Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

Recent media reports have highlighted statements made in regard to a proposal to ban the wearing of the burqa and niqab in Sri Lanka.

Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage has said that a decision has not been taken by the Government to impose such a ban and it is merely a proposal, which is under discussion. This proposal has been based on the precautionary measures that are needed on national security grounds, following the investigations of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) on Easter Sunday attacks.

The Government will initiate a broader dialogue with all parties concerned and sufficient time will be taken for necessary consultations to be held and for consensus to be reached.

16 March 2021

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Beijing became aware of the misuse of the image of  Sri Lanka flag on “Non-Slip Doormat” produced in China.

Immediately upon receiving the information, the Embassy informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and requested it to take action to stop the production of door mats and any such products, misusing the Sri Lanka flag. The company which marketed the product on Amazon was requested by letter from the Embassy to immediately cease selling the door mats and any such products, misusing the Sri Lanka flag. The advertisement has been removed from Amazon now.

This Embassy is closely monitoring this matter and will take appropriate action through the relevant authorities in China to stop the production and selling of any product with the image of Sri Lanka the flag.

Embassy of Sri Lanka
Beijing

13 March 2021

Foreign Minister, Dinesh Gunawardena with Foreign Secretary, Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage will lead the ceremonial launch of the Regional Consular Office in Trincomalee on Saturday, 13 March 2021 at 2.00pm to give impetus to the National Policy Framework of the Government, ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour’ by strengthening the productivity of providing services to the public.

The opening of the Consular Office will allow the general public in the Eastern Province and adjacent areas to obtain a range of consular services, without having to travel to the Consular Division of the Foreign Ministry in Colombo.

With the establishment of the Regional Consular Office, the general public will be able to obtain a range of consular services such as attestation of birth, marriage and death certificates as well as educational certificates for their use abroad; extending assistance to family members of Sri Lankans who may be stranded abroad; facilitation of redress and compensation claims of families of migrant workers; and repatriation of human remains from abroad.

Regional Consular Office of the Foreign Ministry

Address : Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Inner Harbour Road, Trincomalee

Operating Hours: Monday to Friday: 8:30am to 4.15pm

E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Foreign Ministry
Colombo

11 March 2021

There have been reports on social media platforms in regard to an invitation extended to the Foreign Minister of Myanmar to attend the 17th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting hosted virtually on 1st April 2021, in Colombo.

Sri  Lanka  as the Chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) and the host of the Ministerial Meeting has  invited  all Member States (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal and  Thailand) to participate in the discussions  in order to finalise  documents  of the 5th BIMSTEC Summit  expected  to be  held  later  this  year in Sri Lanka.

Foreign Ministry
Colombo

10 March 2021

Ambassadors based in Colombo representing Bangladesh, Brazil, Korea and Japan met Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena separately yesterday (3). The meetings were held at the Foreign Ministry, during which both sides focused on promoting Sri Lanka's ongoing economic, social, political and mutual cooperation with Bangladesh, Brazil, Korea and Japan, and on possible cooperation from these countries to rid Sri Lanka from the COVID-19 pandemic and build a strong economy.

Foreign Ministry

04 March 2021

“Truth Behind Dare – Unearthing systematically suppressed the plight of humanity ended in 2009” is a documentary produced by the independent and non-profit media initiative Lanka Courier Documentaries Team.

 The documentary deals with the atrocities committed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) against the Tamil people of Sri Lanka. The documentary based on video evidence provided by former LTTE members highlights the plight of the Tamil people under the LTTE. The documentary also traces the tragic lives of children abducted by the LTTE from Tamil families in the area.

 The documentary also depicts the brutality unleashed by the LTTE on animals in Sri Lanka. The full documentary can be viewed on the following link:

https://youtu.be/Fpz8Cl_-YpM