Canada will never accept draconian laws, Canadian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Isabelle Martin has told Tamil political party leaders during a meeting, expressing concerns over proposed legislation that could threaten democratic rights and fundamental freedoms.

The remarks were made during a meeting with TELO Leader Selvam Adaikkalanathan, Member of Parliament representing the Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA); Dharmalingam Siddharthan, leader of the Democratic People’s Liberation Front (DPLF) and former MP; and Guruswamy Surendran, Deputy Leader and spokesperson of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) and Deputy National Organiser of the DTNA.

During the discussion, the Tamil political representatives highlighted the government’s failure to make meaningful progress towards a permanent political solution to the long-standing demands of the Tamil people and substantial economic development, despite having given prominence to these commitments in its election manifesto.

They also raised serious concerns over two proposed pieces of legislation: the Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill (PSTA) and the Organised Crime Bill (OCB).

The representatives warned that these proposed laws could pose significant risks to the entire country, particularly minority communities, by creating opportunities to suppress democratic protests, target individuals and carry out arbitrary arrests.

They explained that Tamil communities in the Northern and Eastern Provinces continue to campaign for a permanent political settlement, the release of occupied lands, answers for the forcibly disappeared, accountability for war crimes and human rights violations, justice for genocide, and the holding of long-delayed Provincial Council elections.

The representatives cautioned that the proposed legislation could be used to suppress these legitimate struggles and restrict the freedom of individuals engaged in democratic activism.

They further pointed out that reports by the United Nations Human Rights Council have repeatedly called for the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). However, instead of abolishing the legislation entirely, the government is seeking to introduce replacement laws that could carry equally serious dangers for Tamil communities and the country as a whole.

The delay in conducting Provincial Council elections was another major concern raised during the meeting.

According to the Tamil representatives, the prolonged absence of elected Provincial Council administrations has weakened governance structures in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, creating opportunities for land appropriation and illegal settlements through various state institutions.

They also highlighted the continuing failure to release occupied lands in the Northern Province and the situation in the Maadavanai–Mayilathamadu areas of the Eastern Province.

In particular, they explained that illegal settlements by members of the majority community in traditional Tamil cattle-grazing lands in Maadavanai–Mayilathamadu have affected the livelihoods of Tamil livestock farmers and disrupted their traditional grazing activities.

The Tamil political leaders urged the Canadian High Commissioner to pay attention to these continuing concerns and the potential consequences of the proposed legislation for democracy, minority rights and fundamental freedoms in Sri Lanka.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced plans to launch a new “Global Sri Lankan Heritage Citizen” programme targeting second and third-generation members of the Sri Lankan diaspora.

Unveiling the proposal during the 2027 Budget Speech, the President said Sri Lanka must adopt a new approach to harness the knowledge, skills, experience and enduring connection to the motherland held by overseas Sri Lankans and their descendants.

As part of the initiative, the government proposes to grant dual citizenship free of charge to the spouses and children of dual citizenship applicants, while also extending the benefit to third-generation children of Sri Lankan origin living abroad.

Amidst EU warning that the enactment of the proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA) could jeopardise Sri Lanka’s continued access to the EU’s GSP+ (Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus) trade concessions, the Sri Lanka Embassy in Brussels said that from 1 January 2027, the revised EU GSP would renew the EU’s preferential trade framework and provide continued support to LDCs (Least Developed Countries). All GSP+ beneficiaries, including Sri Lanka, would have to reapply for GSP+ under the new cycle before 31 December 2028.

The EU has urged Sri Lanka to narrow the definition of terrorism to align with international standards. Critics and legal bodies note that the current draft defines terrorism too broadly—potentially criminalising peaceful protests, civil society work, or political dissent.

The text of the statement issued by the mission in Brussels: “Sri Lanka was represented at a high-level conference hosted by the European Commission on 4 November 2026 in Brussels, where the country’s apparel industry was highlighted. The event marked the 25th anniversary of the European Union’s Everything But Arms (EBA) arrangement and introduced the new GSP, providing an opportunity to discuss the EU’s trade preferences for developing countries and LDCs.

For 25 years, the EU’s EBA arrangement has provided LDCs with duty-free and quota-free access to the EU market for all products except arms and ammunition. From 1 January 2027, the revised EU GSP will renew the EU’s preferential trade framework and provide continued support to LDCs. All GSP+ beneficiaries, including Sri Lanka, must reapply for GSP+ under the new cycle before 31 December 2028. Discussions explored how the EBA and GSP schemes could continue to support developing countries through trade opportunities while strengthening international partnerships, investment and sustainable economic growth.

