etiquette of performing in front of million of viewers; and decorum, decency and dignity must be maintained. No wonder there are no manners, no chivalry and no respect to be seen among our countrymen either, as the Tamil saying goes, How the leaders are, so will be the citizens”.
I sincerely hope as our country marches towards a clean, non corrupt governance, it will also bring in the manners of gentlemen and ladies, the manners of the true exemplary leaders to the country and the people, specially the youngsters will really respecting the elders and will feel like emulating them.
Startling revelations have come to the fore as to how the present administration of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is attempting to promote thermal and coal power by curtailing renewable power generation. 
