sri lanka guardian travel

23 things you need to know before going to Sri Lanka

Oct 14, 2023 • 11 min read

Get to grips with Sri Lanka's complex culture with these top tips on health, safety and etiquette © Cavan Images / Getty Images

Floating in tropical waters off the southern tip of India, Sri Lanka is defined by its gentle Buddhist culture, friendly people and laid-back way of life despite its troubled recent history.

A little knowledge goes a long way when it comes to having an easy trip to this Indian Ocean island. For such a small nation, Sri Lanka is hugely diverse. Surf-pounded coastlines rise to forested national parks , temple-studded plains and jungle-covered highlands - with the added perk that nowhere is that far from a  beach .

Most visitors start on the coast and duck inland to tea gardens, ancient cities and national parks, but navigating Sri Lanka 's frenetic public transport system and cultural sensitivities can be confusing for new arrivals. To help you out, here are some of the things you need to know before traveling to Sri Lanka.

1. Apply for a visa in advance

As a first step, check the latest visa requirements for Sri Lanka. Most nationalities need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) in advance of travel, but fortunately, they're not hard to get.

2. Check your travel vaccinations

Sri Lanka is a tropical destination, so check with your doctor to make sure you're up to date with your travel vaccinations. Recommended vaccinations for Sri Lanka include diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and polio. Long stayers might also consider getting vaccinated against typhoid and rabies (although rare, rabies can be fatal, and it's carried by dogs, cats and monkeys in Sri Lanka).

3. Plan your trip according to the monsoons

Between May and September , the south coast and west coast of Sri Lanka are lashed by the southwest monsoon, which brings plenty of rainfall and choppy seas, while northern and eastern parts of the island are fine and dry. When the northeast monsoon hits Sri Lanka between November and March, the south and west are at their best, and it's the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka that see the showers.

In fact, monsoon rainfall in Sri Lanka is quite sporadic – expect short, sharp downpours interspersed with long, hot sunny spells. Traveling to different parts of Sri Lanka during their rainy "off-seasons" has its rewards – visitor numbers fall and hotel rates drop quite significantly.

4. There's no alcohol for sale on full moon days and religious events

Sri Lanka has a huge number of bank holidays, and almost half of these are poya days, marking the arrival of the full moon, an auspicious event in Sri Lankan Buddhism. All poya days are dry days – alcohol is not sold in shops, restaurants or bars (though you can still access your hotel room’s minibar). The ban on alcohol also extends to other religious events such as the Buddhist festival of Vesak in May.

5. Carry cash: the currency is the Sri Lankan rupee

Stock up on rupees on arrival in Sri Lanka, not before, and don't change more than you need. Sri Lankan rupees are hard to exchange outside of Sri Lanka. ATMs are widespread all over the country – stick to Bank of Ceylon ATMs where possible as they don't charge a fee. Card machines are common in larger hotels, restaurants and tourist-oriented shops.

Try to build up a stash of lower denomination notes wherever possible (for example, withdraw LKR5900 rather than LKR6000). You'll need small bills to pay for tuk-tuks and buy things from local shops and markets and for tipping. Carrying some cash in dollars, euros or pounds sterling is also useful – all are widely accepted in tourist areas.

6. Be realistic about how much ground you can cover

It takes a surprising amount of time to travel around Sri Lanka thanks to winding routes and the limited number of roads crossing the interior of the island. Traffic also has to navigate a variety of hazards including badly surfaced roads and roaming wildlife (buffaloes, cows, feral dogs and even elephants). To do the island justice, don’t rush. You’ll need at least a month for a circuit of the island with detours to national parks, ancient cities and tea plantations inland.

Thanks to Sri Lanka’s improving expressway network, road travel from Colombo to southern towns such as Galle ,  Matara and  Tangalla is fairly rapid. With its twisting, congested roads, the  Hill Country is the most time-consuming region to navigate (consider taking trains to explore instead).

7. Pack the right gear for Sri Lanka’s hills and religious sites

Sri Lanka’s mountains reach elevations of over 2,000m (6,560ft) and temperatures are lower in the highlands than on the coast. Pack a light jumper for cooler nights and early morning starts (particularly between December and March). Also bring a sarong – you can use it as a beach blanket or towel, as a shawl or skirt to cover your shoulders or knees when visiting temples, and as a warm layer when traveling on air-conditioned buses or for pre-dawn safari jeep drives.

8. Plan ahead for the hill country trains

Sri Lanka Railways runs the nation's trains, including services on the spectacular Main Line, which slices east from Colombo  through the island’s highest mountains, cloud forests and tea estates. It’s a stunning journey and hugely popular with tourists and locals alike, particularly the section between Kandy and Ella .

Book tickets in air-conditioned first class or fan-cooled second class well ahead to guarantee a seat, either in person at stations or online via booking sights such as 12GoAsia . Tickets are released 10 days prior and sell out quickly.

9. Swimwear is for the beach only

For the most part, Sri Lankans are socially conservative and deeply religious. Swimwear is fine for the beach, but not when wandering about town. Going nude or topless is not permitted on any Sri Lankan beaches.

