Priya Kitnasamy

Amnesty International South Asia

[Priya Kitnasamy @PrikitsPriya]

Abandoned line houses converted as luxury tents - priced high for tourists - huge profits. Am I the only one who thinks this is wrong. Shouldn’t the community that shaped the gorgeous terrain be taken care of as priority before or while the business flourish

[Priya Kitnasamy @PrikitsPriya]

Much debated within, yet I find it UNETHICAL tourists are made to experience tea plucking as an attraction. Hardest, under paid mostly by women labour in Sri Lanka, brings the foreign earning…. Needless to say 200yrs and still exploitatively continues….

[Priya Kitnasamy @PrikitsPriya]

Ethical practices in tourism ….. very late but experts need to be mindful when designing tourist attractions.

[Priya Kitnasamy @PrikitsPriya]

இலங்கை மலையக தேயிலை தோட்ட தொழிலாளர்களுக்கு எதிரான கடுமையான மனித உரிமை மீறல்களை @amnestysasia வெளிப்படுத்தியுள்ளது. வன்முறைகளும் துஷ்பிரயோகங்களும் ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள முடியாதவை. அரசாங்கம் பரிந்துரைகளை கவனத்தில் கொண்டு, நடைமுறைப்படுத்த நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும். https://t.co/bLNLXoa2Nz

[Priya Kitnasamy @PrikitsPriya]

Serious HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES reported but SL GOVT DENIES.

Workers’ testimonies are solid evidence.
Labour Ministry should investigate exploitation of Malaiyaha Tamil workers in Galle and Matara Districts https://t.co/zZEkWBlrfI

@Dr_HariniA @anuradisanayake @sajithpremadasa

[Nizam Kariapper @Nizamkariapper]

Other day in Parliament, I raised @amnesty International’s concerns regarding Malaiyaha Tamil plantation workers. The Government dismissed the report as false, citing the competitiveness of Sri Lanka’s tea exports.

Malaiyaha Tamil plantation workers are not merely a labour force; they are a community entitled to dignity, rights and justice. Serious allegations of labour exploitation and human rights abuses cannot be answered by denial alone.

If the allegations are false, disprove them with evidence. If they are true, act on them. Accountability requires facts, not dismissals.

#HumanRightsForAll

[Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office @amnestysasia]

Sri Lanka: @amnesty is concerned by the continued arrests and detentions carried out under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), notwithstanding the current administration’s stated commitment to repeal the legislation, which has long been criticized for its overly broad provisions and incompatibility with international human rights law and standards.

Recent cases underscore ongoing concerns regarding the application of the PTA. Among them is the case of Sangeethan Ganeshkumar, a 24-year-old Tamil hip-hop artist, who was arrested on 2 June and has been remanded until 17 June in connection with one of his performances, which was also shared on social media platforms. Authorities claim his performance glorifies the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), however, the PTA’s broad and vaguely defined offences do not align with that of international law standards. Sri Lankan authorities must immediately release Sangeethan Ganeshkumar unless he is promptly charged with an internationally recognisable offence in proceedings consistent with international fair trial standards.

The same week, family and lawyers have also publicly raised concerns on due process and alleged inhumane treatment in custody of former State Intelligence Service Chief, Suresh Salley, who was arrested on 25 February in connection to the Easter Sunday bombings in April 2019 that killed more than 250 people. Sri Lankan authorities have a responsibility to provide truth, justice and reparations to the victims of the horrific Easter Sunday attacks. Those suspected to be responsible must be brought to justice through strict adherence to due process and fair trial rights.

The PTA has also been invoked in cases involving alleged drug-related criminal activity, raising further questions regarding the scope and manner of its application.

As currently framed, the PTA continues to enable arbitrary and abusive practices, including by facilitating conditions conducive to torture and other forms of ill-treatment due to the absence of adequate safeguards.

Amnesty International calls on the Sri Lankan authorities to:

•Promptly investigate all allegations concerning the abuse and misuse of the PTA;
•Investigate allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and ensure full due process guarantees for all detainees held under the PTA, including Suresh Salley;
•Impose an immediate moratorium on the use of the PTA; and
•Repeal the PTA without delay.