Representing Sri Lanka’s Mission to the European Union in Brussels, Ambassador Chandana Weerasena and Minister (Commercial) Thavishya Mullegamgoda participated in the conference. The Ambassador also participated in an interview conducted by the Directorate-General for Trade of the European Commission, explaining the significance of the event to Sri Lanka and highlighting the opportunities offered by the renewed EU GSP scheme. He noted that Europe remained one of Sri Lanka’s main export destinations. As a beneficiary of the EU GSP+ scheme, Sri Lanka had benefited significantly through enhanced export competitiveness, the promotion of export-oriented industries, increased investment in export-focused sectors and integration into global supply and value chains. These benefits had also contributed to employment generation and improved livelihoods, particularly among vulnerable communities and women.

A key highlight for Sri Lanka was the participation of Secretary-General of the Joint Apparel Association Forum of Sri Lanka, Yohan Lawrence, as a panelist in the discussion titled “Business Opportunities through GSP/EBA”. His participation provided an opportunity to present the perspective of Sri Lanka’s apparel industry on market access, export opportunities, sustainable industry development, compliance with EU regulations and future trade partnerships with the European Union. Apparel remained Sri Lanka’s leading merchandise export sector to the European market, and the discussion highlighted the positive contribution of EU GSP trade preferences to the industry and the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people in Sri Lanka. During the discussion, Ambassador Weerasena requested the Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) to organise an Investment Forum in Sri Lanka with the participation of European investors. The initiative aimed to expand export-oriented manufacturing, promote export diversification across the country and increase the utilisation of GSP+ benefits.

The panel examined how predictable market access through the GSP and EBA arrangements could support exporters, investors and value-chain development, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and women-owned and women-managed businesses. The discussion also highlighted the importance of trade preferences in strengthening business competitiveness and creating opportunities for companies in developing countries to access international markets.

Apparel remained Sri Lanka’s largest merchandise export sector, generating approximately US$ 5 billion annually and accounting for over 40% of total merchandise exports. Fabric and textiles contributed approximately US$ 522 million. The European Union accounted for slightly over 30% of Sri Lanka’s apparel exports. During the first half of 2026, Sri Lanka exported US$ 705 million worth of apparel to the EU, largely benefiting from GSP+ trade preferences. Sri Lanka will continue to enjoy GSP+ benefits during the transitional period from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2028 and remains committed to reapplying for the EU GSP+ scheme under the new GSP regulation to ensure continuity of this important trade preference.

The conference, held on 4 November 2026 in Brussels, featured keynote speeches by European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maroš Šefčovič; Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; and Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, Bernd Lange. It brought together representatives of the European Union, partner countries, international and regional organisations, businesses, social partners, civil society, academia and other stakeholders.

Four key messages emerged from the conference: predictability remained essential for investment and trade; non-tariff barriers, including rules of origin, certification and regulatory compliance, increasingly determined effective market access; EU GSP and the EU Global Gateway needed closer coordination to strengthen productive capacity and local value addition; and success extended beyond export volumes to include decent employment, SME participation and economic diversification. The conference also highlighted the importance of continued dialogue between policymakers and the private sector in identifying opportunities, addressing trade-related challenges and strengthening mutually beneficial economic partnerships.

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath says that Sri Lankan national Anojan Sivarasa, who was facing charges in Saudi Arabia, has been released as the Public Prosecution of Saudi Arabia has decided to discontinue the case against him.

The death sentence imposed on Sivarasa had recently been overturned by the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia.

Speaking during a press briefing today (11), the minister said that Anojan no longer has a case against him in a Saudi court and that although he currently remains in custody he is expected to be brought back to Sri Lanka within a week or two.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath said that steps would be taken to bring him back to Sri Lanka.

Family members of Anojan Sivarasa visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today and expressed their gratitude to the President, the Ministry and all government institutions and officials involved for their efforts and commitment in securing their son’s release, the ministry said in a statement.

Minister Herath said that Anojan’s release was made possible through the proper guidance of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, his diplomatic intervention and the efforts of other diplomatic officials.

The Minister also acknowledged the role played by the Government and the judiciary of Saudi Arabia, the diplomatic institutions and officials of both Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka, and the team of lawyers who travelled to Saudi Arabia to assist with the matter.

On 17 September 2026, a Saudi Court of Appeal in the Eastern Region sentenced Anojan Sivarasa to death over charges relating to a Facebook post considered offensive.

Following diplomatic and other interventions, the Saudi court overturned the death sentence on 14 October 2026. However, diplomatic efforts continued to secure his release from the remaining penalties as well.

As a result of these continued efforts, the Saudi Public Prosecution Office decided on 9 November 2026 not to pursue the legal proceedings any further, the statement added.