Centre for Policy Alternatives Sri Lanka

Repeal PTA! Say No to PSTA! Stand Against Oppressive Laws!

Sri Lanka is in the midst of a difficult recovery from national insolvency. Addressing the failures in governance that led to it is priority. However, Sri Lanka also needs to grow economically to improve its ability to service its debt, not to mention overall prosperity for all Sri Lankans. Land connectivity with India has the potential to unlock growth for Sri Lanka so it deserves some attention. Read the full publication: drive.google.com/file/d/1GbsExF…

The Centre for Policy Alternatives filed a petition in the Supreme Court to challenge the Financial Transactions Reporting (Amendment) Bill. CPA highlighted that whilst the FIU has been given such broad and vague powers, the bill place no checks and balances on the FIU to ensure that it acts in a manner that furthers the objectives of the bill and which is consistent with the provisions of the constitution. Accordingly, CPA sought orders from the Supreme Court determining that the Bill, in whole or in part, cannot be enacted into law unless it was approved by a two-thirds majority in Parliament and, where required, by the People at a Referendum. The matter was taken up by the Supreme Court on 29th April 2026 . Read the Petition and the Submissions made by CPA cpalanka.org/financial-tran…

CPA is pleased to welcome Nehama Jayewardene as the new Senior Researcher of the Research and Advocacy team! Nehama brings over two decades of experience spanning civil society, State structures, and the United Nations, where she served as a Human Rights Officer from 2007 to 2025. An Attorney-at-Law with a Masters of Laws (LLM) from the University of Sussex, her expertise spans legal and policy reform, human rights, justice, and accountability. We are excited to have her insights and passion strengthen our work!

wp.me/p36loV-26c The stated objective of the Bill is to align Sri Lanka’s legal framework with the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and to strengthen the country’s asset recovery and financial investigation regime, particularly in light of the Proceeds of Crime Act (2025). While compliance with international obligations is necessary, CPA reiterates its concern that such laws should not undermine existing constitutional safeguards including fundamental rights. CPA notes that the FATF framework also requires such laws to comply with local and international human rights standards.

wp.me/p36loV-264 CPA is deeply troubled by the JVP–NPP government’s apparent insertion of a pervasive parallel layer of party bureaucracy into the apparatus of the state, from the highest levels of administration to the lowest. Through Praja Shakthi structures and Clean Sri Lanka implementation mechanisms, not to mention openly politicised appointments to senior administrative service positions, there is growing evidence of party-aligned actors being emplaced to exercise influence over decisions that properly belong to the professional public service.

On 21st April 2019, coordinated bombings killed at least 290 people across three churches and three hotels in Sri Lanka. Prior to the attacks, authorities had received credible intelligence, including information from Indian agencies. A parliamentary report confirmed in October 2019 that there were serious failures in intelligence handling and coordination at the highest levels of government. In January 2023, the Supreme Court held former President Sirisena and four senior officials liable, ordering compensation totalling over Rs. 300 million. This marked the first judicial acknowledgement of state responsibility for the attacks. In February 2026, retired Major General Suresh Sallay was arrested — the first high-ranking security official to face criminal detention in connection with the bombings. A Channel 4 documentary had implicated him, with a whistleblower alleging he had foreknowledge of the attacks. The criminal trial against 24 accused formally commenced on 19th March 2026. Defence counsel for the majority of accused withdrew in February 2026, citing the impossibility of attending daily hearings. Many accused are now conducting their own cross-examinations of senior police officers from remand prison. Four accused have filed a Fundamental Rights petition before the Supreme Court, arguing the conditions of the trial violate their right to a fair hearing. Between March and April 2026, the court heard testimony primarily from survivors and family members of the Katuwapitiya church bombing. The trial continues under significant procedural strain. Seven years on, the institutional failures that made the attacks possible remain largely unaddressed. The government has committed to accountability. That commitment is yet to be fully tested. Read more about Easter Sunday Attacks reconciliationtrackercpalanka.org/index.php/addi… #EasterSundayAttacks #SriLanka #Accountability #JusticeForVictims

wp.me/p36loV-260 The Centre for Policy Alternatives welcomes the resignation of Kumara Jayakody MP as the Minister for Energy on 17 April 2026, for which we publicly called earlier. While from the perspective of constitutional governance the resignation is a case of better late than never, we note that the Government’s display of delay and drift before reaching this conclusion was wholly unnecessary and damaging to our fabric of constitutional governance. . Click the link to read the full statement.