10. Avoid public affection and disruptive behavior

Public displays of affection are frowned on, as is loud or brash behavior, and losing your temper in public (keep this in mind when haggling – this should never be an angry process).

11. Dress respectfully when visiting temples

When making trips to religious sites, wear clothing that covers the legs and upper arms and shoulders. Remove your shoes and headwear before entering any Buddhist or Hindu temple or mosque, even if the site is a historic ruin. Socks are allowed (and you'll need them on scorching hot sunny days).

Tourists are less common in  Jaffna and the north where a distinct Sri Lankan Tamil Hindu culture predominates. Respect local etiquette when visiting Hindu temples – ask for permission before entering as non-Hindus are barred from entering some shrines. Some temples also require men to remove shirts and enter bare-chested (for example, Jaffna’s vast Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil ).

12. Show respect to Buddha images

Sri Lankan Buddhists take depictions of the Buddha very seriously and these should always be treated with respect. People have been deported from Sri Lanka for displaying "disrespectful" Buddha images, so avoid wearing clothing with Buddha images and if you have tattoos of Buddhist iconography, keep these covered. The same rules apply to statues – posing for selfies with a Buddha statue is a definite no-no, as is turning your back toward a Buddha image.

13. Be considerate when taking photographs

When photographing people, always ask for permission first. Note that if you photograph the famous stilt fishers at Koggala, you may be asked for payment (genuine stilt fishers are a rare breed nowadays). Flash photography isn’t allowed in temples (nor in the vicinity of military sites) and taking photos may be banned entirely at some Hindu sites. If you are photographing temples, be careful not to stand with your back toward a Buddha statue while you are snapping.

14. Use your right hand to eat

Traditionally, Sri Lankans eat with their right hand, using the tips of their fingers to mix rice and curry into little balls, and their thumb to gently push the food into their mouths. You may be encouraged to try this if you are invited into a local home for a meal, but always wash your hands first for hygiene reasons. Avoid eating (or shaking hands) with your left hand as it is used for less sanitary tasks such as personal ablutions.

15. Tipping is customary

Tipping is a way of life in Sri Lanka and many restaurant workers rely on the extra income this practice brings. Most larger hotels and restaurants add a 10% tip as standard; use this as a guide for how much to tip in places that don’t. 

16. Give wildlife space

In 2017, a British journalist died after being snatched by a crocodile at a lagoon near  Arugam Bay . Such attacks are rare, but they happen so be vigilant in rivers and lagoons. Dangerous sharks are not a problem in Sri Lanka, but poisonous snakes are found in waterlogged areas on land such as paddy fields. 

Keep a keen lookout for elephants on roads leading to national parks or when walking or driving in the hills. If you see one, keep your distance and be ready to back away. Never feed a wild elephant – this habituates elephants to associate humans with food and act aggressively.

17. Take standard safety precautions

Sri Lanka is one of the safest countries in Asia when it comes to petty crime. Violence against tourists is very rare, and theft and robberies are uncommon, though they do happen occasionally. As a precaution, wear a money belt and use your hotel safe.

Female travelers should avoid traveling alone at night, particularly on public transport, and take care walking alone on empty beaches. Given Sri Lanka’s conservative culture, long sleeves and dresses are culturally appropriate and will reduce the chance of being harassed.

18. Do not drink the tap water

Sri Lanka's tap water could theoretically be used for brushing your teeth but we don't recommend it, and it's certainly not safe for drinking. Bottled water is plentiful and better hotels provide clean drinking water for guests. If you do buy bottled water, check that the seal is intact and look for the Sri Lanka standards certification mark. Always dispose of empty bottles responsibly – filling your own drinking water bottle from a large bottle is better than buying lots of small plastic bottles.

19. Beware of scams and pickpockets

Scammers are active in  Galle Fort , Kandy and Colombo’s Galle Face Green , looking for tourists to cheat or charm out of money. Never buy gems hawked on the street – they will almost certainly be convincing fakes made from colored glass – and be dubious of any shop trying to sell you gems to "sell at a profit back home." Seek out information from official tourist offices and directly from operators rather than trusting agents, particularly if they seek you out first.   

Keep your money and valuables out of sight when on busy trains and buses, and when exploring crowded areas streets such as Colombo’s Pettah market district . Tuk-tuks have a habit of overcharging tourists – ask drivers to use the meter (and take another tuk-tuk if they refuse), or order a ride via Uber or local app,  PickMe .

20. Protect yourself against mosquitoes

Mosquito bites are one of the biggest health concerns in Sri Lanka. Although malaria has been eliminated, mosquitoes can carry debilitating dengue fever, a painful illness that can have serious side effects. No vaccinations are available for dengue and treatment can only reduce symptoms. Protect yourself by covering up at dawn and dusk, sleeping under a mosquito net and wearing strong repellent containing high levels of DEET ( diethyltoluamide ).

21. Be road-safe in Sri Lanka

Traffic is one of the biggest dangers facing visitors to Sri Lanka. Accidents involving motorcycles and lorries are common, and bus collisions – often involving pedestrians – are also a problem. Common causes of accidents include dangerous overtaking, overloading and pulling in suddenly to pick up passengers on the roadside.

