A Parliamentary delegation from Sri Lanka, led by Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage, has visited China to attend a Workshop for Members of Parliament of Sri Lanka.

The workshop, organized by the International Cooperation Centre of the National Development and Reform Commission of China and sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce of China, commenced on 20 June and will conclude on 06 July.

According to a Parliament statement, the delegation consists of both government and opposition members who are office bearers and executive committee members of the Sri Lanka-China Parliamentary Friendship Association.

The government representatives included Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage, and Members of Parliament Samanmali Gunasingha, Lakmali Hemachandra, Lieutenant Commander (Rtd.) Prageeth Madhuranga, Ajith Gihan, Krishnan Kalaichelvi, Dinindu Saman Hennayake, Bhagya Sri Herath, Aboobucker Athambawa, Ashoka Gunasena, and Thanura Dissanayake. The opposition was represented by Members of Parliament Kins Nelson, B. Ariyawansha, and Anuradha Jayaratne.

The delegation was accompanied by officials, including Chaminda Kularatne, Chief of Staff & Deputy Secretary-General of Parliament, Ranil Nanayakkara, Senior Parliamentary Protocol Officer from Parliament Secretariat, and Thilini Thusharika Gamage, Management Service Officer of the Office of the Leader of the House of Parliament.

The workshop’s opening ceremony was held on 22 June at the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China, in the presence of Chen Shuai, Deputy Director General, Department of International Cooperation of the NDRC. The Ambassador of Sri Lanka to China, Majintha Jayesinghe, also attended the ceremony.

On June 23, the delegation visited the National People’s Congress (NPC) and met with Wang Ke, Deputy Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress and Deputy Chairman of the China-Sri Lanka Friendship Group. During the meeting, both leaders discussed strengthening the existing cordial relations between China and Sri Lanka.

During their stay in China, the delegation will gain insights into various aspects of China’s national condition, including the prospects of the Development of the Belt and Road Initiative, Poverty Alleviation, Urban Development Planning, Digital Economy, Development and Application of Artificial Intelligence, Global Energy Transition, and Carbon Neutrality, among other interesting subject matters.

These discussions are expected to enhance the delegation’s understanding of China’s development experiences and foster stronger bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and China.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has met Sri Lanka’s prime minister and foreign minister.

“We discussed matters of mutual interest related to human rights,” Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said after the meeting.

“I also briefed him on progress on reconciliation efforts and human rights since the new Government assumed office.”

Turk, who is on an official visit to Sri Lanka, is scheduled to visit the Chemmani mass grave in the north of the country on Wednesday, sources said.

On Monday Turk met Prime Minister Harini Amrasuriya.

China has agreed to provide a $20 million grant for digitizing Sri Lanka’s current education sector, the government said.

A government document on this week’s cabinet decision said the project was given priority after President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s official tour in China in January this year.

The project will see provision of all the components necessary to a smart class room for selected 500 schools under the proposed project and to establish the Network Operation Management Unit, Program Operation Room and Conference Room.

Smart classrooms in Sri Lanka represent a growing effort to modernize the country’s education system through the integration of digital tools and technology-based teaching methods.

These classrooms are typically equipped with interactive whiteboards, projectors, tablets or computers, internet access, and digital learning content.

Both India and China have been in the forefront of funding such smart classrooms under the previous government.

Analysts say smart classrooms have been especially beneficial in subjects like science, mathematics, and language learning, where multimedia content can enhance comprehension.

However, implementation remains uneven, with rural and under-resourced schools often left out due to infrastructure and connectivity limitations.

International development partners such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank, and UNICEF have also supported these efforts, contributing to the digitization of classrooms and teacher training programs.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, engaged in a dialogue this morning (25) at Jubilee Hall, Trincomalee, with religious leaders, civil society representatives, and families of the disappeared.

The meeting, held behind closed doors, was preceded by a silent protest outside the venue, where families held photos and placards, demanding answers and justice for loved ones missing for over a decade.

“All religious leaders here highlighted the issues affecting our district. Volker Türk listened attentively. He promised to meet the President tomorrow and said he would inform him about these concerns,” said Swami Agaththiyar, representing the Thirukkailaya Adheenam.

Family members shared deeply personal accounts:

“We’ve been searching for our missing loved ones for 17 years. We just want justice. How much longer do we have to live like this?”

“It’s been 17 years since the war ended, yet our lands in the North and East are still being taken. We’re being pushed out of our own homes.”

One recounted the disappearance of her child and 12 others in Sathurukondan, Batticaloa, and the abduction of a brother in a white van on Valentine’s Day 2009.

“We want justice — for the disappeared, for the massacres, and for the ongoing land grabs. We’re handing over this message in hope of real solutions.”

Later in the day, Türk met with Eastern Province Governor Jayanta Lal Ratnasekera at the Governor’s Office.

“We exchanged views on resettlement, the disappeared, and broader human rights concerns. They presented proposals, especially regarding land disputes. From what I gathered, they were pleased with the steps the government has taken so far. They also appreciated our efforts to ensure public welfare while avoiding corruption,” said the Governor.

A peaceful protest calling for the release of 2,400 acres of Tamil-owned land in Valikamam North entered its second day on Sunday, with displaced residents gathering at Myliddy junction to press for the return of lands that have remained under military occupation for more than 30 years.

The protest, led by local families displaced during the early 1990s military operations in the Jaffna peninsula, began on Saturday and is set to continue through June 25.

Many of the protestors have been denied access to their ancestral lands since their displacement and continue to live in temporary housing or in a state of protracted displacement.

Demonstrators held placards reading, “UN Commissioner, may your visit lead to the release of our lands,” and “Is economic development meant for the people or the Sri Lankan military?”

Slogans were chanted throughout the day, drawing attention to the long-standing military presence and the continued deprivation of livelihoods and basic rights in the region.

The demonstration comes in advance of a four-day official visit to Sri Lanka by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, who is expected to visit Jaffna as part of his itinerary.

Protestors have called on Türk to visit Valikamam North, urging him to advocate for demilitarisation and the return of occupied lands to their rightful civilian owners.

Despite repeated commitments by successive Sri Lankan governments to release lands in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, thousands of acres remain under military control.

Valikamam North, encompassing areas such as Keerimalai, Mayliddy, and Palaly, remains one of the most heavily militarised regions in the North.

Large tracts of land have been converted into military camps and commercial ventures, including resorts operated by the armed forces, drawing criticism from Tamil civil society organisations and international human rights groups.

Previous UN human rights chiefs have also expressed concern over continued militarisation in post-war Sri Lanka.

With the High Commissioner’s arrival yesterday, protestors say they are determined to maintain pressure on both the Sri Lankan government and the international community, hoping that their decades-long call for justice and resettlement will finally be heard.