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AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE PREVENTION, INVESTIGATION
AND SETTLEMENT OF INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES, AND
FORMATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL
THERETO.
AN ACT TO AMEND THE PENAL CODE
AN ACT TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS ORDINANCE
AN ACT TO REGULATE THE QUALITY OF SEED AND PLANTING
MATERIALS; AND TO PROVIDE FOR MATTERS CONNECTED
THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL THERETO
Muslim Marriage and Divorce (Amendment) Act, No. 40 of 2006
REGISTRATION OF DEATHS (TEMPORARY PROVISIONS) (AMENDMENT) ACT, No. 16 OF 2016
13 November 2015: The crowd consists primarily of women, but several men are also present. They are young and old, some with children and some needing help to walk. A quick ear to the conversations flying around indicates that they are largely Tamil speaking. In certain areas, there are Muslim women and in others Sinhalese women, though fewer in number. They are all united in their search for missing loved ones.
These women wait for their turn, sometimes for hours, to tell their story before the Presidential Commission to Investigate into Cases of Missing Persons – often referred to as the Commission of Inquiry or COI. Since 2013, the COI has been looking into cases of enforced disappearances during the Sri Lankan civil war. It has been mandated to address cases between 1983 and 2009. The 3-member Commission began hearing complaints in Kilinochchi in January 2014.
“My son was taken from Pesalai in 1989. He was 26 at the time, after his A/Ls he went in search of jobs to Colombo and stayed with my sister-in-law. He sent word through a lorry driver saying he needs 5000 to go abroad but my son didn’t go to claim the money. I heard from relations that Army had taken him in and put him in Magazine prison. I went there, wrote down his name and asked them to show him to me but they said no such person has been brought there. I then went to Bogambara prison; same reply. Welikada prison; same reply. Thalaimannar prison; same reply. I finally reported the incident.”
The response to the call for complaints was overwhelming; thousands of citizens came forward with cases of missing loved ones. Many of the complainants had gone before several state initiatives including previous commissions. With the overwhelming number of complaints made and the need for more time for investigations and inquiries, the Commission’s mandate was extended till August 2014.
Following the extension to the Commission’s mandate, another amendment was made regarding the period they were authorised to investigate – the Gazette provided that they would investigate cases that had occurred between 1st January 1983 and 19th May 2009.
July 2014 saw a further expansion of the Commission’s mandate; ‘to include inquiring into a wide range of issues spanning from violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Law (IHRL) including the recruitment of child soldiers and suicide attacks, to the criminality of financial and other resources obtained by the LTTE.’
CPA initially expressed concerns at this stage when the expanded mandate was presented, stating that it ‘fears for the integrity of the Commission, in particular, that its primary task of investigating and inquiring into the thousands of missing persons in Sri Lanka will be severely curtailed by the present gazette.’ [Read the statement in full.]
‘We were crossing from Mullivaikkal to Vattuvaikkal point. The Army stopped my son. I wanted to take him with me, but the Army said they will inquire and send him back, so we trusted what they said. We were taken in a van and dropped at the camp. Until now my son is missing. My son wasn’t involved in the movement, he came fishing with me. Is is safe with the Army around? I don’t know…..’
At the same time an Advisory Council was appointed to advise the Commission. Issues were raised as to the independence of this Council and questions still remain as to the nature of the work it set out to do and how this work will support that of the Commission.
Concerns were raised by CPA and other members of the civil society on the appointment of Sir Desmond de Silva to this advisory panel, claiming that it ‘further discredited a Commission of Inquiry that has failed to earn the confidence of victims and overburdened it with a mandate that was meant to address the overwhelming cases of missing persons from across Sri Lanka, raising serious questions about the willingness of the government to address the issue of enforced disappearances.’ [Read the statement in full]
Though the mandate of this Council was not made known, their report was made public at the end of October – read it in full here.
“He went missing from the Savanagara area in 1994; 3 others had joined him and they had gone fishing. They were coming down the road when they went missing. Army and terrorists were both moving around the area – I don’t know who to blame. I went to 3 LTTE camps in Mannar looking for him. Those at the LTTE camp during Chandrika’s time told me that there’s a UNP government and that I should go ask them. We were told they are free to move around and to look for him ourselves. We searched first at the Thalaimannar camp and then at the Alayadivembu camp. During our search, we heard that there was a problem between Prabhakaran and Karuna and we were ordered to go home.”
“She was 18 at the time and going to school when she went missing in 2006. It was a very problematic time; she was taken by force on her way home, by the LTTE in June that year. We were also displaced, but I met her in Kilinochchci; she said she was alright and not to worry about her. She was studying computing under the LTTE. She came home once after being taken. We ended up at Pudumatalan refugee camp. My other daughter got
wounded in a shell attack and I went with her to hospital. It was under LTTE control and there was shelling so they shifted us to Mannar hospital for treatment. At Omanthai checkpoint, my eldest daughter had surrendered – the village girls had seen and spoken to her. I want her back. My other wounded daughter was sent to Dambulla hospital, but since it was a military hospital I wasn’t allowed to see her. Maxwell [Paranagama] said he will check with the hospital records but I have heard nothing.”
An interim report by the Commission was submitted to the President in March 2015 but this report was not made public until very recently. Initially, a statement on the report was sent, to the media, stating that responsibility for 60% of the cases in the Northern Province were attributed to the LTTE, 30% to the security forces, 5% to armed groups and 5% to unknown groups.
CPA wrote to the commission in this regard, stating ‘the lack of transparency regarding this report which one hopes sheds light on the progress of the work of the Commission.’ [Read full statement here.]
The sittings after the submission of this report saw the addition of two more commissioners to hear the ever-increasing number of complaints made by affected citizens.
“There are 5 camps in that area. Whoever goes on that road, they must pass this area. As you pass the camps and go through the Sinhala area, there are cut outs, road blocks and a Police station. Maoya junction, we were able to search upto there but not further. Records showed that my son had signed in at one check point and the police are aware of this incident but no one knows what happened after that. My son’s telephone is still functioning.”
Each Commission hearing witnessed hundreds of women coming before sittings, many facing hardships that range from the economic to the physical and emotional. Some make long journeys just to be heard by the Commission and to continue their search for missing loved ones. While many women recount
narratives of missing male family members, there are also men who come before the commission in search of missing female family members. Details available also range from specific names of people in power and camps to where people were taken, to anecdotes such as ‘he was on his way home and he was taken’ or ‘he left for school and never came back.’
An Investigation Team was appointed earlier this year, but its role and functions regarding investigation of cases has not been made known, though Commissioners assure that they have commenced work.
“She was 18 at the time, when the LTTE took her. I saw her at the Vellipuram but that was the last time. I went looking for her when I heard that my child was at the detention camp, my only girl. We couldn’t find her. So far I haven’t gotten any information. I want my child back; I plead with you in all affection, please find my child. No, my housing and livelihood can wait – my search is for my child.’
Further, as the Commission heard about cases across the Northern and Eastern provinces, observers noted errors in the translation.
CPA noted ‘translators’ and the Commission’s lack of contextual knowledge of the affected areas and key issues related to the incidents before the Commission. [Read the report here.]
CPA questioned whether ‘the failure to genuinely address the grievances of over 19,000 complainants a stark reminder of the flaws in and failures of domestic processes that are meant to investigate violations?’ [Read the statement in full here.]