Private bus company drivers tend to drive more recklessly than their government-run, SLTB counterparts. Don’t expect vehicles to stop at pedestrian crossings and keep your wits about you when walking beside any roads (sidewalks are rare in Sri Lanka).

22. Never underestimate the ocean

Sri Lanka's beaches may be idyllic, but there are few lifeguards and strong currents are a danger (particularly during the monsoon seasons). Many beaches shelve steeply and drowning is the second most common cause of death among tourists after road accidents. Seek local advice before swimming in unfamiliar water.

23. Natural disasters are a risk

Sri Lanka was one of the countries worst affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which swept away more than 35,000 people and devastated many coastal areas. Following the disaster, early warning systems have been put in place in major towns and resorts, but not in rural, isolated areas, so be alert to signs of earthquakes and tsunamis.

The most common natural disaster in Sri Lanka is localized flooding during the southwest and northeast monsoons, which can cause landslides in highland areas. Sri Lanka is also vulnerable to tropical cyclones and periods of drought. For up-to-date weather warnings and situation reports, bookmark the country’s Disaster Management Center website .

This article was first published March 2022 and updated October 2023

Explore related stories

Feb 14, 2024 • 8 min read

We asked a pair of passionate writers to make the case for two of Asia’s most fabulous destinations.

Nov 9, 2023 • 9 min read

Nov 7, 2023 • 8 min read

Oct 29, 2023 • 6 min read

Oct 15, 2023 • 3 min read

Jun 2, 2023 • 8 min read

May 26, 2022 • 18 min read

Jan 2, 2024 • 11 min read

Nov 4, 2023 • 6 min read

Oct 16, 2023 • 8 min read

Sri Lanka for Solo Travellers

Highlights and Inclusions

• Explore four UNESCO world heritage sites of the Golden Temple Dambulla, sacred city of Kandy, Sigiriya and the old town Galle Fort;
• Experience superb scenery, shimmering paddy fields, rubber and spice plantations, verdant tea estates, swaying coconut groves, and exotic wildlife;
• Guided tour of the 5th-century Royal Palace and Citadel at Sigiriya Rock plus a guided climb of the rock;
• Visit Kandy and see the Temple of the Tooth, said to house Buddha’s tooth, plus visit the stunning Royal Botanical Gardens;
• Guided tour of the local tea-growing areas in Nuwara Eliya with a Ceylon tea tasting;
• Visit feeding time at the Elephant Transit Home, where elephant orphans are looked after, before being re-introduced to the wild as endorsed by the Born Free Foundation;
• Enjoy a 4x4 drive in Yala National Park, famed for its wildlife;
• Relax with two days on one of Sri Lanka’s idyllic tropical beaches;
• A welcome dinner on the first night to get to know your travelling companions;
• Services of our experienced tour manager;
• Return travel from the UK with transfers to and from the hotel included;
• Hand-picked three and four-star accommodation including all local taxes;
• Daily breakfast and 8 dinners;
• The price of this holiday is per person, based on one person in a double/twin room for sole occupancy. The price includes:
• Scheduled flights to Colombo
• Eleven nights’ accommodation at three and four-star hotels
• All transfers
• Daily breakfast and eight meals
• All local accommodation taxes
• All flight taxes
• All touring as mentioned
• Hotel porterage of one item of luggage per person
• The services of a Riviera Travel tour manager
• Included excursions are guided visits to the Elephant Transit Home, Sigiriya Rock, Dambulla cave temples, Kandy city tour and Botanical Gardens, Kandyan dancing, visit to a tea estate and spice garden and 4x4 jeep drive in Yala National Park, Galle city tour
• Visa not included.

You will be met at the airport by a member of the team before your flight to Colombo.

After your lunchtime arrival we stay for one night at the four-star Arie Lagoon Hotel.

Today the adventure begins and the sights and the sounds of Sri Lanka gradually unfold. The countryside is stunning – scenic paddy fields studded by water buffalos accompanied by wiry, loin-clothed farmers, extensive coconut groves, pineapple fields, working elephants with attentive mahouts astride their necks and everywhere the dense jungle interspersed by huge lakes. We visit the amazing, 1st century cave temples of Dambulla, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a wonderful introduction to the Buddhist religion. Set in an immense granite outcrop and reached by a number of steps, this serie of five caves are richly adorned with remarkably preserved frescoes and over 150 Buddhist statues. In the caves’ semi-darkness, surrounded by the serene faces of dozens of beautifully painted statues, it’s not difficult to imagine the incredible sense of awe this sacred site held for generations of worshippers. We stay two nights at the four-star Habarana Village Hotel by Cinnamon.

