Regional Centre for Strategic Studies - RCSS

𝐆𝐏𝐏𝐀𝐂 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐚𝐭 𝐑𝐂𝐒𝐒 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞-𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐕𝐮𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲-𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚

A multistakeholder forum on ‘Empowering Estate and Rural Communities for Climate and Disaster Resilience and Social Equity’ convened at the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) in Colombo on 5 June 2026. The discussion revealed the inadequate infrastructure especially related to early warning, amplified community vulnerability far beyond the immediate disaster impact of cyclone ‘Ditwah’, and advocated for community-centred solutions.

This forum, initiated under the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict, Climate, Peace, and Security (CLIMPSE) project, was held in collaboration with GPPAC-Sri Lanka counterpart organizations; the National Peace Council (NPC), the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), Women & Media Collective (WMC), Viluthu, and the Association of War Affected Women (AWAW). It brought together policymakers, academics, civil society representatives, journalists, disaster risk management experts, and community members, which included a representation of women and youth from cyclone ‘Ditwah’ affected communities.

RCSS Executive Director Ambassador (Retd.) Ravinatha Aryasinha, who opened the forum, situated the deliberation within the broader CLIMPSE project, which lay at the intersections of climate change, disaster risk, social equity, and peacebuilding. He said Sri Lanka’s contribution to this project had particular value, as it featured two recent case studies carried out by researchers from the RCSS and the NPC, which examined the aftermath of Cyclone ‘Ditwah’, which was identified as the second-deadliest disaster in Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami, affecting 2.3 million people and killing 639.

Professor Mallika Joseph, Regional Coordinator for GPPAC (South Asia), joining the discussion virtually from India, introduced GPPAC as a civil society network headquartered in The Hague with 15 regional networks, of which South Asia is one of the strongest, particularly in terms of gender focal points. The CLIMPSE project builds on previous civil society work to foreground peacebuilders' perspectives on climate change, moving beyond purely ecological or environmental framings.

The first case study by Ms. Chamika Wijesuriya, Research/Programme Officer RCSS, focused on the Malaiyaha Tamil community in the Upcot region in the Nuwera Eliya district observed that as climate change intensifies, estate and rural communities face compounding vulnerabilities. While the field work revealed that only 45% of displaced persons found camp conditions they were residing in post-Ditwah marginally satisfactory, problems continue including acute water insecurity, landslide risk, infrastructural deficits, exploitative labour conditions, and systemic exclusion from policy processes. She emphasized that while “Cyclone Ditwah did not create the vulnerability of the Malaiyaha Tamil community, it revealed the consequences of unresolved land and labour rights and administrative marginalization within the plantation regions, primarily driven by structural and institutional factors rather than by disaster events alone”. Bridging grassroots traditional knowledge with high-level policy frameworks was essential for achieving durable and equitable outcomes. Community members from the estates who attended the meeting in person, shared testimonies about the ongoing displacement, damaged homes, lack of support, and uncertainty about where to go, and what to do with their children.

In the second case study, Mr. Sampath Randunna, Senior Project Officer NPC, focused on the post-cyclone impacts and recovery challenges in Hasalaka in the Kandy District, where loss of family members and long-term disruptions caused profound social and psychological impacts. 52% of the community participants had no official disaster warning prior to cyclone. 56% of affected community members were not consulted at all about relocation decisions. He further noted that traditional and local knowledge of climate trends (rainfall, erosion, water shifts) is disappearing with older generations. Early warning systems were noted as critically important; with community-based systems and trusted local actors essential for last-mile communication. A community member who also participated, highlighted the loss of members of 13 families in Nelummala Gama, when the whole village went under the rubble from the landslide. Another community member, a monk, shared the traumatic details of losing 7 members of his own family, and the difficulty faced by the next of kin in receiving compensation, particularly on account of being members of religious orders.

Subsequently a 3 member Panel of Experts amplified both the causes of the problems and the efforts being made to overcome them, including the practical difficulties faced in this regard. Anoja Senevirathna, Disaster Risk Management Expert, commented on the lack of awareness of the public about disaster risk reduction. She impressed the need for a rights-based approach where the community and people are aware of disaster and climate change impacts and take informed and responsible steps to build their own resilience, such as digitizing their important documents. She noted that the establishment of a well-structured national loss and damage recording system is essential for Sri Lanka to systematically document the impacts of climate change. Reliable and evidence-based data will strengthen the country's ability to advocate for international support, mobilize climate finance, and access adaptation and compensation mechanisms to address climate-induced losses and damages effectively.

