Colombo, July 2, 2025 – The Civil Society Organization – Non-Governmental Organization (CSO-NGO) Collective has called on the Sri Lankan government to ensure that any new legislation related to NGOs upholds the fundamental freedoms of association, assembly, and expression. This appeal was made following a meeting held on June 11, 2025, between representatives of the Collective and Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Hon. Sunil Watagala.
The meeting, convened at the invitation of the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, aimed to discuss a new draft law on NGOs, dated October 7, 2024. The draft closely resembles a previous version developed under the former administration in January 2024, raising concerns about the government’s intention to reintroduce a uniform supervisory law over civil society organizations.
During the discussion, the NGO Secretariat requested feedback from the Collective on the proposed draft. In response, the Collective questioned the necessity for a new law and requested the Ministry to clearly articulate the reasons and justifications behind the proposed legislation.
The Collective emphasized the importance of maintaining a legal environment that respects the diverse nature of civil society organizations. Representatives reiterated that the current legal framework accommodates various types of registrations, reflecting the wide range of legal personalities in the sector. They warned against imposing a “one-size-fits-all” regulatory approach, which could stifle grassroots and voluntary community initiatives.
In the meeting, the Collective submitted copies of their own guiding principles—originally developed in 2019 and updated in 2023—based on international standards. They also presented a proposed draft law, as an alternative, in case the government proceeds with replacing the existing Voluntary Social Service Organisations (Registration and Supervision) Act No. 31 of 1980.
Significantly, the Collective drew the government’s attention to international standards under the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), noting that such frameworks prohibit broad supervisory controls under the guise of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing. They urged that only risk-based, targeted measures are permissible.
Later the same day, the Collective received the official English draft of the proposed legislation (Ref. L.D.O. 27/2023). They have since called on the Ministry and the NGO Secretariat to publish the draft in Sinhala and Tamil, along with a detailed explanation of the reasons for introducing a new law and any gaps in the current legal framework.
The Collective has also insisted that the government open a formal public consultation period of at least three months, allowing for feedback from the public, concerned individuals, and all organizations currently registered with the NGO Secretariat.
The statement was jointly issued by the conveners of the CSO-NGO Collective: Rohana Hettiarachchie, Maithreyi Rajasingam, Philip Dissanayake, and N. Harsha Jayarathna.
Use the bellow link to read full statement