Center for Investigative Reporting Sri Lanka

30/03/2026

Six extraordinary stories on intangible losses due to climate change

There are many climate change stories but those that often go missing in the media are linked to non-economic loss and damage (NELD) such as human life, cultural heritage, and biodiversity—that cannot be easily assigned a monetary value.
The Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) in collaboration with Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA) supported six reporting fellowships to produce six extraordinary stories representing intangible losses, covering the human cost of climate change, ranging from culture, health, indigenous knowledge, and biodiversity, highlighting the disproportionate impact of climate change on marginalized communities, women, children and indigenous groups.

Links to reports provided below:

Rathugala adivasis struggle to preserve ‘bee honey harvesting’ by Kamanthi Wickramasinghe
https://cir.lk/rathugala-adivasis-struggle-to-preserve-bee-honey-harvesting-amidst-climate-change/

Eroding shorelines, vanishing memories by Aanya Wipulasena
https://cir.lk/eroding-shorelines-vanishing-memories-families-in-kalpitiya-battle-climate-woes/

How climate change impacts Sri Lanka’s dengue disease burden by Kamanthi Wickramasinghe
https://cir.lk/how-climate-change-impacts-sri-lankas-dengue-disease-burden/

The disastrous floods of Kalutara by Buddhika Samaraweera
https://cir.lk/the-disastrous-floods-of-kalutara/

Warmer oceans, acidification endanger Sri Lanka’s maritime heritage by Malaka Rodrigo
https://cir.lk/warmer-oceans-acidification-endanger-sri-lankas-maritime-heritage/

Sweltering conditions put young lives and learning at risk by Malaka Rodrigo
https://cir.lk/sweltering-conditions-put-young-lives-and-learning-at-risk/

27/03/2026

For 26-year-old Uber Eats rider Ranuka Dilshan, the long queue was more than an inconvenience. It was a threat to his survival. Few hours in a queue means losing peak delivery hours and ending up with what he describes as “a peanut income” that barely covers rent. Like thousands of ride-hailing drivers and delivery workers, his earnings depend entirely on staying on the road.
Full story: https://cir.lk/anxiety-at-the-pumps-panic-buying-returns-over-fuel-concerns/

COLOMBO – By the evening of March 1, queues had begun to snake out of filling stations once again — a sight that instantly transported many Sri Lankans back to the dark days of 2022. For 26-year-old Uber Eats rider Ranuka Dilshan, the long queue was more than an inconvenience. It was a threat to...

26/03/2026

Sri Lanka cannot act in isolation from geopolitical realities. It cannot afford to antagonize the United States. While there may be a dent in relations in the short term, Iran is also likely to recognize that Sri Lanka responded to distress calls, ensured safety, and did not facilitate any external military action.

India must take a leadership role in building consensus, particularly around intelligence sharing and limiting the presence of submarines within territorial waters and exclusive economic zones.

Economic recovery and foreign policy are closely intertwined. Sri Lanka must maintain strong ties with India, but also avoid overdependence. China, the European Union, the United States, the West Asia, Japan, and South Korea are all critical partners.

Full interview: https://cir.lk/from-maritime-tensions-to-economic-recovery-can-sri-lanka-navigate-the-next-decade/

Speed Read: COLOMBO – At a time when global power rivalries are intensifying and regional mechanisms remain fragile, Colombo finds itself walking a delicate line balancing strategic autonomy with economic necessity, and neutrality with pragmatic engagement. In this wide-ranging interview,  former...

26/03/2026

Reporting on AI is often driven by hype and focused on technological novelty, rather than on the questions of power, accountability, and impact. Too frequently, tech and AI are treated as technical subjects, instead of being examined as a system of influence that reshapes institutions, labor, knowledge production, and democratic processes.
Read more from the GIJN - Global Investigative Journalism Network:

https://gijn.org/resource/tech-focus-project-holding-power-big-tech-accountable/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAQyDqVjbGNrBDIOn2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHmqk7dxmgMWM-r0ogK_fB8ugloVHkrCT-_zry9jdcOmUwPqGoXTXJsKPC-0c_aem_wF3i9qt1wqq-nxC7jySjSA

Covering AI requires examining the power structures and decisions that shape how these systems are built and deployed, and who ultimately benefits from them.

25/03/2026

Counter narratives and tackling harmful content

Ove the past year, the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) produced a collection of 12 in-depth reports, interviews and op-eds focused on disinformation, its impact on democracy and rights, with particular emphasis on electrical integrity.