Professor Udayangani Kulatunga, Former Director, Centre for Disaster Risk Reduction, University of Moratuwa, highlighted the need for a clear hazard warning from one single authority and the need to increase basic awareness about evacuation among the public, including evacuation packs and pre-mapped routes. She noted that evacuation centers must also be sensitive to socio-cultural dimensions of communities.

Dilrukshi Handunnetti, Co-Founder/Director, Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) and Co-Convenor, South Asia Journalism Collective (SAJC), commented on the critical role of investigative journalism in holding institutions accountable, amplifying community voices, and ensuring that the lived realities of climate-affected populations inform public discourse and policymaking. She also noted that heat stress is an emerging climate risk with no current advisory system or national vulnerability profile in Sri Lanka. The failure of early warning systems to reach the most marginalized communities due to language barriers, digital inequality, and lack of community-level communication infrastructure, was also highlighted.

Ms. Kumudini Samuel, Director (Programs and Research), Women & Media Collective (WMC) problematised the prolonged implementation of the State of Public Emergency and the Essential Public Services Act, enacted post-Cyclone Ditwah. Ms. Visaka Dharmadasa, Founder and Chair of Association of War Affected Women (AWAW) expressed that there should be investigation of environmental impacts of development projects in the Central Province.

An open discussion followed which highlighted a number of failures in Sri Lanka’s climate and disaster resilience, including the lack of initiative regarding accountability and disaster risk mitigation, lack of accountability for development projects that were conducted without proper Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the failure of early warning systems to reach marginalized communities, lack of community consultation in relocation decisions, digital inequality, accountability gaps in disaster governance, and the need for people-centered climate resilience. The need for integrated reform combining land tenure, infrastructure investment, community participation, and institutional accountability. The participants agreed to advocate for the policy recommendations arising from both case studies and push for the institutionalization of participatory decision-making in relocation and recovery planning at local and national levels. Furthermore, the need to explore mechanisms for public expenditure tracking in disaster recovery funding was also expressed as important. The forum concluded with remarks underscoring the significance of fundamental commitment to inclusion, equity, and community agency.

𝐑𝐂𝐒𝐒 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐤𝐚 𝐖𝐢𝐣𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐲𝐚 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐂𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐭𝐰𝐚𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐧𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐲𝐚𝐡𝐚 𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲

Chamika Wijesuriya, Research/ Programme Officer, Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) has observed that while “Cyclone Ditwah did not create the vulnerability of the Malaiyaha Tamil community, it revealed the consequences of unresolved land and labour rights and administrative marginalisation within the plantation regions, primarily driven by structural and institutional factors rather than by disaster events alone”.

Wijesuriya made these observations following a recent focus group study conducted with women, youth, elderly and community leaders of Upcot, Nuwara Eliya, who were affected by cyclone Ditwah. Titled ‘Empowering Estate Communities ‘Post-Ditwah’ for Climate and Disaster Resilience and Social Equity in Sri Lanka’, the study published by the RCSS as a Sri Lankan contribution to the Climate, Peace and Security (CLIMPSE) Project of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC), was launched at a Multistakeholder Forum held at the RCSS on 5 June 2026.

The study revealed a critical gap between disaster management and the lived realities of communities within estates of Sri Lanka, underserved by state services like education and health care, and which remain entrenched in outdated labour practices that are detrimental to people's health and status. It cautioned that as climate change intensifies in 2026, these communities face acute water insecurity and disaster risk. It advocated for a ‘Recognitional Equity Framework’ that integrates traditional grassroots knowledge into national climate policy, whilst empowering communities residing in estates by addressing structural inequalities. It argued that climate action can be a catalyst for national integration of Malaiyaha Tamil communities through the inclusion of community knowledge regarding the land into development and relocation schemes. Simultaneously, communities need to be provided with land and housing rights in geographies they have inhabited for centuries, with improved infrastructure and services, and also need empowerment in technical and scientific knowledge to restore the resiliency of their ecosystems, practice sustainable farming and animal husbandry, and make their housing resilient to climate change.

𝐑𝐂𝐒𝐒 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲-𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐠𝐚𝐩 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞

Shayan Peris, Research/Programme Officer, RCSS has drawn attention to the widening capability-action gap confronting Sri Lanka, particularly in the areas of maritime domain awareness, inter-agency coordination, cyber resilience, and environmental response preparedness. He made these observations when he delivered a presentation on 15 May 2026 at The Asia Foundation on 'Sri Lanka’s evolving maritime security landscape and the growing range of non-traditional security challenges emerging across the Indian Ocean Region'.