‘My husband was 25 years old at the time. One day, armed Air Force personnel took him away for inquiries – they were in civilian clothing. A Buddhist monk at the China Bay temple helped us – he went and saw that he was being kept in the China Bay Air Force camp. The next time we went there, we were told he had been taken to the Plantain Point Army Camp but when we inquired there, they denied it. I reported it to the ICRC
and the HRC. Later, officers came home to make inquiries and I went to the 4th Floor for this. I faced so many inquiries yet nothing happened. I’m here to request his death certificate and due compensation.’
At present, a death certificate is required to claim compensation. This has resulted in many families not having a choice and having to accept missing loved ones as dead and requesting that the issuing of the death certificate be expedited to ensure they are able to obtain assistance. The economic situation for most families in the North and East is difficult – most work in agriculture and in small shops to make ends meet. Most accept a death certificate purely to receive state social welfare payments that will help them in their daily lives.
CPA proposed a policy recommendation – the issuing of a ‘Certificate of Absence’ to families of the disappeared. This would be ‘an official document issued to family members of the disappeared persons, affirming their status as “missing” as opposed to “deceased.” This option has been used in countries that experienced high numbers of disappearances, based on the perception that it is better tailored to balance family members’ emotional and psychological needs without dismissing the need for active investigation into cases of disappearances.’ [Read full paper here.]
This recommendation was well received and during the recently concluded sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, the Government of Sri Lanka stated that it would issue this certificate to the families of the missing. Soon thereafter, a cabinet paper proposing the introduction of such certificates was approved by the cabinet based on CPA’s recommendations.
Civil society across Sri Lanka including groups from the North and East have criticized the working methods of the Commission and some have engaged in protests. There have also been several calls to expedite investigations on cases of enforced disappearances.
The government mentioned plans to abolish the Commission, but Chairman Maxwell Paranagama has stated that it will continue investigating cases. This
statement was followed by the release of the Commission’s final report in Mid-October and the news that a round of sittings has been scheduled to take place in Jaffna, mid-November.
The UNHRC resolution, co-sponsored by Sri Lanka, also welcomed the suggestion to establish an ‘Office of Missing Persons’, although its tasks and responsibilities have not been made known to the public.
Consultation with civil society and families of the disappeared, essential to making this a victim-centric mechanism of transitional justice, is key but yet to materialize.
Sri Lanka has long been synonymous with fine tea; witha plantation history dating back to 1862 to an export value estimated to reach US$ 2,500 million this year, the humble beverage is the island’s pride across the globe. Accounting for nearly 14% of the country’s total export earnings, it is among the nation’s most valuable and prized produce.
This journey to international fame begins in the central hills, ‘Mayarata’, as it was called, the Country of Illusions. Once thickly forested and inaccessible to humans, settlements were limited to open valleys and the city of Kandy. The British cleared these acres of virgin forest and, once their experiment with coffee crops failed, began planting tea; the rest is history.
However, history has and might continue to overlook the most important cogs in the large machine that is the tea industry of Sri Lanka; the people without whose tireless labour this process would grind to a screeching halt – the workers on the tea estates.
Descendants of South Indian labourers first sent here in the 19th and 20th centuries to work in the first British plantations, the ‘up-country Tamils’ or ‘Indian Tamils’ constitute 4.2% of the Sri Lankan population.
Over the years, they have been marginalised by the very country that they devote all their energy to. The Sinhala nationalism that fuelled the Ceylon Citizenship Act of 1948 set such precise terms of identity that even though they had lived on the island for decades, lack of proper documentation meant they were not recognised as citizens of Sri Lanka and left stateless.
A handful of agreements between India and Sri Lanka over next few decades laid out plans to repatriate some while granting citizenship to a select few. Finally, it was the J.R Jayawardene government that came into power in the 1970s that revised the Citizenship Act, adding in a Special Provisions in the form of the Grant of Citizenship to Stateless Persons of Indian Origin, accepting all remaining Indian Tamils as citizens of Sri Lanka, equipping them with a nationality and a vote.
It has been almost 200 years since the first migrant workers made the hill country their home. But is it really a home?
The ‘line’ system that exists in estate housing is the same one established in the late 19th century – a row of small houses, each more similar in size to a single room, that share a roof. These were initially meant to be temporary shelters for the workers yet estate management over the years never sought to develop the living conditions of the workers.
Each family is allocated one of these ‘houses’, meaning everyone lives in uncomfortably close quarters, severely distorting family dynamics. Should a child marry, reproduce and come to live in his/her parents’ house, as it does frequently happen, the situation worsens.
Yet the estate worker is not the owner of his house, even though it is that small. Since the plantation land belongs entirely to the estate, the worker is not provided with a deed or permit that proves that the house is his/hers. Should he plant a tree outside the line, even its fruits would technically belong to the estate management. Because of this system, where the housing comes under the control of the management, individual houses are not provided with an address. This results in administrative issues, problems for the police and issues during voting.
The lack of an address also means important correspondence doesn’t reach the house – all mail must be addressed to the estate’s head office and is distributed at the management’s convenience. Workers don’t receive time-sensitive EPF notices, students who persevere enough to complete their AL education don’t receive their university letters in time and most personal correspondence never reaches the person it was meant for.
Estates, being private lands, do not fall under the Pradeshiya Sabha Act therefore local authorities do not have the power to provide addresses in these areas as the roads too are the estate’s property; their maintenance is the responsibility of the estate.
Tea contributes to a large portion of Sri Lanka’s export revenue yet the infrastructure in place in the tea-growing regions is hardly conducive to the smooth production of the main export of the country. Taking into consideration how important transport is in the tea process, there has been no development of estate roads undertaken by the respective estate management.
This feeds into a range of obstacles in the worker’s daily life. Walking from their line house to the particular area of the plantation they are required to work at, both places sometimes on two different hills, is laborious enough without the badly-maintained road. The walk back after a day’s backbreaking work is hellish.
Classes in estate schools are limited and students who wish to study further have to go into the main town. Hospitals, long since neglected, are not adequate for all emergencies and again, they are forced to resort to services in the town. Access to these are made additionally time-consuming because the roads are so badly damaged and the limited bus services available to estates are irregular.
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Estate schools extend to Grade 5 or Grade 9 in most cases and students who wish to study beyond that resort to making the journey from the estate to the closest city to complete their education. Kids talented in sports or the arts don’t have as many options for progression in their fields as a child in the town would. While most schools would employ teachers who are specialists in their subjects to teach children, some of the young women appointed to estate schools only have an Advanced Level qualifications.
“There’s one bus; if they miss the one bus to school then the children have to walk between the tea bushes, on trails that are so steep and jagged that it’s life threatening. So, most often, they stop going to school. Children start working on the estates early or get married at a young age and have families of their own. Because these conditions are so bad, most government teachers appointed to estate schools don’t even come to teach for so long – they prefer places where they are familiar with the culture and where conditions are not so harsh. These schools are just forgotten.”
Though there are hospitals buildings in the estates, most of them have fallen to disarray after years of neglect and those that do function can only administer treatment for the most basic ailments. Surgeries and delivery of babies has to be done by trained doctors in a town hospital.
“She’s pregnant now and when my wife has to give birth, it will be very difficult for us. I have to take her almost 40 kilometres away to the hospital in the main town at the bottom of the mountain along these roads that are so damaged, the journey will be very uncomfortable for her.”
Health issues are constantly mounting in the cramped living conditions. A single line with five or so houses share a wall and with more than five people living in a single room, contagious diseases spread rapidly. In addition, most estates don’t have a proper toilet system for the inhabitants of the line houses to use. Water distribution in some plantations is such that the same water used by lines higher up the mountain makes its way down a channel to the lower divisions and the individuals there are left having to use water that is far from pure. Even in places where this particular system is not used, irregular water distribution methods and lack of basic hygiene facilities contribute to prevailing health dilemmas.