This morning you visit what for many will surely be the most memorable and fascinating monument in Sri Lanka: Sigiriya, or the ‘Lion Rock’, is a massive 600ft granite tower with sheer cliffs on all sides crowned by the remains of a 1,500 year old royal palace. The entire site is encircled by a moat and ramparts enclosing a variety of water gardens, the remains of numerous buildings and caves. As you approach Sigiriya rock, you see some of the finest ancient murals in the country – the ‘cloud maidens’ are found under a fold of rock and show in exquisite detail a procession of jewelled, beautifully dressed women bearing offerings of lilies and lotus flowers. Facing us is the imposing final entrance to the palace above: in ancient times the colossal head of a lion (hence ‘Lion Rock’) was built in brick and plaster, visitors entering through its mouth. Today, just the two front paws remain, their claws menacingly extended, still guarding the palace. It should be noted that there are numerous steps to the top of Sigiriya rock, but should pose no problem for those with normal mobility. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure to enjoy our hotel’s pool and facilities.

This morning we leave Sigiriya for Kandy. Sri Lanka is noted for its magnificent spices so en route we visit a fascinating garden where we see many indigenous plants such as pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon before arriving at Kandy, the country’s royal capital. You stay two nights with dinner at the four-star Cinnamon Citadel Hotel, beautifully located overlooking the scenic Mahaweli River and surrounded by peaceful forested hillsides. The hotel as a pool overlooking the river, with a colonnaded lobby, a charming bar and restaurant.  Kandy is famous for its traditional dancing and so this evening we experience a colourful and hugely skilful display of this ancient art.

Kandy’s crowded and bustling streets teem with daily comings and goings: the many white-uniformed children returning from school and the myriad of shops. The centre is dominated by a beautiful lake and the fascinating Temple of the Tooth, said to hold Buddha’s tooth. This is Buddhism’s most sacred shrine on the island and during our visit (today or tomorrow morning), you may be lucky enough to witness one of the many ceremonies. You also visit the stunning Royal Botanical Gardens. Planted over 150 years and covering a huge 150 acres, the gardens hold thousands of plant species and some superb examples of mature tropical trees. Strolling through lawns, shady avenues and immaculately kept flower beds, we see exotic birds and the commemorative trees planted by Edward VII, George VI, Princess Anne and the Queen. Other highlights are the Avenue of Royal Palms and ‘Bat’ Drive where you can spot the large fruit-eating ‘Flying Foxes’ hanging upside down! The gardens also house Lord Mountbatten’s imposing HQ from World War II. 

Today we leave Kandy driving through increasingly mountainous scenery to Sri Lanka’s premier tea-growing areas. Winding ever upwards, the lush tropical jungle gives way to tall pine forests and then box-like tea bushes begin – few at first and then seemingly covering every fold of the landscape like a huge green carpet. You visit one of the best-known tea estates to see how our favourite drink is rolled, dried and graded, followed by a refreshing cup of Ceylon’s finest. Nuwara Eliya, the main hill station, is nearly 7,000 feet above sea level and called ‘Little England’ due to its spring-like climate, parks and golf course. You stay at the four-star Golden Ridge Hotel for one night. 

You say goodbye to Sri Lanka’s hill country this morning on your way to Yala National Park in the south of Sri Lanka.  At around midday we arrive at the Elephant Transit Home, supported by the UK’s Born Free Foundation, at Udawalawe National Park, where you’ll be able to watch young elephant orphans being given one of their daily feeds. You stay two nights at the excellent three-star superior Chaarya Resort & Spa Hotel, near Tissamaharama. 

An early start this morning, accompanied by the unique sound of a tropical ‘dawn chorus’. As the morning mist disappears with the rising sun you explore the jungle and its incredible range of wildlife in 4x4 vehicles. The normally elusive leopard offers the Park’s most exciting game viewing and Yala has a high concentration of these big cats. They are the island’s top predator so are far less shy than elsewhere in the world. Yala is also known for its elephants, saltwater crocodiles, wild boar, sloth bears, monitor lizards and a huge variety of birdlife. After a late breakfast you can relax by the hotel’s pool before an optional second, early evening park drive.

After breakfast you return to the west coast via a guided tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Galle, with its imposing 16th century Dutch Fort.  In late afternoon you arrive to the five-star Anantara Kalutara Resort, a contemporary style hotel featuring local traditions.  Uniquely located on the south west Sri Lankan coast  where the Kalu Ganga River estuary lagoon meets the Indian Ocean set on a narrow peninsular with 360 degree ocean and lagoon views.

You transfer to the airport for the return flight, arriving home arriving home early evening the same day.

You have two entire days to do as you wish.  Perhaps relax in your hotel, rejuvenate at the spa or simply enjoy the pool.

Call us today 0330 333 6715

Request Brochure - Sri Lanka for Solo Travellers Please note, our partners will not send brochures outside the UK.

In proud partnership with.

Holiday provided by

Test again :)

Please click here to view the Terms and Conditions of travel (this link opens in a new window).

more holiday ideas

Solo travel

The Best of Japan for solo travellers

Looking to travel solo in Japan? Discover the unique beauty, culture and heritage of...

Icons of Japan for solo travellers

Southern India's Coastal Route: Tamil Nadu to Kerala for...

Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry and Kerala: Discover their remarkable cities,...

The Heritage of Vietnam & Cambodia - Exclusively Solos

India’s Golden Triangle, Tigers and Amritsar’s Golden...

India and Shimla for solo travellers

India is a vast country of contrasts waiting to be explored, from world-famous...