[Parthiban Shanmuganathan @thisisparthiban]

"அரசாலும் கைவிடப்பட்ட, தனியார் தோட்டங்களில் சிக்குண்டவர்கள் – இலங்கையின் மலையகத் தமிழ் தேயிலை தோட்டத் தொழிலாளர்களின் உரிமைகளுக்கு எதிரான துஷ்பிரயோகங்கள்" @amnestysasia @PrikitsPriya @ThyagiR

[Agnes Callamard @AgnesCallamard]

Sri Lanka: A new Amnesty International report finds that Malaiyaha Tamil workers on private tea estates in Southern Sri Lanka are facing labour abuses that may amount to forced labour under International Labour Organization (ILO) standards.

The findings expose not only exploitative labour practices, but systematic failures of enforcement, accountability, and worker protection. Read our report here: https://t.co/19sRsMk2W6

Workers described to Amnesty International a consistent pattern of abuse, including:
- Intimidation and threats
- Physical violence and harassment
- Debt bondage
- Withheld or reduced wages
- Restrictions on movement
- Degrading housing and working conditions

Taken together, these are recognised indicators of forced labour under international law: https://t.co/TOktSHiqer

These abuses unfortunately are part of a long history of structural discrimination. Malaiyaha Tamils are descendants of workers brought by British colonial authorities for plantation labour and they remain among the most marginalised communities in Sri Lanka. Many workers continue to depend on estate owners for housing, income, and access to basic welfare, creating conditions of extreme vulnerability and limited bargaining power.

The economic coercion documented in the report is particularly alarming. Workers on many estates reported being subjected to excessive daily tea-picking targets, with wages reduced or withheld for failing to meet them. Workers described surviving debt, wage advances, and loans to meet basic needs. These practices risk trapping workers in cycles of dependency, even across generations, that may amount to debt bondage, one of the clearest indicators of forced labour.

The report also identifies serious gaps in labour governance. Workers reported barriers to unionization, discriminatory treatment by authorities, lack of access to remedies, and weak labour inspection systems. Many were reportedly misclassified as "casual workers", excluding them from core legal protections such as pensions, maternity benefits, paid leave, and other statutory entitlements guaranteed under Sri Lankan labour law.

Sri Lanka's obligations are not ambiguous. As a member of the ILO and party to international human rights treaties, the state has a duty to prevent forced labour, enforce labour protections, and ensure access to justice without discrimination. That requires urgent action:
- Independent inspections of private estates
- Effective prosecutions
- Protection of union rights
- Enforcement of labour standards
- Meaningful remedies for workers

Sign our global petition demanding the Government of Sri Lanka to protect Malaiyaha Tamil tea workers from forced labour and ensure access to justice and socio-economic rights now: https://t.co/bmCGTOZyC1

[Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office @amnestysasia]

What happens when a community is denied meaningful labour protections, trapped in debt, excluded from unions, and left dependent on employers for housing and survival?

Amnesty International's new investigation documents how Malaiyaha Tamil workers in private tea estates in Southern Sri Lanka are facing abuses that may amount to forced labour under ILO standards.

Watch the video. Demand accountability. The Government of Sri Lanka must protect Malaiyaha Tamil tea workers from forced labour and other abuses now!

Sign the petition here: https://t.co/BS3dDsXVCY

[Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office @amnestysasia]

Sri Lanka: Today marks 17 years since the end of the internal armed conflict in Sri Lanka. Each year, thousands of Tamil survivors and their families gather at Mullivaikkal to honor the memory of those who lost their lives and to bear witness to the profound suffering endured during and at the end of the war. Today was no different.

The commemoration underscores the continued and urgent need for truth, justice, and reparations for the credible allegations of violations of international human rights and humanitarian law committed during the conflict, as documented by United Nations investigations.

Despite repeated domestic and international commitments to ensure thorough, impartial, and credible investigations through domestic mechanisms, successive governments, including the current administration, have failed to deliver on these obligations. The entrenched impunity undermines prospects for justice, reconciliation, and durable peace, and signals an urgent need for renewed, concrete action to uphold Sri Lanka’s responsibilities under international law.

In discussions with communities in conflict-affected areas, the Tamil community has reiterated that meaningful engagement with the government remains contingent upon the redress of longstanding grievances and accountability for past abuses. @amnesty stands in solidarity with their pursuit of justice.

[Thyagi Ruwanpathirana @ThyagiR]

On 2nd and 4th November, two female staff members of Trincomalee District Women's Network (TDWN), Logeswaran Yaththika and Ravinthran Krishnavaani, received summons to appear at the Counter Terrorism Investigation Department (CTID) office on 4th and 7th November, respectively.