The options available to women who wish to work outside the estate are very limited. Aspiring to reach greater heights than the generations before them, idealistic women look for jobs in Colombo – working in someone’s house or in a garment factory. Their other option is to look for labour work abroad, which they sometimes find difficult to adjust to because of the culture differences. Eventually, most of them return only to marry and begin their own families and start, inevitably, working on the estate.
Though some do make these journeys, some fall into the cycle of the culture and are married as soon as they come of the legal age. Young brides bear children at a young age and are thereby compelled to stop schooling to take care of and provide for the children.
The consumption of alcohol by men, to beat the cold of shivering temperatures around the mountains and as an antidote to a day’s hard work, has resulted in an increased number of cases of violence against women and children.
This habit has spread among the women too. Because the communities consume illicit alcohol that is not manufactured properly, sickness results.
To approach the relevant authorities that could possibly help address their concerns is also difficult for the workers; even though the communities are Tamil, government agents appointed to offices in these areas are mostly Sinhala and the language barrier creates more confusion. Police stations, hospitals and other entities working directly with the people are not able to communicate using the language of the region’s majority.
This is one of the many factors that contribute to lack of proper documentation in the estate communities. Birth certificates are not issued or don’t carry accurate information, individuals do not have national identity cards and when couples marry, they do not seek to obtain a marriage certificate. Lack of awareness of the administrative procedures due to being cut off from society reinforces these inactions.
Tea country is a maze of bushes set on the face of steep mountains, along trails of jagged ground that drop sharply down the slope. The prevailing chill and freezing cold at some times of the year make for a challenging climate on the best of days.
Manufacturers will justify the use of human labour for the tea-plucking process due to the need for meticulous attention to detail in the quality of the leaves that result in a world-class beverage.
The average wage an estate worker is paid is Rs. 600 for 21 complete days of work.
However, superintendents hold back in giving work, asserting that the leaves are not yet ready for plucking; this means some workers can’t fulfil the quota and thereby have their pay reduced. Estates have taken to hiring workers on a ‘temporary’ basis, where they are paid by the kilogram at a rate that is much lower than the wages of the permanent worker; all far too little considering the harsh working conditions and the denial of any other labourer benefits to the workers.
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Over the years, the estate Tamils have been a community marginalised by the state and mistreated by the corporations that employ them. The distance from an estate to the nearest town and the tight working schedules helps the estate management to keep them cornered from and uneducated about society. Unions, who should be advocating worker’s demands for benefits, shy away from their responsibility due to political influence. These workers have not been made aware of the benefits they should be receiving as employees and rights they are able to exercise as citizens of Sri Lanka.
The Centre for Policy Alternatives has worked with local government on gazettes and policies to develop estate roads, provide addresses to these communities and to furnish several individuals with identity cards. Information and anecdotes were gathered during a field study carried out during the months of March and April in estates across the Central and Uva provinces.
Text and photographs by Amalini De Sayrah.
A study of one organisation’s dedication to fighting violence against women.
Anupama’s* arms are folded, unconsciously protecting herself as she tells her story.
“Since we have two small children, I bore it for some time, thinking he is not a bad person. He will change. Once he is in his senses, maybe he’ll be back to normal.”
That didn’t happen.
It all went downhill after her new husband lost his job while Anupama was still on maternity leave. Her mother in law then began setting her new husband against her. Suddenly, the young family found themselves in the midst of escalating tension, eventually erupting into violence. Initially, Anupama felt powerless.
“I didn’t know anybody here, since I am from a different country, and had the language barrier to face. I didn’t know who to approach,” Anupama said.
In the end, it was her country’s high commission who referred her to Women in Need (WIN) a centre dedicated to eliminating violence
against women, particularly domestic violence.
WIN was trying to mediate a settlement, when suddenly Anupama’s husband filed a court order and took her two young children away
from her. She approached the police, who told her they couldn’t help her without a court order. In the end, Anupama won back temporary custody rights, thanks to WIN’s intervention.
Anupama isn’t alone. Like her, there are many others who are afraid to ask for help. Much of this stems from shame. As Priya* put it, “Often, you are too embarrassed to talk about domestic issues [to outsiders].”
Priya’s son was still in nursery school when her husband turned abusive – and witnessed much of it. Priya’s husband was initially a pavement vendor, but lost his job when the pavement was demolished to make way for a new shop. He then found work at a small ‘hotel’ and began an affair with a much older woman – right in front of Priya and her young son.
Priya too had to fight for custody of her son. What’s more, her husband wasn’t just violent towards his family; he had also killed a boarder who had been staying with him. “I was shattered when I first came here. I had no money, and was living with my mother, who was supporting me. Every morning when I woke up… I couldn’t think of the future. I thought we would die,” she said, recalling those dark days.
Today, Priya has a job at Women in Need, and is able to support herself – she even paid her son’s nursery school fees by herself.
“I’m not afraid any more. Now I can survive on my own,” she says, proudly.
Priya says part of the reason she is able to get up in the morning is her counsellor, who is ‘like a second mother.’
Accessibility view
Chief Counsellor Padma Kahaduwa has been working at WIN for 25 years. She initially joined as a volunteer, but once she received her diploma in Psychiatric Counselling, she joined as a permanent staff member.
Padma’s job never ends. After hours, calls to WIN’s hotline are often redirected to counsellors’ mobile phones. It is the counsellor who is the first point of contact at WIN, talking to the patient and assessing whether they need legal help.
At times, suspicious husbands even call up the WIN hotline, demanding to know why there were missed calls to them. “We had one such call just yesterday, from a man who’s an unemployed drug addict. The wife wants to leave him, but she has two young children. The court has given her a three month period to see if they can settle their differences – but they can’t be settled. Every evening, he takes drugs. He won’t leave her alone,” Padma said.
WIN’s first priority is to try and settle the dispute between an arguing couple. “We talk to both parties to try and negotiate a settlement. If it becomes clear that one can’t be reached, it’s only then that we resort to legal measures,” Padma said. This is to try and disrupt the family as little as possible, since removal of the breadwinner of the house can cause numerous social and financial issues, which can affect young children, Padma explains.
Apart from this, counsellors conduct many activities, from sewing circles to support groups. The groups have been particularly powerful for those recovering from domestic violence, since they can see others in their situation supporting themselves successfully, Padma says. In addition, the group members often meet and support each other even outside therapy sessions.
The Legislation Regulating Domestic Violence
Each year, WIN’s legal department files an average of 15 to 20 domestic violence cases. Currently, there are 25 ongoing. According to the Women and Children’s Bureau, 499 domestic violence cases were filed with the police in 2013 alone. Most people think that the court system in Sri Lanka is fundamentally flawed, with cases dragging on for years.
This isn’t actually true for domestic violence cases, however, which fall under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act. Most of the women who call the hotline are married and between the age of 20 and 50 years. There are far more calls now than in the past, but the stigma of talking to a stranger about personal issues at home is still strong.
Once it is decided that legal action needs to be taken, a legal officer will attempt to get a protection order from the abusive husband. Usually, an attempt is made to bring the protection order ex parte, i.e. without the husband’s presence. Though not guaranteed, this is usually granted. After this, the husband has to appear before the courts within a period of 2 weeks. Next, a decision needs to be made whether the interim protection order be made permanent. Unlike other cases, domestic violence cases are processed relatively fast thanks to this law. However, this only applies to victims of domestic violence – i.e. wives, ex-wives and co-habitees. What’s more, there needs to be proof of abuse – ideally hospital and police reports. Showing evidence of mental and emotional trauma is also possible under the Act but there are practical difficulties, since a judge has to be satisfied that there is a definite threat.