Suggestions

Largest Prison in The World

Israeli authorities claim “broad powers and discretion to decide who may enter its territory” and that “a foreigner has no legal right to enter the State’s sovereign territory, including for transit into the West Bank or aboard.”

The UK Guardian reported in March 2024 that Cruising south along Israel’s coastal highway, there are almost no signs that one is approaching Gaza. Two million people live trapped on a thin slice of land along the Mediterranean, but someone could easily drive past and miss it altogether. For visitors to the strip, restricted mainly to diplomats, aid workers, and journalists, the last stop in Israel is a service station, where Red Sea-bound tourists and commuters sip lattes and eat chocolate croissants at an American-style coffeehouse. Walking back to their cars, they may glimpse the only hint of Gaza’s existence – a white orb high in the southern sky, a tethered surveillance balloon that provides the Israeli army with a 24-hour overhead view of the enclave.

A REPORT BY HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH REPORTED ON HOW ISRAEL’S TRAVEL BAN CRUSHED THE DREAMS OF THE PALESTINIANS IN GAZA. ISRAEL’S OBLIGATION TO GAZA UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW

 Israeli authorities claim “broad powers and discretion to decide who may enter its territory” and that “a foreigner has no legal right to enter the State’s sovereign territory, including for transit into the West Bank or aboard.” While international human rights law gives wide latitude to governments about the entry of foreigners, Israel has heightened obligations toward Gaza residents. Because of the continuing controls Israel exercises over the lives and welfare of Gaza’s inhabitants, Israel remains an occupying power under international humanitarian law, despite withdrawing its military forces and settlements from the territory in 2005. Both the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross, the guardians of international humanitarian law, have reached this determination. As the occupying power, Israel remains bound to provide residents of Gaza with the rights and protections afforded to them by the law of occupation. Israeli authorities continue to control Gaza’s territorial waters and airspace, and the movement of people and goods, except at Gaza’s border with Egypt. Israel must respect the human rights of Palestinians living in Gaza, including their right to freedom of movement throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory and abroad, which affects both the right to leave a country and the right to enter their own country. Israel is also obligated to respect Palestinians’ rights for which freedom of movement is a precondition. The UN Human Rights Committee has said that while states can restrict freedom of movement for security reasons or to protect public health, public order, and the rights of others, any such restrictions must be proportional and “the restrictions must not impair the essence of the right; the relation between the right and restriction, between norm and exception, must not be reversed.” While the law of occupation permits occupying powers to impose security restrictions on civilians, it also requires them to restore public life for the occupied population. That obligation increases in a prolonged occupation, in which the occupier has more time and opportunity to develop more narrowly tailored responses to security threats that minimize restrictions on rights. In addition, the needs of the occupied population increase over time. Suspending virtually all freedom of movement for a short period interrupts temporarily normal public life, but long-term, indefinite suspension in Gaza has had a much more debilitating impact, fragmentating populations. The impact is particularly damaging given the denial of freedom of movement to people who are confined to a sliver of the occupied territory, unable to interact in person with the majority of the occupied population that lives in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and its rich assortment of educational, cultural, religious, and commercial institutions. After 55 years of occupation and 15 years of closure in Gaza with no end in sight, Israel should fully respect the human rights of Palestinians, using as a benchmark the rights it grants Israeli citizens. Israel should abandon an approach that bars movement absent exceptional individual humanitarian circumstances it defines, in favor of an approach that permits free movement absent exceptional individual security circumstances.

 YOUNG PALESTINIANS GROWING UP IN ISRAELI PRISON

 Most Palestinians who grew up in Gaza under Israeli closure have never left the 40-by-11-kilometer (25-by-7 mile) Gaza Strip. For the last 25 years, Israel has increasingly restricted the movement of Gaza residents. Since June 2007, when Hamas seized control over Gaza from the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority (PA), Gaza has been mostly closed. Israeli authorities justify this closure on security grounds, in light of “Hamas’ rise to power in the Gaza Strip,” as they lay out in a December court filing. Authorities highlight in particular the risk that Hamas and armed Palestinian groups will recruit or coerce Gaza residents “for the commission of terrorist acts and the transfer of operatives, knowledge, intelligence, funds or equipment for terrorist activists.” Their policy, though, amounts to a blanket denial with rare exceptions, rather than a generalized respect for the right of Palestinians to freedom of movement, to be denied only based on individualized security reasons.

SEPARATION BETWEEN GAZA AND WEST BANK

As part of the closure, Israeli authorities have sought to “differentiate” between their policy approaches to Gaza and the West Bank, such as imposing more sweeping restrictions on the movement of people and goods from Gaza to the West Bank and promoting separation between these two parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The army’s “Procedure for Settlement in the Gaza Strip ” published in 2018, that “in 2006, a decision was made to introduce a policy of separation between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in light of Hamas’ rise to power in the Gaza Strip. The policy currently in effect is explicitly aimed at reducing travel between the areas.” In each of the 11 cases Human Rights Watch reviewed of people seeking to reach the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, for professional and educational opportunities not available in Gaza, Israeli authorities did not respond to requests for permits or denied them, either for security reasons or because they did not conform to the closure policy. Human Rights Watch also reviewed permit applications on the website of the Palestinian Civil Affairs Committee, or screenshots of them, including the status of the permit applications, when they were sent to the Israeli authorities and the response received, if any. In short, one may easily conclude that Benjamin Netanyahu has to disappear from Israeli politics for the sake of Israel to exist as an entity and as Senate Majority Leader in the US and Pope Benedict’s most recent advice to Ukraine to surrender to the Russians for the world to live in peace.

