CPA Comms Officer on 4 February, 2026 The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) was enacted in 1978 as a temporary measure (initially only for 3 years) but was made permanent in 1982. It introduced offences previously not present in the ordinary law which were and are being abused with serious human rights implications for the nearly half century in which it has […]
CPA Comms Officer on 4 February, 2026 The draft Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill was published on the website of the Ministry of Justice, and public comments on the Bill have been called for, on or before the 28th of February 2026. This Bill seeks to repeal and replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act, which was a key campaign promise […]
CPA Comms Officer on 16 December, 2025 16 December 2025 His Excellency the President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, Presidential Secretariat, Galle Face, Colombo 1, Sri Lanka Your Excellency, Key Short-Term and Long-Term Issues to Consider for Post-Cyclone Ditwah Recovery In the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah and its widespread impacts, the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) convened a discussion on 11 December 2025 aimed […]
CPA Comms Officer on 4 April, 2025 3 April 2025 The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) is deeply concerned with the continued use of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) by the Sri Lankan state. According to media reports, a youth was recently arrested under the PTA for allegedly pasting stickers that criticised the actions of Israel in Gaza. It is also […]
CPA Comms Officer on 5 March, 2024 This document provides an insight into the Anti-Terrorism Bill (ATB) in a question-and-answer format. The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) has previously commented on this controversial Bill and also challenged the ATB in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. For details on CPA’s written submissions to the Supreme Court, please see here. Click here to […]
CPA Comms Officer on 20 February, 2024 High atop Vedukkunaari Hill in Sri Lanka’s Vavuniya district, an ancient temple stands at the precipice of a religious and legal storm. Revered by the local Tamil community as the Vedukkunaari Aathi Lingeswarar Temple for over 3,000 years, it now finds itself embroiled in a complex dispute with the Department of Archaeology, which claims the […]
CPA Comms Officer on 6 October, 2023 Commentary updated with revisions as of 4 March 2024 The Government of Sri Lanka published the revised ‘Anti-Terrorism Bill’ (hereinafter the proposed ATA) in the Gazette, on the 15th of September 2023. This Bill seeks to abolish the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) which for nearly four and a half decades has been one of […]