While domestic violence cases are processed relatively quickly, the emphasis is still on attempting to maintain the family unit. Often, the courts will suggest a short period at home in order to ascertain whether the conflict between a couple can’t be resolved. This results in many victims of violence, like Kumari* going back to their abusive husbands while the court cases are ongoing.
“I was just 19 when I eloped. He told me he was a Sales Executive at Suntel. It was only after I married him that I found out he was a drug dealer,” she said.
When Kumari was admitted to hospital to deliver her first child, the doctor noticed she showed signs of sustained sexual abuse. The ward nurse, a family friend, alerted Kumari’s father, who took her in. Kumari made several police entries, to little effect. She then went to court, and returned home for a 6-month period to try and reconcile with her husband, for the sake of her child, on court orders. She was soon pregnant again.
The doctor who delivered her second child was less sympathetic. In fact, he told other nurses and patients on the ward that Kumari was promiscuous.
“Now I can’t leave the house… I can’t take my children to Montessori. It’s really affected me,” she said, breaking down. “Only the first doctor who spoke to me knows the truth.”
Kumari’s case is still ongoing. She has also been given a job at WIN and is grateful for the support she has received. “My father was supporting me, but I can’t always depend on him.”
One striking similarity between all the women interviewed for this piece was that every one of them asked not to be photographed. They feared that their children would somehow suffer repercussions after they shared their stories.
Apart from their reluctance to be photographed, most of the women interviewed had another thing in common – their reaction upon being asked what they would say to other women in their position.
“Speak up. Don’t stay silent,” Anupama said. “Initially I thought, if the person who I came to this country for, the person I gave my life to, doesn’t understand me, then how can anyone understand me? That was wrong. There are people who understand and care. WIN is one such organisation who gives you confidence and everything is done in a human way.”
“Don’t hide your problems. If you do, you will suffer [in the end]” Priya said. “I have no words to thank WIN for all they have done for me. It is thanks to them that my son and I are alive today.”
WIN’s Services
WIN offers many services apart from counselling and legal assistance.
Crucially, they operate a 24-hour hotline (0114 718585) where women can call in to report incidents of violence. They also offer counselling, legal services, and temporary shelters in Colombo and Matara, providing safe spaces to victims of violence. Going the extra mile, they also have a dedicated desk in several key police stations in Colombo (at the Kirulapona Police Station, Women and Children’s Bureau at the Police Headquarters as well as the Kandy and Weligama Police Stations). Recognising that many abused women do not want to reveal the true source of their injuries, WIN also operates 8 one-stop crisis centres offering counselling in hospitals across the island. 8 more women’s resource centres offer not just a safe space but also library facilities, skills development and outreach programmes for women in Anuradhapura and Matara. In addition, WIN’s successful recycled paper greeting card project gives women recovering from domestic violence the means with which to support themselves.
WIN also provides psychological counselling services, legal advice, awareness programmes, skills development trainings and court representation to female inmates at the Welikada, Kalutara, Anuradhapura, Badulla, Kandy, Jaffna and Tangalle prisons.
*Names changed to protect privacy
Public Administration Circular No: 8/98
Preparation of Job Description
Public Administration Circular No: 08/2003
Special Leave to Public Officers who could not report for duty on Account of Recent Floods, Cyclones and Earth-Slips
Study Leave – Sri Lanka Accountants’ Service
Public Administration Circular No. 6/93 (1)
Payments for Disciplinary Inquiries
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION CIRCULAR NO: 05/2016
Payment of a Monthly Transport Allowance instead of providing Official Vehicles
AN ACT TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS ORDINANCE
AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR THE REGISTRATION AND
CONTROL OF ORPHANAGES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS FOR THE
BOARDING, CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF ORPHANS AND
DESERTED CHILDREN, AND FOR PURPOSES CONNECTED WITH
THE MATTERS AFORESAID.
AN ACT TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS ORDINANCE
(CHAPTER 252)
The Constitution Of The Democratic Socialist Republic Of Sri Lanka of 1978
AN ACT TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS ORDINANCE
21st Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka
Prime Minister and Chairman of the Steering Committee on Constitutional Reforms Hon. Ranil Wickramasinghe presented the six sub-committee reports to the Constitutional Assembly last Saturday, 19/11/2016. The reports can be accessed through the Constitutional Assembly Website as well as the Citizenslanka website.
report-of-the-sub-committee-on-centre-periphery-relations
report-of-the-sub-committee-on-finance
report-of-the-sub-committee-on-fundamental-rights
report-of-the-sub-committee-on-judiciary
report-of-the-sub-committee-on-national-public-security-public-order-and-police-law-enforcement
PUBLIC REPRESENTATION COMMITTEE REPORT – PUBLIC DISCUSSION
KEGALLE, KURUNEGALA
8-9TH JULY, 2016
CENTRE FOR POLICY ALTERNATIVES
A team of dedicated civil society organization representatives and other stakeholders advocating for the importance of public consultation in the process of promulgating a new Constitution. As the government proceeds with its plan to bring about prolonged change by redressing the issues prevalent in the current Constitution of Sri Lanka, and with the support given to include public submissions in the drafting process, civil society is presented with an opportune moment to ensure that the rights of citizens are safeguarded and represented by the Constitution; the supreme law of the land. With this in mind, a team of civil society organization representatives and other interested civilians conducted a
preliminary meeting in November to discuss the possibility of coalescing to form a movement to advocate for public consultation in the Constitutional reform process. A number of meetings proceeded, and more organizations expressed their interest to enter into this Initiative, which has now resulted in a vast network of civil society advocates determined to ensure that public participation is included in the new Constitution process. One of the main outcomes of the preliminary meeting held on the 25th of November at the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian and Research Institute was the establishment of 2 sub-committees; the ‘Logistics/Steering Committee’ that looks into the logistical aspect of the CICC including which meetings to attend, where to conduct meetings etc. and a ‘Consensus Committee’ that deals with evolving consensus and the fundamental basis of the CICC. Another outcome of the meetings held on the 1st of December 2015 arose from the necessity to educate the populace on the need for a new Constitution as well as the fundamentals prevalent in a Constitution. To address this, a booklet was compiled and published by an editorial team selected from CICC membership and headed by prominent Human Rights activist and Attorney-At-Law S.G. Punchihewa, simplifying what a Constitution must entail and how citizens could contribute to the making of a new Constitution. The book was titled “Why do we need a New Constitution?” and will be made available to the public in Sinhala and Tamil soon.
The overarching goal of the Citizens’ Initiative for Constitutional Change (CICC) is ensuring that the new Constitution upholds its predominant duty of representing the needs of the people by including their suggestions in the Constitution draft document. After careful deliberation, the CICC agreed that public consultation and discussion would revolve around 4 thematic areas;
Following a workshop held on the 22nd of December 2015 organized by Transparency International and the Centre for Policy Alternatives, the CICC expanded on the above four categories and developed its position in relation to the discussion. The core agreement of the CICC is as follows:
Executive control should be transferred from the Presidency to the Cabinet.
As this was a more convoluted topic, a difficulty arose with regard to reaching a specific decision. However, the discussion focused on the following topics.
Although everyone agreed that maximum devolution must occur, the mechanisms of implementation will be further deliberated.
It was proposed to recognize that the judiciary has a prerogative to further human rights to further human rights.
Again, a final decision was difficult to achieve under this topic. Therefore discussion was focused on the following issues.