There’s disagreement within the government on the question of energy minister Kumara Jayakody’s resignation, an energy ministry official said. While an NPPer said some of them feel Jayakody should have resigned, and have felt so for some time. examiner.media/nppers-think-e…

CPA’s concerns around the Bill relate to both the contents and the law-making process. On process, CPA notes that these bills were not open to the public and stakeholders for any meaningful consultative process. Additionally, the timing raises questions. The bills were tabled in Parliament days prior to the Sinhala and Tamil new year holidays and when sittings of court have been suspended. In terms of the Constitution, citizens now have a limited window of two weeks to challenge the constitutional consistency of these complicated bills before the Supreme Court. This is not the first-time governments have rushed through important legislation, severely limiting the public and other stakeholders to engage with and challenge proposed laws and raising questions of the intention of the government in the speed with which this has been done. CPA raises these points when the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction does not allow the Court to consider the policy implications of the proposed bills or their desirability. Read the full statement here wp.me/p36loV-25T

It is incumbent that those holding public office abide by the highest standards of integrity and professionalism that aspire public trust and confidence in government. Conduct that falls short of such standards must be dealt with swiftly and decisively. The indictment also comes at a time when allegations have surfaced into possible irregularities in the procurement of coal for power generation, a function that falls within the purview of Mr. Jayakody’ Ministry. Full statement wp.me/p36loV-25J

On May 2021, the container ship X-Press Pearl caught fire off Colombo, carrying 1,486 containers of cargo. Among its contents were 25 tonnes of nitric acid, 1,680 tonnes of plastic pellets, 9,700 tonnes of epoxy resin, 1,040 tonnes of caustic soda, and 210 tonnes of methanol. The disaster polluted beaches, killed marine life, and destroyed the livelihoods of fishing communities. Investigations later revealed that the ship's operators had withheld information from port authorities about the dangerous cargo on board, giving officials less time to respond. In July 2025, Sri Lanka's Supreme Court ordered the ship's owners to pay $1 billion in initial compensation. But X-Press Feeders refused to pay, with its CEO arguing that doing so would set a precedent for global shipping. As of early 2026, only Rs. 300 million has been recovered. The Compensation Commission which was set up to distribute funds is not yet operational. The case exposes how a major environmental disaster can go uncompensated when enforcement is fragmented across institutions with no clear accountability. Four years after one of Sri Lanka's worst maritime disasters, fishing communities are still waiting for relief, and the legal and institutional machinery meant to deliver justice remains stalled. Read other Corruption Cases like this Visit - reconciliationtrackercpalanka.org

A land lease inquiry in Colombo Fort grew into a multi-country financial investigation. Authorities traced a chain of payments — including Rs. 70 million meant for rugby development that was allegedly misappropriated by MP Namal Rajapaksa, and millions of euros paid by government hospital contractors that ended up in offshore accounts linked to a single Sri Lankan businessman. In January 2026, a liquidator invited bids for the unfinished Krrish Tower project — estimated at $712 million in value, but only 12% complete. The Colombo High Court has set April 2, 2026 as the date for a hearing on the case against Rajapaksa, more than nine years after his first arrest. Payments made by hospital contractors EN-Projects and Aspen Medical to Sabre Vision Holdings have not been investigated in court. The case raises questions about how public funds can move through offshore companies without legal consequences. With key transactions unresolved and a major development project stalled, it points to gaps in how Sri Lanka oversees large government contracts and holds those involved accountable. Read other Corruption Cases like this Visit - reconciliationtrackercpalanka.org #KrrishDeal #Corruption #Accountability

Seventeen years have passed since Lasantha Wickramatunga was killed in broad daylight. However, the search for justice remains unresolved until now. His death on the 8th of January, 2009, was not just a simple attack on his life, but it was indeed a threat to press freedom, accountability, and the public’s right to know. Recent developments show that there has been no real progress on the case. Although the government announced reopening the case, proceedings against key suspects were stopped, causing public outrage before the decision was later reversed. Additionally, to affirm the public’s right to know, the Right to Information Commission ordered the Attorney General to release key documents by March 2026. This case matters, as it reflects the broader challenge for accountability and justice. Significantly, it ensures such violence never happens again in the present and future. Despite these steps, justice remains uncertain. Read other Emblematic cases in Sri Lanka Go to reconciliationtrackercpalanka.org #LasanthaWickrematunge #JusticeForLasantha #EmblematicCases #srilanka

Between August 2008 and February 2009, eleven people were abducted in Colombo by naval intelligence personnel. Six were Tamil, three were Muslim, two were Sinhalese. Their ages ranged from 17 to 50. They were held in underground cells at the Trincomalee Naval Base, where survivors described systematic torture. Most were never seen again. The UN concluded that senior naval command was complicit, and The U.S. imposed a travel ban on the former Navy Commander. However, in Sri Lanka, indictments were withdrawn halfway through the case. A key suspect was smuggled out of the country, and the same admiral facing 667 counts was promoted to the Navy's highest rank, the Admiral of the Fleet. The current government promised accountability. These cases test whether that promise means anything. Families have been waiting nearly two decades. These patterns of injustice exist across diverse communities and regions. It is important to recognise this systematic culture of impunity while holding those in power accountable. Read other Emblematic cases in Sri Lanka Go to reconciliationtrackercpalanka.org #NavyEleven #EnforcedDisappearances #JusticeForAll #SriLanka #Accountability #Reconciliation #Governance