In 2024, Sri Lanka concluded two national elections – presidential and parliamentary. This article series drew lessons from the recent elections and considered future scenarios where tech will play a decisive role in shaping public opinion and even electoral outcomes.

This initiative, “Strengthening Resilience Against Disinformation in Sri Lanka: Creating Counter-Narratives to Tackle Harmful Content,” focused on producing evidence-based, high-quality journalism covering a range of topics including information disorder, AI-driven disinformation, gendered disinformation, and crisis communications. Through this work, we aimed to strengthen public awareness, encourage critical thinking, and contribute to a more informed and resilient media landscape in Sri Lanka.
These stories reflect our continued commitment to in-depth reporting to unpack complex narratives, counter harmful content, and strengthen Sri Lanka’s democratic discourse.

Links to the in-depth reports, op-eds, and interviews are provided below.

In-Depth:

Deepfakes, disinformation, and defiance by Divya Thotawatte
https://cir.lk/deepfakes-disinformation-and-defiance/

How meme pages, anonymous accounts shape polls by Buddhika Samaraweera
https://cir.lk/how-meme-pages-anonymous-accounts-shape-polls/

Public panic, mass displacement and criminal culpability by Divya Thotawatte
https://cir.lk/public-panic-mass-displacement-and-criminal-culpability/

Platform accountability and elections: When global tech platforms collide with democracies by Buddhika Samaraweera
https://cir.lk/platform-accountability-and-elections-when-global-tech-platforms-collide-with-democracies/

உடைந்த அணையும் உடையாத மௌனமும் (A broken dam and an unbroken silence) by Ram Kumar

Deepfakes, democracy and the gendered battle for truth by Gagani Vidwa Weerakoon
https://cir.lk/deepfakes-democracy-and-the-gendered-battle-for-truth/

Op-Eds:

Rising Representation, Rising Abuse: The Digital Battle Faced by Sri Lanka’s Women Politicians by Shreen Saroor
https://cir.lk/rising-representation-rising-abuse-the-digital-battle-faced-by-sri-lankas-women-politicians/

The Role of AI-Generated Disinformation in Elections by Manjula Gajanayake
https://cir.lk/the-role-of-ai-generated-disinformation-in-elections/

AI, InfoWars and Storm 1516: New frontiers in election misinformation and disinformation by Niresh Eliatamby
https://cir.lk/ai-infowars-and-storm-1516-new-frontiers-in-election-misinformation-and-disinformation/

Will AI Disinformation Become a Gendered Tool of Exclusion? by Gagani Weerakoon
https://cir.lk/will-ai-disinformation-become-a-gendered-tool-of-exclusion/

Interviews:

Unpacking misinformation behind PCs the Delayed PC by Ayodhya Sonali
https://cir.lk/unpacking-misinformation-behind-pcs-and-delayed-pc-polls/

Elections and info disorders: SL’s experience holds global significance by Buddhika Samaraweera
https://cir.lk/elections-and-info-disorders-sls-experience-holds-global-significance/

25/03/2026

A closer look at the data, and the voices behind it, reveals a more troubling reality of Sri Lanka’s tuberculosis (TB) program. Only 7,500–8,500 cases are reported each year, far below the WHO target of 14,000 detections. Colombo municipal are accounts for 25% of total cases, driven by overcrowding and poor living conditions. Around 750 patients die each year, highlighting persistent gaps in early detection and medical care.

Full story: https://cir.lk/sri-lankas-missing-tuberculosis-patients-5000-cases-annually-go-undetected/

Speed Read: COLOMBO — Sri Lanka’s tuberculosis (TB) program tells a reassuring story: free treatment, widespread diagnostic facilities, and a relatively low disease burden compared to its South Asian neighbors. But a closer look at the data, and the voices behind it, reveals a more troubling rea...

25/03/2026

A silent crisis is unfolding in the heart of Sinharaja. Once roaming freely across rich rainforest corridors, the remaining elephant is now confined to shrinking patches of habitat—isolated, vulnerable, and struggling to survive. With increasing human activity closing in, these last wet zone elephants are facing a fight they cannot win alone.
This is not just about wildlife. As habitats continue to shrink, the margin between survival and extinction becomes increasingly narrow. As natural corridors vanish and pressure on forests grows, the struggle of this solitary animal reflects a much larger crisis unfolding within Sinharaja.
Read the full story:
https://cir.lk/natures-final-stand-sinharaja-elephant-battles-for-survival-in-shrinking-habitat/

Speed Read: RAKWANA, Sri Lanka—Sirisena Gamage, a father of five, owned a small tea plot in Manikkawatte, a village nestled in Rakwana, Sabaragamuwa province, near the southern boundary of the Sinharaja Forest Reserve. Three years ago, he failed to return home from his field. The next morning, G...