By pooling in the resources of all organizations involved in the CICC, the Initiative aims to conduct broad scale workshops across the country to raise awareness on the governments’ proceedings with regard to the Constitution process, as well as encourage and identify recommendations of the public for the new Constitution. As the government declared the establishment of a Public Representation Commission entrusted with the task of compiling public submissions, the CICC at its various workshops will encourage citizens to contribute to this Commission. The submissions identified by the CICC will also be compiled into a report that would subsequently be handed over to the Public Representation Commission as well. The various organizations will work in their individual capacities as well as a coalition to further the goal of this Initiative. Parallel to this Initiative, a youth campaign titled ‘My Constitution; A Youth Movement for a New Sri Lankan Constitution’ has also been launched and aims to encourage youth populations to contribute to the new Constitution process.
The Sub-Committees formed in tandem with the process of composing the new Constitution released sector specific reports in December, 2016. The Report of the Sub-Committee on Centre Periphery Relations focuses on the power vested on Provincial Councils, the role of the Governor, and other matters involving the devolution of power under the Local Government system.
In lieu of the significance of this document, a series of discussions focusing on its content were held in each Provincial Council. The discussion with the Eastern Provincial Council was held on the 25th of January, 2017 with the Chief Minister, Ministers, Opposition Leaders and Provincial Councillors and other relevant representatives. Senior Researcher Lionel Guruge and sabapathy Sivagurunathan represented CPA at this discussion.
AN ACT TO AMEND THE PENAL CODE
AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE ACT
No. 15 OF 1979.
AN ACT TO AMEND THE JUDICATURE ACT, No.2 OF 1978.
An Act to Amend the penal code
AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
ACT, NO. 15 OF 1979
AN ACT TO REGULATE THE QUALITY OF SEED AND PLANTING
MATERIALS; AND TO PROVIDE FOR MATTERS CONNECTED
THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL THERETO
AS ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANAGEMENT. REGULATION,
CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC
RESOURCES IN SRI LANKA; TO REPEAL THE FISHERIES ORDINANCE
(CHAPTER 212), THE CHANK FISHERIES ACT (CHAPTER 213), THE PEARL
FISHERIES ORDINANCE (CHAPTER 214) AND THE WHALING ORDINANCE
(CHAPTER 215) ; AND TO PROVIDE FOR MATTERS CONNECTED THERE
WITH OR INCIDENTAL. THERETO
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A FOUNDATION CALLED THE SIGIRIYA
HERITAGE FOUNDATION TO PRESERVE AND PROMOTE THE
CULTURAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE OF SIGIRIYA
WORLD HERITAGE SITE AND ITS ENVIRONS; AND TO PROVIDE
FOR MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL
THERETO.
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A FUND CALLED
“THE UNESCO SCHOLARSHIP FUND” FOR THE ADVANCEMENT
OF EDUCATION OF DISABLED AND DISPLACED CHILDREN BY THE
AWARD OF SCHOLARSHIPS ; AND TO PROVIDE FOR MATTERS
CONNECTED THEREAWITH OR INCIDENTAL THERETO.
AN ACT TO AMEND THE FISHERIES AND AQUATIC RESOURCES
ACT, NO. 2 OF 1996
Muslim Marriage and Divorce (Amendment) Act, No. 40 of 2006
AN ACT TO AMEND THE BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION
ACT (CHAPTER 110
Marriage and Divorce (Muslim)
AN ORDINANCE TO MODIFY CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF LAW
RELATING TO THE REGISIRATION OF DEATHS, INQUIRIES INTO
DEATHS AND TO THE BURIAL AND CREMATION OF DEAD
BODIES IN THEIR APPLICATION IN THE CASE OF THE DEATHS
OF PERSONS SUBJECT TO MILITARY LAW OR OF MEMBERS OF
THE ARMED FORCES OF THE ENEMY.
AN ACT TO AMEND THE MATERNITY BENEFITS ORDINANCE.
Sri Lanka Savings Bank
Form 12 Registration for VAT Deferment Blank App P1-P5
Sri Lanka Savings Bank
Guide lines for Indirect Imports (GRN) from TIEP scheme.
(w. e. f. 07.12.2009)
National institute of Labour Studies
Application for Participation in a HRD Project
Gazette No. 2062/47 – FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2018
Ministry of Strategic Development & International Trade –
Correction notice for the Gaz. Ex. No. 2049/59 of 15.12.2017 that published under the Strategic Development Project Act
No. 2105/7 – MONDAY, JANUARY 07, 2019
Land Title Settlement Department – Kalalpitiya, Atthanagalla D/S District, Gampaha District – Cad. Map No. 510600
Gazette No. 2064/44 – THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2018
Elections Commission –
Notify the Names of Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Chairman etc, for the Local Authorities in Matale, Galle ……… etc.
Gazette No. 2066/28 – WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2018
Judicial Service Commission –
Notify the appointments of Judicial Officers w.e.f. 01.05.2018
No. 2105/44 – THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2019
Land Acquisition – Kapuduwa, Thihagoda D/S Division, Matara District
The Constitution Of The Democratic Socialist Republic Of Sri Lanka of 1978
OFFICE ON MISSING PERSONS (ESTABLISHMENT, ADMINISTRATION AND DISCHARGE OF FUNCTIONS) (AMENDMENT)
AN ACT TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE CONVENTION AGAINST
TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL INHUMAN OR DEGRADING
TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT ; AND FOR MATTERS
CONNECTED THEHEWITH OF INCIDENTAL THERETO.
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF SRI LANKA ; TO SET OUT THE POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF SUCH COMMISSION ; AND TO PROVlDE FOR MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL THERETO
AN ACT TO GIVE EFFECT TO CERTAIN ARTICLES IN THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS (ICCPR) RELATING TO HUMAN RIGHTS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN RECOGNITION THROUGH LEGISLATIVE MEASURES AND TO PROVIDE FOR MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL THERETO
The Constitution Of The Democratic Socialist Republic Of Sri Lanka of 1978
AN ACT TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE CONVENTION AGAINST
TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL INHUMAN OR DEGRADING
TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT ; AND FOR MATTERS
CONNECTED THEHEWITH OF INCIDENTAL THERETO.
AN ACT TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION AGAINST DOPING IN SPORT ; TO MAKE PROVISION FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION IN SRI LANKA OF THE SAID CONVENTION BY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SRI LANKA ANTI DOPING AGENCY AND FOR SPECIFYING THE APPLICABLE DOMESTIC LEGAL MECHANISM TO COMBAT DOPING IN SPORT WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE AFORESAID CONVENTION ; AND TO PROVIDE FOR MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL THERETO
AN ACT TO AMEND THE CONVENTION ON THE SUPPRESSION OF TERRORIST FINANCING ACT, NO. 25 OF 2005
AN ACT TO AMEND THE CONVENTION ON THE SUPPRESSION OF TERRORIST FINANCING ACT, NO. 25 OF 2005
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE PREVENTION, INVESTIGATION
AND SETTLEMENT OF INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES, AND
FORMATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL
THERETO.
AN ACT TO MAKE PROVISION FOR ENABLING THE CALLING UP
FOR COMPULSORY PUBLIC SERVICE OF PERSONS WHO ARE
GRADUATES OF ANY UNIVERSITY ESTABLISHED OR DEEMED
TO BE ESTABLISHED UNDER THE UNIVERSITIES ACT OR ANY
OTHER UNIVERSITY ESTABLISHED IN SRI LANKA, OR OF ANY
UNIVERSITY OUTSIDE SRI LANKA AND WHO UNDERGO A
COURSE OF TECHNICAL TRAINING IN ANY UNIVERSITY
ESTABLISHED IN SRI LANKA, AND FOR MATTERS CONNECTED
THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL THERETO.