In May 2012, rugby player Wasim Thajudeen, 27, was found dead in a burning vehicle in Colombo. It was ruled an accident. It was not. Forensic evidence confirmed he was beaten and his death staged. Records pointed to the Presidential Secretariat. Evidence disappeared. Officials obstructed the investigation. Thirteen years later, no one has been convicted. The current government promised to solve this case. It is an emblematic case testing the state's commitment to the rule of law. Citizens are waiting. How much more time does the government need to deliver justice for Wasim Thajudeen? Go to reconciliationtrackercpalanka.org to read about other emblematic cases in Sri Lanka. #WasimThajudeen #JusticeForWasim #SriLanka

The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) has learnt of the untimely demise of Nicholas ‘Fink’ Haysom in New York on 17 March 2026 with the greatest sadness and regret. Mr Haysom was one of CPA’s most wholehearted and longstanding supporters, beginning his association with us in 2002 as a consultant to our Track 1.5 role in the Sri Lankan peace process. Fink was a warmly cherished personal friend to many at CPA and a transformative mentor to others. An unswerving patriot, he played a significant role in the struggle against apartheid, and a pivotal one in South Africa’s democratic transition, as a gifted public lawyer and trusted aide to President Nelson Mandela. He exemplified the best of his generation of South African constitutionalists in terms of intellect, competence, courage, level-headedness, humaneness, and conviviality. History will record the major roles he played first as a constitution-maker and then as a crisis diplomat all across the Global South in the course of his productive and inspiring life. Mr Haysom will be remembered by all who came into contact with him as one of those rare people who had an unerring ability to project faith, hope, and love in the direst of situations. By his originality, morality, intrepidity, and geniality, he enlarged the possibilities of right thought and action in any situation, when everyone else only saw danger, decay, and despair. At this difficult time, CPA extends its deepest condolences to Mr Haysom’s family. In due time, we will find a more permanent form of tribute to Fink’s esteemed contribution to CPA’s work, and his unsung role in the quest for peace and constitutional democracy in Sri Lanka. Fink was no admirer of Thomas Carlyle, but in our profound sadness, we take refuge in Carlyle’s dictum that, “If a man was great while living, he becomes tenfold greater when dead.”

We are on the lookout for a new Executive Director. wp.me/p36loV-25i

Current legal drafts often define terrorism using broad language. This vagueness assists government operations but fails to prioritize the protection of citizens. A clear international standard exists, yet recent legislative proposals do not capture its essence. When laws remain imprecise, they serve the interests of the state rather than the safety of the individual. The fundamental question remains: how must we define terrorism to ensure it protects the public without compromising legal clarity

youtu.be/BMkqIt4jOkA “பயங்கரவாதத்திலிருந்து அரசைப் பாதுகாப்பதற்கான” வரைவுச் சட்டமூலம் தற்போது நீதி அமைச்சின் இணையத்தளத்தில் வெளியிடப்பட்டுள்ளதுடன் இச்சட்டமூலத்தின் மீதான பொதுமக்களின் கருத்துக்கள்/பின்னூட்டங்களுக்கும் அரசாங்கம் அழைப்பு விடுத்துள்ளது. 1979 ஆம் ஆண்டிலிருந்து நடைமுறையில் உள்ள தற்போதைய பயங்கரவாதத் தடுப்புச் சட்டத்தை (‘PTA’) நீக்குவதற்காக இந்தச் சட்டமூலம் வடிவமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது அதிருப்திக்கு அச்சுறுத்தல் விடுக்கின்ற மற்றும் பிரசைகளின் நாளாந்த வாழ்வைப் பாதிக்கின்ற பல ஆபத்தான ஏற்பாடுகளைப் பயங்கரவாதத்திலிருந்து அரசைப் பாதுகாப்பதற்கான சட்டமூலம் கொண்டுள்ளது. அடக்குமுறைச் சட்டங்களை நீக்குதல் என்பது ஆட்சிக்குத் தேர்ந்தெடுக்கப்படுவதற்கு முன்னர் இந்த அரசாங்கத்தினால் வழங்கப்பட்ட பிரதான வாக்குறுதிகளில் ஒன்றாகும். ஆயினும், அரசாங்கம் தனது வாக்குறுதியிலிருந்து பின்வாங்கியுள்ளதுடன் கடுமையான சட்டங்களையும் அறிமுகம் செய்துள்ளது.