• Palestinian

You might be interested in

Iran’s Strikes on Israel

Preliminary Results of Iran’s Attack on Israel

Iran Lashes Out at Israel

Kazi Anwarul Masud

Kazi Anwarul Masud is a retired Bangladeshi diplomat. During his tenure, he worked in several countries as the ambassador of Bangladesh including Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea and Germany

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Latest from Blog

I am sure many of my readers were up late last night live-tracking the strikes by

Here are the preliminary results from the Iranian attacks last night: 331 missiles and drones launched

Hamas Rejects Proposed Deal in Cairo — Mossad

Hamas has rejected a proposed deal presented by mediators more than a week ago in Cairo,

In the past few hours, hundreds of Iranian suicide drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles have

Mounting debt bill is America’s greatest national security threat: National Interest

America’s mounting debt bill is the country’s greatest national security crisis-in-waiting, U.S. magazine The National Interest

Iran launches large-scale drone, missile attack against Israel

A combined attack of dozens of ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones from Iran triggered air

How Tech is used to kill civilians in Gaza?

Many know that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already used to be a force for the good,

When the flames of war are blazing in Gaza!

A complete catastrophe, the whole Rafah is affected by the irremediable tragedy. Gaza aid groups have

The Decline of Extreme Poverty

One of the foremost accomplishments of the industrial age is the “immense progress against extreme poverty.”

Where Did Vladimir Putin’s Dream Of a ‘Russian World’ Come From?

Russian President Vladimir Putin justified the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by asserting the existence of a

• ISSN 2820-2120
• Our Privacy Policy
• Comment Policy
• සිංහල

Home Sri Lanka Guardian Essays Largest Prison in The World

Largest Prison in The World

By Sri Lanka Guardian • April 14, 2024 • Essays feature Human Rights Law Centre Kazi Anwarul Masud Sri Lanka Guardian Essays • Comments : 0

Israeli authorities claim “broad powers and discretion to decide who may enter its territory” and that “a foreigner has no legal right to enter the State’s sovereign territory, including for transit into the West Bank or aboard.”

Post a Comment

TOP READS IN MONTH

Why a Sri Lankan island is sparking an Indian election controversy

Indian Prime Minister Modi claims the former Congress government sneakily gifted Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka. But the truth is more complex, say diplomats and analysts.

New Delhi, India – Fifty years after India and Sri Lanka settled a long-simmering dispute over a tiny island, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused a former government of the now-in-opposition Congress Party of gifting Indian territory to its southern neighbour.

The allegation by Modi and his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the eve of national elections has sparked a heated debate in India over a key diplomatic relationship.

Keep reading

Manipur’s bjp cm inflamed conflict: assam rifles report on india violence, modi’s bjp promises jobs, common civil code in manifesto for india election, before india election, instagram boosts modi ai images that violate rules, ‘we’re a single village’: india seals myanmar border, dividing families.

At the centre of the controversy is Katchatheevu Island, for long an emotive issue in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, which votes on April 19 in the first phase of India’s seven-stage elections .

What’s the controversy about?

Ahead of the Tamil Nadu vote, on March 31, Modi shared a news report on social media with the headline, “RTI reply shows how Indira Gandhi ceded island to Sri Lanka”. Modi asserted that Congress “callously” gave Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka.

The issue originated from a Right to information (RTI) request by Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai, who suggested that in the 1970s, the Congress Party under the leadership of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, in consultation with Tamil Nadu’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), transferred ownership of Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka. The DMK was ruling Tamil Nadu at the time and is also in power there now.

“Eye-opening and startling! New facts reveal how Congress callously gave away #Katchatheevu. This has angered every Indian and reaffirmed in people’s minds—we can’t ever trust Congress! (sic),” Modi posted on X, sharing the report. “Weakening India’s unity, integrity and interests has been Congress’ way of working for 75 years and counting,” he added.

Soon after, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reshared Modi’s tweet with the caption: “It is important that people know the full truth about our past. The facts brought out… should concern every citizen.” The foreign minister later echoed Modi’s allegations during two press conferences.

Modi has since repeated the allegations, including in a campaign speech in West Bengal on April 7 where he alleged that for the Congress Party, both Katchatheevu and the territory of Kashmir, which is contested by India and Pakistan, do not matter.

Many analysts believe the BJP’s decision to bring up Katchatheevu is aimed only at helping it in Tamil Nadu during the election. It is a state where the BJP has only a small presence and won no seats in the 2019 vote. There are 39 national constituencies in Tamil Nadu, with an average of 1.51 million voters in each.

“The fact the issue has been raised in the midst of the elections clearly shows it has been done in the hope of gaining some support in Tamil Nadu where the BJP so far has failed to gain any foothold,” said Sudheendra Kulkarni, a former BJP politician and current columnist, who served as a director of operations in the Prime Minister’s Office under the previous BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, between 1999 and 2004.