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE DECLARATION OF SERVICES
PROVIDED BY CERTAIN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS,
PUBLIC CORPORATIONS. LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND COOPERATIVE
SOCIETIES AS ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICES ; AND
FOR MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL
THERETO.
AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE GIVING OF SECURITY BY
PUBLIC OFFICERS IN THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE
GOVERNMENT OF SRI LANKA.
AN ORDINANCE TO MAKE PROVISION FOR THE BETTER
REGULATION OF PUBLIC PERFORMANCES AND CARNIVALS,
AND FOR MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL
THERETO
The Constitution Of The Democratic Socialist Republic Of Sri Lanka of 1978
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR, MATTERS RELATING TO LANDLORDS AND TENANT CULTIVATORS OF PADDY LANDS, FOR THE UTILIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL LANDS IN ACCORDANCE WITH AGRICULTURAL POLICIES ; FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AGRARIAN DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS, TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LAND BANK ; TO PROVIDE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AGRARIAN TRIBUNALS, TO PROVIDE FOR THE REPEAL OF THE AGRARIAN SERVICES ACT, NO. 58 OF 1979 ; AND FOR MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWith or INCIDENTAL THERETO
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONTROL OF THE EXPORT OF CULTURAL PROPERTY TO PROVIDE FOR A SCHEME OF LICENSING TO DEAL IN CULTURAL PROPERTY ; AND TO PROVIDE FOR MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL THERETO
AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HOUSES OF DETENTION FOR VAGRANTS
A LAW TO PROHIBIT THE UNAUTHORIZED TRANSFER OF OCCUPANCY OF PREMISES PROVIDED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF NATIONAL HOUSING OR A LOCAL AUTHORITY OR THE COMMISSIONER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR A PUBLIC CORPORATION FOR OCCUPATION BY ANY PERSON, AND FOR MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL THERETO
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The Constitution Of The Democratic Socialist Republic Of Sri Lanka of 1978
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGES COMMISSION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC 06 SRI LANKA ; AND TO MAKE PROVISION FOR MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL THERETO
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE PREVENTION, INVESTIGATION
AND SETTLEMENT OF INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES, AND
FORMATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL
THERETO.
AN ACT TO AMEND THE PENAL CODE
AN ACT TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS ORDINANCE
AN ACT TO REGULATE THE QUALITY OF SEED AND PLANTING
MATERIALS; AND TO PROVIDE FOR MATTERS CONNECTED
THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL THERETO
Muslim Marriage and Divorce (Amendment) Act, No. 40 of 2006
Survey on the Implementation of Official Languages Policy at Ministerial Level in Sri Lanka-2017
Launch – 28/05/2018
Language Survey Summary 2017 FINAL
තොරතුරු දැනගැනීමේ අයිතීන් පිළිබඳ අත් පත්රිකා
National Child Protection Act, No. 1998/50
LANGUAGE RIGHTS AND THE CITIZENS’ APPROACH A Programme Review 2011-2014
LOCAL AUTHORITIES ELECTIONS (AMENDMENT) ACT, No. 16 OF 2017
Kankesanthurai police obstruct by displaying videos!
A complaint was lodged with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) on 7 March regarding a human rights violation of obstructing the work of journalist Rajaratnam Darshan (25) while covering news related to the protest launched by the fishing community alleging that the arrest of fishermen in the Madagala area was illegal. He had stated in the complaint that a Kankesanthurai police officer had videotaped him and threatened.
Darshan, a resident of Sulipuram, Sulipuram West, has included a photograph of two eyewitnesses and documentary evidence of the threat. He said that he had informed the editor about this and that the news about this incident has been posted on the internet and he thinks that there may be an administrative reason for this. He also stressed that those who threaten journalists by showing videos in future should be brought to book.
It has become common for journalists to be photographed and videotaped for security reasons, and such incidents have created a dangerous situation for journalists across the peninsula. According to them, these actions could become weapons used against them in the future. Journalists attending rallies, conferences and agitations especially in Sri Lanka, are regularly monitored by the security forces and the military. They point out that this situation is evident during the war and in the post-war period and that it violates their freedom and rights and is a violation of human rights. Photographing and videotaping does not require prior approval from the media. In a situation where no one has the right to photograph or videotape without the consent and consent of the individual, the security forces have resorted to forcible intimidation and intimidation of journalists.
What is the purpose of videotaping? What are the photos taken for? It seems that the security forces have shied away from the responsibility of explaining. Interference with the freedom and privacy of journalists for security reasons should be condemned. They demand that legal action be taken to prevent such acts.
All journalists are of the view that the activities of the security forces, which operate with the attitude that ‘Tamil journalists are terrorists’, should be condemned.
Journalist Rajaratnam Darshan
Military intelligence and surveillance robs me of my freedom!
K., a resident of Batticaloa, said that Army intelligence officers would chase him and take pictures wherever he went. Mr. Sadasivam (80) has lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.
He says he has not been able to function freely because of intelligence officials’ actions.
He has lodged this complaint against the Sri Lanka Army at No. 9, Thamaraikeni Road, Batticaloa.
He said that he would continue to face this persecution for the sole reason of being a Tamil.
‘I go to any political event in the Batticaloa district and the intelligence officers follow me and take pictures. This is an obstacle to my freedom. I have to limit my work. Unable to travel freely. That’s why I’m afraid something will happen to me. ‘.
He called on the Human Rights Commission to take action to prevent this.
– Batticaloa Sadasivam
Police officers obstructing work!
Journalist Sornalingam Varnan (32) has lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) on March 7, 2022 alleging that a constable (PC 92646) of the Yahapanaya Police Station had obstructed his duties.
The incident took place on February 21, 2022 at the Governor’s Office, Jaffna.
According to his complaint, the police had obstructed him when he went to cover the protest by pre-school teachers in front of the Governor’s Office in the Northern Province and the authorities of the Governor’s Secretariat had obstructed the journalists who covered the news without any order. Mr. Varnan pointed out that this was due to an administrative weakness and included the details of two eyewitnesses to the incident and the Thinakkural newspaper (Jaffna Zone) as documentary evidence. They were intercepted by police as they tried to enter the office with protesters. If they were not allowed to enter the office, the journalists asked the relevant authorities what solutions would be given to the protest and asked the police officer to inform them. The police officer then said that he could not be allowed to enter at all.
Mr. Varnan’s complaint states that when the Assistant Secretary to the Governor was informed about this, he stated that he had not issued such an order.
Mr. Varnan, who has been a journalist for five years, complained about the incident due to the repressive treatment of journalists by the security forces. He points out that despite the approval of the authorities and the media, the police and other security forces are obstructing their work.
He said that the arrival of the security forces in the post-war period had been seen to be affecting the activities of the free media and that this incident was a good example of this.
Mr. Varnan did not forget to mention that the repression of the media by the security forces, even if they speak Sinhala or Tamil, continues.
Journalist Sornalingam Varnan
An act to declare and define the privileges, immunities and powers of Parliament and of the members thereof; to secure freedom of speech and debate or proceedings in Parliament; to provide for the punishment of breaches of the privileges of Parliament; and to give protection to persons employed in the publication of the reports, papers, minutes, votes or proceedings of Parliament.