24/03/2026

As conflict intensifies in West Asia, the ripple effects are being felt far beyond the region—reaching countries like Sri Lanka in ways that are both immediate and profound. From energy security to foreign employment and trade, the stakes are high, making it crucial to rethink how national interests are protected in times of global uncertainty.
In a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape, staying neutral is no longer just a position—it’s a strategy. The real challenge lies in balancing diplomacy with economic survival, ensuring that Sri Lanka remains resilient while navigating pressures from all sides.
Read the opinion: https://cir.lk/prioritizing-sri-lankas-national-interests-in-the-west-asia-conflict/

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By Niresh Eliatamby Sri Lanka, thrown unwittingly into the spotlight of the 2026 West Asia Conflict, has provided an abject lesson to the world in maintaining neutrality while prioritizing its own national interests. The legendary French President Charles De Gaulle once said, “France has no frie...

23/03/2026

From navigating neutrality in a volatile global landscape to identifying emerging economic opportunities amid regional instability, Prof. Jayanath Colombage outlines both the risks and the strategic openings facing Sri Lanka in an increasingly contested Indian Ocean, in an interview with the CIR.

Sri Lanka’s response to the incident of IRIS Dena and its aftermath also exposes the absence of a formal national security strategy and a legally-grounded National Security Council.

Full Interview: https://cir.lk/iran-ship-crisis-puts-sri-lanka-in-global-spotlight-risks-opportunities-and-a-diplomatic-tightrope/

Speed Read: COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s swift and measured response to a high-stakes maritime crisis involving an Iran-linked vessel has placed the island nation at the center of a complex geopolitical moment.  In this wide-ranging interview, former foreign secretary  and maritime security expert J...

23/03/2026

The expansion of the National Fuel Pass (NFP) system, a platform that aggregates vast amounts of citizen data, has sparked renewed debate over privacy, legality, and state accountability.

Out of around 30 areas assessed, only a handful were fully compliant. The majority were either partially compliant or entirely non-compliant.

At the heart of the issue lies a pressing question: Is Sri Lanka ready to protect the very data it is rapidly collecting?

Full Story: https://cir.lk/fuel-pass-and-privacy-sri-lankas-data-protection-law-faces-its-first-real-test/

Speed Read: COLOMBO—Sri Lanka’s push toward digital governance is entering a critical phase and not without controversy. The reintroduction and expansion of the National Fuel Pass (NFP) system, a platform that aggregates vast amounts of citizen data, has sparked renewed debate over privacy, l...

18/03/2026

While women in politics have long demonstrated resilience in balancing social and personal pressures, the digital sphere presents a different kind of vulnerability.

As traditional barriers persist, a new and more complex threat is emerging. The next major threat to women’s political representation in Sri Lanka may not come from party structures or voter bias alone, but from algorithms.

AI-driven misinformation spreads at a speed that traditional responses cannot match. In politics, reputations can be damaged in seconds, while corrections take time. By the time the truth emerges, the damage may already be done.

This is not simply a question of resilience. The scale and velocity of AI-generated content are creating a new kind of political battlefield, one where misinformation can decisively influence voter attitudes before it can be challenged.

Read the full story: https://cir.lk/deepfakes-democracy-and-the-gendered-battle-for-truth/

Factum Dilrukshi Handunnetti Gagani Vidwa Weerakoon

18/03/2026

The Kanneliya rainforest has been identified as a unique ecosystem with high amphibian diversity in Sri Lanka. The discovery of critically endangered, rare and range restricted amphibian species confirms it's rich herpetofauna diversity.

However, due to the spread of invasive species such as hard alstonia, amphibians and other endemic species are now facing threats to survival.

https://cir.lk/invasive-plants-pose-threat-to-endemic-wildlife-in-kanneliya-forest/

KANNELIYA, Sri Lanka – Back in 2009, a team of researchers was assessing the threat status of amphibians in Kanneliya, a lowland rainforest in southern Sri Lanka. They observed several species of shrub frogs belonging to the subfamily Rhacophoridae, locally known as panduru madiya. According to th...