Kulkarni said the BJP move was “neither good politics nor good diplomacy and certainly not good neighbourhood policy”.

He questioned how Modi and Jaishankar could claim to have unearthed the “full truth” about Kathatheevu in 2024, when they were in power for the past decade and had access to all the papers on the subject.

“All the facts that have come up have gone against the ruling party itself. Modi has been the prime minister for the last 10 years and for him to tweet that these are some new facts that have come up – how can the government be unaware of the facts when it has all resources at its disposal?” Kulkarni asked.

What and where is Katchatheevu?

Katchatheevu is a small, barren island spanning 115 hectares (285 acres) within Sri Lanka’s maritime boundary, located 33km (20 miles) off the northeast coast of Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu. It lies southwest of Sri Lanka’s Delft Island.

Katchatheevu was governed by the kingdom of Ramanad Raja from 1795 to 1803 during British rule. The island is also home to the 120-year-old St Anthony’s Church, which hosts an annual festival, drawing devotees from India and Sri Lanka.

Control of Katchatheevu has been a significant point of contention between India and Sri Lanka, particularly regarding fishing rights in the surrounding waters. In a news conference last week, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that Sri Lanka had detained more than 6,000 Indian fishermen and 1,175 fishing vessels in the past 20 years.

Pradip Chatterjee, the convener of India’s National Platform for Small Scale Fish Workers, told Al Jazeera that what fishermen needed was for India and Sri Lanka to avoid adopting nationalist positions and instead “amicably resolve this matter”.

Late last month, the Sri Lankan Navy confirmed in a statement that they had detained 23 Indian trawlers and 178 Indian fishermen in 2024 for allegedly fishing in the island nation’s waters. On April 4, 19 Indian fishermen were released by the Sri Lanka Navy and repatriated to India.

When did Katchatheevu become a part of Sri Lanka?

The spat between India and Sri Lanka dates back at least to 1921 and a survey that placed it within the maritime territory of what was then known as Ceylon, now Sri Lanka – a position that British India countered, citing the erstwhile rule of the Ramanad kingdom. The dispute continued after the independence of both countries.

In 1974, India acknowledged Katchatheevu as part of Sri Lanka’s territory in a maritime boundary agreement signed by Indian Prime Minister Gandhi and her counterpart Sirimavo Bandaranaike.

According to a copy of the agreement obtained by Al Jazeera, the pact allowed Indian fishermen and pilgrims to visit Katchatheevu without needing a travel document or a visa. However, the agreement did not specify the fishing rights of Indian fishermen in the waters around Katchatheevu.

Ashok Kantha, a former Indian ambassador to Sri Lanka, said that the 1974 agreement led to further agreements clarifying the maritime boundary with Sri Lanka. One such agreement in March 1976 recognised India’s sovereign rights over the Wadge Bank – a 10,300 sq km (4,000 sq mile) trawl fishery site – and its rich resources.

In comparison with Katchatheevu island, the Wadge Bank is considered one of the world’s richest fishing grounds, located in a much more strategically important part of the sea. The agreement also granted India the right to explore the Wadge Bank for petroleum and other mineral resources.

“The 1974 agreement placed Katchatheevu on the Sri Lankan side of the IMBL (international maritime boundary line) but it also paved the way for the understanding of 1976, which recognised India’s sovereign rights over the Wadge Bank and its rich resources,” Kantha said.

However, the 1976 agreement restricted both the countries’ fishermen from fishing in the other’s waters.

What do Tamil Nadu parties say on Katchatheevu?

The two largest parties in Tamil Nadu, the DMK and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), have long advocated for the retrieval of the Katchatheevu Island from Sri Lanka.

In 1974, after India ceded Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka, M Karunanidhi , the then chief minister of Tamil Nadu, wrote to Gandhi on how the land was historically a part of the Ramnad kingdom’s territory.

However, the BJP today blames the DMK government for being complicit with Congress in handing over the Island to Sri Lanka.

In 1991, the Tamil Nadu assembly adopted a resolution demanding the retrieval of Katchatheevu Island. In 2008, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa from the AIADMK approached the Supreme Court to nullify the agreements of 1974 and 1976.

But amid the current controversy, both the AIADMK and DMK have criticised the BJP for raising the Katchatheevu issue ahead of the general elections.

What have Modi and the BJP previously said?

In the wake of the controversy, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi alleged inconsistencies in the Modi government’s position on Katchatheevu, citing a 2015 RTI reply from the Ministry of External Affairs. Jaishankar, now foreign minister, was then the top career diplomat in the foreign office.

“This [1974 agreement] didn’t involve either acquiring or ceding of territory belonging to India since the area in question had never been demarcated,” Jaishankar’s ministry had said in 2015. “Under the agreements, the island of Katchatheevu lies on the Sri Lankan side of the India-Sri Lanka International Maritime Boundary Line.”

In 2014, after Modi came to power, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told the Supreme Court that Katchatheevu was given to Sri Lanka based on a bilateral agreement in 1974 and “to retrieve it now, we have to go to war”.