Sri Lanka Parliament Hansard of January 19, 2021
Sri Lanka Parliament Hansard of January 20, 2021
Parliament of Sri Lanka Hansard of February 09, 2021
CONTACT INFORMATION
ON PRESIDENTIAL SECRETARIAT, PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE AND MINISTRY OFFICES
The President
Presidential Secretariat,
Colombo 01
Tel : 0112866617
Fax : 0112877288
Prime Minister
No.58, Sir Earnest de Silva Mawatha,
Colombo 07
Tel : 0112575317, 0112575318
Fax : 0112575454
E-Mail: pmo@pmoffice.gov.lk
Ministry of National Integration & Reconciliation
No 21, 3rd Floor, Standard Chartered Bank Building,
Janadhipathi Mawatha,
Colombo 01.
Ministry of Defence
No.15/5, Baladaksha Mawatha,
Colombo 03.
Tel : 011243860-79
E-Mail: webinfo@defence.lk
Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment
No. 500, T.B. Jayah Mawatha, Colombo 10.
No. 82, Rajamalwatta Road,
Sampathpaya, Battaramulla
Tel : 0112684710/ 0112882112-3
Fax : 0112689548/ 0112878805
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Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs
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Bristol Street,
Colombo 01.
Tel : 0113010214
Fax : 0112473643
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Ministry of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs
6th Floor, Rakshana Mandiriya,
No.21, Vaushall Street, Colombo 02
Colombo 02.
Tel : 0112321222
Fax : 0112436672
Ministry of Sustainable Development and Wildlife
9th Floor, Sethsiripaya,
Stage I,
Battaramulla.
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7th Floor, Sethsiripaya, Stage II,
Battaramulla.
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Republic Building, Colombo 01.
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Labour Secretariat,
Colombo 05.
Tel : 0112581991
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Ministry of Higher Education and Highways
Maganeduma Mahamedura, No.216,
Denszil Kobbekaduwa Mawatha,
Koswatta, Battaramulla.
Tel : 0112871821 – 30
Fax : 0112863296
E-Mail: sec@mohsl.gov.lk
Ministry of Special Assignments
6th Floor, Sethsiripaya,
Battaramulla.
Ministry of City Planning and Water Supply
Lakdiya Medura, No.35,
New Parliament Road, Pelawatta,
Battaramulla.
Tel : 0112177240-1
Fax : 0112177242
E-Mail: ministryofwatersupply@gmail.com
Ministry of Disaster Management
Vidya Mawatha,
Colombo 07.
Tel : 0112665170
Fax : 0112665170
Ministry of Science, Technology and Research
3rd Floor,
Stage I, Sethsiripaya,
Battaramulla.
Tel : 0112374700
Fax : 0112374765
E-Mail: secretary@trmin.gov.lk
Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine
385, Rev. Baddegama Wimalawansa Thero Mawatha,
Colombo 10.
Tel : 0112669192
Fax : 0112692815
E-Mail: postmaster@health.gov.lk
Ministry of Finance
The Secretariat, Colombo 01.
Tel : 0112484500, 0112484600, 01124 84700
Fax : 0112449823
E-Mail: info@mo.treasury.gov.lk
Ministry of Skills Development and Vocational Training
Nipunatha Piyasa, 354/2,
Elvitigala Mawatha,
Colombo 05.
Tel : 0112136500
Fax : 0112597804
Ministry of Home Affairs
Independence Square,
Colombo 07.
Tel : 0112682900
Fax : 0112683665
E-Mail: secretary-ha@pubad.gov.lk
Ministry of Internal Affairs, Wayamba Development and Cultural Affairs
8th Floor, Sethsiripaya,
Battaramulla.
Tel : 0112872001, 0112876586, 0112872023
Fax : 0112872024
E-Mail: culturalmin@gmail.com
Ministry of Industry and Commerce
P.O.Box 570, 73/1,
Galle Road, Colombo 03.
Tel : 0112327554, 0112392149, 0112392150
Fax : 0112434034
E-Mail: Secretarymid@gmail.com
Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development
17th and 18th Floors, “SUHURUPAYA”,
Subhuthipura Road,
Battaramulla.
Tel : 0112864770, 0112864479
Fax : 0112871909
Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development
New Secretariat, Maligawatta,
Colombo 10
Tel : 0112446184
Fax : 0114241184
E-Mail: secretary@fisheries.gov.lk
Ministry of Plantation Industries
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2nd Stage, Battaramulla.
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Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy
No.72, Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha,
Colombo 07
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Ministry of Agriculture
Govijana Mandiraya, 80/5,
Rajamalwatta Avenue,
Battaramulla.
Tel : 0112888902
Fax : 0112887400
E-Mail: sec.agri@yahoo.com
Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources Management
No.11, Jawatta Road,
Colombo 05.
Tel : 0112081346, 0112081510
Fax : 0112081346
E-Mail: irrigationwm@gmail.com
Ministry of Buddha Sasana
No.135, Sreemath Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha,
Colombo 07.
Tel : 0112307674
Fax : 0112307406
E-Mail: mbsecoffice@gmail.com
Ministry of Justice
Superior Court Complex,
Colombo 12.
Tel : 0112323022
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E-Mail: justiceministry.gov.lk
Ministry of Rural Economy
CWE Secretariat Building, 3rd Floor,
No.27, Vauxhall Street,
Colombo 02.
Tel : 0112300341
Fax : 0112447669
E-Mail: info@trade.gov.lk
Ministry of Public Enterprise Development
Levels 13 & 37, West Tower,
World Trade Centre,
Echelon Square, Colombo 01.
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Ministry of Public Administration and Management
Independence Square,
Colombo 07.
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E-Mail: info@pubad.gov.lk
Ministry of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media
Asidisi Medura, No.163,
Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda,
Colombo 05.
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Fax : 0112513462
E-Mail: info@media.gov.lk
Ministry of Housing and Construction
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Battaramulla.
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Ministry of Ports and Shipping
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Colombo 01.
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E-Mail: mpsasec@slpa.lk
Ministry of Lands
Mihikatha Medura, Land Secretariat,
1200/6, Rajamalwatte Avenue,
Battaramulla.
Tel : 0112797500
Fax : 0112887445
E-Mail: general@landmin.gov.lk
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Colombo 03.
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Fax : 0112322526
E-Mail: smpid@sltnet.lk
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Sethsiripaya ( Stage II),
5th Floor, Battaramulla.
Tel : 0112186055
Fax : 0112187199
E-Mail: secycdwa@gmail.com
Ministry of Foreign Employment
No. 51/2/1, 2nd Floor, Assert Building,
York Street,
Colombo 01.
Tel : 0112331336, 0112330307
Fax : 0112330559
E-Mail: fepwministry@gmail.com
Ministry of Education
Isurupaya, Pelawatta,
Battaramulla.
Tel : 0112785141
E-Mail: info@mov.gov.lk
Ministry of Posts, Postal Services and Muslim Religious Affairs
6th & 8th Floors, Postal Headquarters Building,
310, D.R. Wijewardana Road,
Colombo 10.
Tel : 0112422591, 0112422592, 0112422593
Fax : 0112323465, 0112541531
E-Mail: min.info@slpost.lk
Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government
No.330, Union Place,
Colombo 02.
Tel : 0112305326, 0112305327
Fax : 0112347529
Ministry of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs
No.146, Galle Road,
Colombo 03.
Tel : 0112395522
Fax : 0112395521
E-Mail: smrrha@sltnet.lk
Ministry of Petroleum Resources Development
No.80, Sir Earnest De Silva Mawatha,
Colombo 07.
Tel : 0112564363
Fax : 0112375163
E-Mail: admin@petroleummin.gov.lk
Ministry of Sports
No.9, Philip Gunawaardana Road,
Colombo 07.