[Meera Srinivasan @Meerasrini]

#SriLanka's Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) has summoned Tamil journalist
@kumanan93; Serious concern raised by media fraternity & rights groups over surveillance and intimidation of journalists

https://t.co/ejA0JzFfjf

[Kumanan @kumanan93]

செம்மணி மனிதப்புதைகுழி அகழ்வு
- இரண்டாவது கட்டம், நான்காவது நாள்:

இன்று பல குழந்தைகளின் எலும்புக்கூடுகள் கண்டெடுக்கப்பட்டன. அதில், ஒரு சிறு குழந்தையின் எலும்புக்கூடு நீல நிற பை (அதில் எழுத்துக்கள் அச்சிடப்பட்டிருந்தது) மற்றும் சில உடை துணிகள் உடன் கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டது.

Chemmani Mass Grave Exhumation – Phase 2, Day 4

Today, a set of children’s skeletal remains were uncovered, including that of a small child found with a blue bag bearing printed text and some clothing items.

#Chemmanimassgrave

[Kumanan @kumanan93]

Jaffna, June 3, 2025 — Attorney A. Niranjan, representing families of the disappeared, appeared before the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court today and requested that the #Chemmani Siththupaththi excavation site, considered to be linked to a suspicious crime, be officially declared a Mass grave.

Responding to the application, Magistrate A. Anandarajah ordered the Judicial Medical Officer and the police to provide their expert opinions and guidance regarding the excavation. Ongoing excavation work at the site today led to the recovery of one previously identified human skull.

The lawyer stated that a minimum of three human skulls have already been recovered from the site, which, in accordance with international standards, qualifies it as a mass grave.

#Chemmanimassgrave

[Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office @amnestysasia]

Sri Lanka: As authorities have begun excavations in the second Chemmani mass grave, this could be an important step towards delivering truth and justice to the victims and families, provided the excavation process is carried out in line with relevant international standards.

@amnesty urges the Sri Lankan authorities to ensure:

1) Sufficient funds and resources are allocated to complete the excavation process;
2) The process around the excavations is transparent, providing sufficient access to relatives of suspected victims and the media, and they are kept informed of the progress and interim findings of the investigations, given the urgent need to build trust between victims and the process;
3) All necessary steps are taken to guarantee the integrity of the site including that the site be protected.

#SriLanka

[Agnes Callamard @AgnesCallamard]

Over recent weeks, we have seen more European leaders denouncing Israel's war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza, calling for humanitarian access.

@amnesty is demanding actions, not just words, including true embargo on all weapons transfers to Israel.

Guess what? Weapons transfers have not stopped.

Today, @wereontheditch and French investigative news outlet @Disclose_ngo revealed hat 14 tonnes of ammunition links are due to leave the Fos-sur-Mer port in France tomorrow for delivery to Elbit subsidiary IMI Systems in Israel

These spare parts, called links, are manufactured in Marseille by the French company Eurolinks. Used to connect automatic weapon bullets, they were ordered by Israel Military Industries (IMI), a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, one of Israel's leading arms manufacturers. The company, which describes itself as "the exclusive supplier to the Israeli Defense Forces," supplies the IDF with small- and large-caliber bullets.

https://t.co/H17ZEWr4wR

BUT PEOPLE RESIST. TRADE UNION RESISTS.

Workers recognised their power. They used it. ‘

"This container has been set aside, and the dockers will not load it onto the ship.’

[Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office @amnestysasia]

Sri Lanka: Thousands of Tamils gathered today at Mullivaikkal, in the Northern district of Mullaithivu to mark 16 years since the end of Sri Lanka’s internal armed conflict. Victims of the conflict are still pursuing justice and accountability for allegations of serious international law violations that occurred during the period, which include thousands of cases of enforced disappearances. Consecutive Sri Lankan governments have denied any wrongdoing and refused to carry out credible investigations. Will the new government undo the past failures of its predecessors and bring justice and accountability? The international community must support victims’ demands to find redress for alleged crimes.

[Nalaka Gunawardene @NalakaG]

As Buddhists observe #Vesak this wk, @Himalistan profiles a rare Lankan Buddhist monk who is actually practising #Buddhism's core tenets & trying to heal his traumatised nation: One monk’s lonely battle against Sinhala-Buddhist extremism in #SriLanka https://t.co/HKjOYfMmBJ

[Priya Kitnasamy @PrikitsPriya]

Transferred???? Accused for sexually abusing a school girl in the school premises itself. Is transfer the action?

@Dr_HariniA is this path to justice?

[NewsWire 🇱🇰 @NewsWireLK]

Colombo School Girl Death : Teacher transferred with immediate effect https://t.co/rSJNvZDX34