What are the implications for India’s relations with Sri Lanka?

Harsh V Pant, the vice president for studies and foreign policy at the Observer Research Foundation, said that while the controversy would not harm the India-Sri Lanka relationship, revisiting settled issues like Katchatheevu would not be in the interests of either side.

“Tamil Nadu is an important state now being contested by the BJP. So, it is very natural for the BJP to try to find space in a state where it has no presence, using all available issues that come its way and this issue is one of them,” Pant said.

“The BJP leadership seems to be highlighting the opposition’s past mishandling of the issue but I don’t think there is intent to change the way the dispute was settled decades ago. Therefore, I think this is unlikely to continue beyond the elections,” Pant added.

Other governments, he said, “understand the compulsion of electoral democracy and [that] many things are said during elections that are forgotten later. That’s why I think we have seen the Sri Lankan government not really intervening in the matter”.

On April 4, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry told a local television channel that Colombo did not see any “necessity to have further discussions on” what he described as a settled matter.

Former Indian diplomat Kalarickal Pranchu Fabian said that as long as India does not try to renegotiate the Katchatheevu deal with Sri Lanka, the domestic politics surrounding the island would not affect bilateral ties.

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Labor’s deportation bill could affect several thousand more people than first estimated, inquiry told

Up to 5,000 non-citizens could receive orders to cooperate with removal from Australia, home affairs officials say

• Get our morning and afternoon news emails , free app or daily news podcast

Home affairs officials have revealed up to 5,000 non-citizens could receive orders to cooperate with removal from Australia under Labor’s controversial deportation bill, a figure far higher that earlier estimates.

Officials revealed at a Senate inquiry on Monday that 4,463 people on bridging visa E could be subject to threats of a minimum of one year in prison if they refuse to cooperate, significantly more than the fewer than 1,000 people that were initially said to be affected .

The bill creates an offence with a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison for an unlawful non-citizen refusing to cooperate with their deportation and gives the immigration minister powers to blacklist new visa applications from countries that refuse involuntary deportations.

Officials revealed that those who could be directed to cooperate with deportation included:

4,463 people on bridging visa E (BVE)

150 to 200 people in detention

152 people granted bridging visa R (BVR) due to the high court’s NZYQ decision that indefinite detention is unlawful; and

a further 99 people on BVRs pre-dating the high court decision

Michael Thomas, the first assistant secretary of immigration compliance, argued that the true figure was likely to be far lower as the department believed that only 1,200 of those on BVEs may have “an issue with their departure” if they don’t cooperate; while most people on BVEs do cooperate with deportation.

The home affairs department secretary Stephanie Foster added that directions punishable by a year in prison are a “measure of last resort”.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Earlier the chair of the Law Council’s migration law committee, Carina Ford, warned the bill “could see people rounded up to be removed”.

“Even if the intention is only a small part [of those in scope would receive directions], once passed it can apply to a large number of people,” she said.

Piumetharshika Kaneshan, a 19-year-old nursing student, told the inquiry she was one of the people who “might be jailed if this bill is passed into law”.

Kaneshan said that her family had been “failed by the fast-track” visa assessment process, with claims of needing protection from Sri Lanka rejected because authorities “said we were safe because of my father” who has now died.

Kaneshan said her family is appealing in the federal circuit court but if their case fails their visas will expire in 35 days.

“This bill would put us in jail if we don’t go back to Sri Lankan,” she said. “We consider ourselves Australian. We thought the Australian community accepted us.”

Betia Shakiba, an Iranian lawyer, submitted that her mother and husband had “failed to secure protection in Australia” and their cases are now “finally determined”, meaning they face “being deported or imprisoned” for trying to keep their family together in Australia.

after newsletter promotion

Ahead of the hearing the shadow home affairs minister, James Paterson, confirmed the Coalition is considering amendments to ensure the “extraordinary powers” for the immigration minister have “appropriate safeguards and rigour around them”.

Paterson told reporters in Canberra that multicultural groups are being “silenced” and government legal experts will not appear due to the fact the inquiry had been limited to one day. He blamed this on the fact the legal affairs legislation committee is “government-dominated”.

In his questioning, Paterson explored the possibility of sunsetting the power to blacklist countries so that it would end on a designated date, or adding a power for parliament to disallow such a designation.

The Australian Human Rights Commission has recommended that the bill not be passed. If that is rejected, it proposed amendments including a set of factors that must be considered prior to the minister blacklisting a country from new visa applications.

Foster told the inquiry that the department “acknowledges” the concerns of those who gave evidence particularly in relation to family unity, but she warned that “most” had roles in advocacy.

“We remain strongly of the view the bill is an important measure to take to protect the integrity [of the migration system],” she said.

Foster said the bill dealt with “a relatively small caseload of non-citizens who have come to end of the line” with efforts to stay – including having exhausted merits and judicial review – “and are not cooperating with departure”.

Foster noted the bill does not expand the cohort of people who are required to be removed from Australia; and the powers to revisit a protection finding only apply to those “on a removal pathway”.

• Australian immigration and asylum
• Australian politics

Most viewed