Tel : 0112697934
Fax : 0112680277
E-Mail: secretary@sportsmin.gov.lk
Ministry of Law & Order and Southern Development
No.25, Whiteaways Building,
Sir Baron Jayathilake Mawatha,
Colombo 01.
Tel : 0114354865
Fax : 0114354865
E-Mail: southern.development.ministry@gmail.com
Ministry of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure
79/1, 5th Lane, Colombo 03.
Tel : 0112577777
Fax : 0112301710
E-Mail: info@ictmin.gov.lk
Ministry of National Co-existence Dialogue and Official Languages
40, Buthgamuwa Road,
Rajagiriya, P.O. Box 1566,
Colombo.
Tel : 0112883926, 0112883927, 0112883928
Fax : 0112883929
Ministry of Primary Industries
No.80/5, Govijana Mandiriya,
Rajamalwatta Avenue,
Battaramulla.
Tel : 0112877841, 0112877842
Fax : 0112885380, 0112877845
E-Mail: sprojects20@gmail.com
Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade
6th Floor, West Tower,
World Trade Centre,
Colombo 01.
Tel : 0112337629
Fax : 0112337627
E-Mail: info@modsit.gov.lk
Parliament of Sri Lanka Hansard of February 10, 2021
Sri Lanka Savings Bank
Public Administration Circular No: 8/98
Preparation of Job Description
Public Administration Circular No: 08/2003
Special Leave to Public Officers who could not report for duty on Account of Recent Floods, Cyclones and Earth-Slips
Study Leave – Sri Lanka Accountants’ Service
Public Administration Circular No. 6/93 (1)
Payments for Disciplinary Inquiries
Citizens need to engage with governments to ensure that their rights are protected and their aspirations reached.
The role of the Good Governance SubCommittees of Citizen Councils are as follows:
Citizens need to understand the geopolitical forces that affect their environment and be able to monitor and hold their governments accountable in this regard. Environmental justice needs to be upheld as integral to human rights.
“When the last tree is cut and the last fish killed, the last river poisoned, then you will see that you can’t eat money.”
― Chief Seattle
Environment subcommittees aim
All around the civilised world, gender equality is at the heart of the move towards better society. Children are the citizens of the future, they should be cherished protected and guided. See what the citizen’s councils are doing to empower women and to safeguard children.
“Our children have a right to equal opportunities, to strive, to be happy, and healthy and safe”
-Shakira at the UN General Assembly 2015
The role of the Women’s and Children’s SubCommittee is
Youth are the leaders of tomorrow. They need to be informed, guided and shaped so that they reach their maximum potential. The youth of Sri Lanka in particular have suffered much due to revolution and intolerance, and yet it is within their hands that lie the greatest potential for understanding, reconciliation and advancement.
Youth SubCommittees aim
We believe that in order to understand each other and to live in harmony with other cultures and religions, we must first respect people’s mother tongue.
Read about the official language policy of Sri Lanka and make a PLEDGE to respect language rights.
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”
-Nelson Mandela
The Language and Culture Subcommittee aims
Pubic Administration Circular No. 16/94
Confirmation of Casual Employees according to the declaration made by His Excellency the President on May Day 1994
79790yo
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION CIRCULAR NO: 21/2007
Procedures to be followed in seeking approval for Public Officers who travel abroad
Report of the Sub-Committee on Higher Education of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education and Human Resources Development on “Expansion of Medical Education in Sri Lanka With the Participation of the Private Sector: Adopting the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) as a Model”
Public Administration Circular No: 29/1998(1)
Payment of Incentive Allowance to Public Officers Proficient in more than one Language
LOCAL AUTHORITIES ELECTIONS (AMENDMENT) ACT, No. 16 OF 2017
Kankesanthurai police obstruct by displaying videos!
A complaint was lodged with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) on 7 March regarding a human rights violation of obstructing the work of journalist Rajaratnam Darshan (25) while covering news related to the protest launched by the fishing community alleging that the arrest of fishermen in the Madagala area was illegal. He had stated in the complaint that a Kankesanthurai police officer had videotaped him and threatened.
Darshan, a resident of Sulipuram, Sulipuram West, has included a photograph of two eyewitnesses and documentary evidence of the threat. He said that he had informed the editor about this and that the news about this incident has been posted on the internet and he thinks that there may be an administrative reason for this. He also stressed that those who threaten journalists by showing videos in future should be brought to book.
It has become common for journalists to be photographed and videotaped for security reasons, and such incidents have created a dangerous situation for journalists across the peninsula. According to them, these actions could become weapons used against them in the future. Journalists attending rallies, conferences and agitations especially in Sri Lanka, are regularly monitored by the security forces and the military. They point out that this situation is evident during the war and in the post-war period and that it violates their freedom and rights and is a violation of human rights. Photographing and videotaping does not require prior approval from the media. In a situation where no one has the right to photograph or videotape without the consent and consent of the individual, the security forces have resorted to forcible intimidation and intimidation of journalists.
What is the purpose of videotaping? What are the photos taken for? It seems that the security forces have shied away from the responsibility of explaining. Interference with the freedom and privacy of journalists for security reasons should be condemned. They demand that legal action be taken to prevent such acts.
All journalists are of the view that the activities of the security forces, which operate with the attitude that ‘Tamil journalists are terrorists’, should be condemned.
Journalist Rajaratnam Darshan
Military intelligence and surveillance robs me of my freedom!
K., a resident of Batticaloa, said that Army intelligence officers would chase him and take pictures wherever he went. Mr. Sadasivam (80) has lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.
He says he has not been able to function freely because of intelligence officials’ actions.
He has lodged this complaint against the Sri Lanka Army at No. 9, Thamaraikeni Road, Batticaloa.
He said that he would continue to face this persecution for the sole reason of being a Tamil.
‘I go to any political event in the Batticaloa district and the intelligence officers follow me and take pictures. This is an obstacle to my freedom. I have to limit my work. Unable to travel freely. That’s why I’m afraid something will happen to me. ‘.
He called on the Human Rights Commission to take action to prevent this.
– Batticaloa Sadasivam
Police officers obstructing work!
Journalist Sornalingam Varnan (32) has lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) on March 7, 2022 alleging that a constable (PC 92646) of the Yahapanaya Police Station had obstructed his duties.
The incident took place on February 21, 2022 at the Governor’s Office, Jaffna.
According to his complaint, the police had obstructed him when he went to cover the protest by pre-school teachers in front of the Governor’s Office in the Northern Province and the authorities of the Governor’s Secretariat had obstructed the journalists who covered the news without any order. Mr. Varnan pointed out that this was due to an administrative weakness and included the details of two eyewitnesses to the incident and the Thinakkural newspaper (Jaffna Zone) as documentary evidence. They were intercepted by police as they tried to enter the office with protesters. If they were not allowed to enter the office, the journalists asked the relevant authorities what solutions would be given to the protest and asked the police officer to inform them. The police officer then said that he could not be allowed to enter at all.
Mr. Varnan’s complaint states that when the Assistant Secretary to the Governor was informed about this, he stated that he had not issued such an order.
Mr. Varnan, who has been a journalist for five years, complained about the incident due to the repressive treatment of journalists by the security forces. He points out that despite the approval of the authorities and the media, the police and other security forces are obstructing their work.
He said that the arrival of the security forces in the post-war period had been seen to be affecting the activities of the free media and that this incident was a good example of this.
Mr. Varnan did not forget to mention that the repression of the media by the security forces, even if they speak Sinhala or Tamil, continues.
Journalist Sornalingam Varnan