The presentation examined the challenges of transnational crime, illegal fishing, environmental degradation, maritime governance gaps, and emerging technological threats shaping Sri Lanka’s maritime domain. The briefing highlighted key issues including maritime drug trafficking, trade-based money laundering, IUU fishing, marine pollution incidents, as well as the growing strategic implications of cyber threats, submarine cable vulnerabilities, unmanned systems, and AI-driven maritime technologies. It also explored potential entry points for policy engagement and regional cooperation in areas such as maritime environmental governance, fisheries governance reform, coastal community resilience, and maritime policy dialogue facilitation.

𝐑𝐂𝐒𝐒 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐦 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦

Dr. Chietigj Bajpaee, Senior Research Fellow for South Asia, Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House, visited the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies on 26 May 2026 and met with the ED/RCSS, Ambassador (Retd.) Ravinatha Aryasinha, and researchers at the Centre. The discussion focused on Regionalism in South Asia and evolving geopolitical developments in the region.

Ambassador Aryasinha detailed the recent and ongoing initiatives undertaken by the RCSS and its wide Alumni Network spread throughout the region in strengthening South Asian solidarity. Dr. Bajpaee impressed on the need to consider alternative forms of regional cooperation in South Asia given the absence of India–Pakistan normalization, resulting in the stagnation of SAARC and the growing pull towards external regional frameworks such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The two parties explored possibilities beyond state-led regionalism, including stronger networks among civil society, think tanks, diaspora groups, and business communities, as well as thematic “mini-lateral” cooperation on issues such as climate adaptation and maritime governance.

Ms. Chamika Wijesuriya, Ms. Thedini Herath, and Mr. Shayan Peris, Research/Programme Officers at RCSS, were associated with the discussion.

𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐂𝐒𝐒

A delegation from the Maldives National University (MNU) led by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts Asim Abdul Sattar visited the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) on 22 May 2026, and met with the ED/RCSS, Ambassador ( Retd.) Ravinatha Aryasinha, to explore avenues for institutional collaboration between the RCSS and the MNU.

Noting interest in engaging closely with the RCSS given its south Asian centrality, particularly joint research initiatives in areas including ocean governance, support in capacity building and teaching excellence were identified with the aim of fostering mutually beneficial cooperation.

The RCSS assured that it would seek to draw on Maldivian researchers in its projects and programmes. Notable RCSS publications were also presented to the delegation.

The MNU delegation included Dr. Aly Shameem, Assistant Professor; Ms. Aaidha Hammad, Senior Lecturer; Ms. Asiahth Hassan, Lecturer; and Mr. Mohamed Hoodh Ibrahim, Lecturer at the Faculty of Arts of Maldives National University.
Ms. Chamika Wijesuriya and Ms. Thedini Herath, Research/Programme Officers at RCSS were also associated in the discussion.

🚨 Internship Opportunity at RCSS 🚨

The Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) is looking for motivated and enthusiastic interns to join our team. This is an excellent opportunity for students and young professionals interested in international relations, strategic studies, foreign policy, security studies, research, and programme coordination.

We welcome individuals who are eager to learn, contribute, and grow within a dynamic research environment.

📩 Interested applicants are encouraged to send their CVs and a brief cover letter to [email protected]

Join us in contributing to critical conversations on regional and global strategic issues.

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐂𝐒𝐒

A research mission from the The Clingendael Institute along with representatives from the Embassy of the Netherlands in Sri Lanka & Maldives, on 14 May 2026 visited the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies - RCSS and met with the ED/ RCSS, Ambassador (Retd.) Ravinatha Aryasinha.

The discussion explored how the Netherlands, through bilateral and EU partnerships with South Asian countries, could work towards strengthening maritime security, resilience, and sustainable connectivity in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), particularly in relation to Sri Lanka and the evolving regional geopolitical landscape.

It also examined potential areas of cooperation where Sri Lanka and the Kingdom of the Netherlands could partner for mutual benefit, as the two countries celebrate 75 years of bilateral relations.

The visiting delegation included Mr. Iwan Rutjens, Acting Ambassador / Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; Mr. Namal Perera, Senior Policy Advisor – Political Affairs of the Embassy; Ms. Rosaline Lantink and Mr. Tobias Koster, Research Fellows at the Clingendael Institute.

Mr. Shayan Peris and Ms. Thedini Herath, Research/Programme Officers at RCSS were also associated in the discussion.

𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 (𝐂𝐒𝐈𝐒) 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭s 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 (𝐑𝐂𝐒𝐒)

On 11 May 2026, Romina Bandura, Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), visited the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) and met with ED/RCSS Ambassador (Retd.) Ravinatha Aryasinha.

The discussion focused on Sri Lanka’s port infrastructure and maritime issues as part of a year-long CSIS research project examining the economic and security vulnerabilities associated with global commercial port infrastructure, including the role and value addition of the United States in this domain. Mr. Shayan Peris and Ms. Thedini Herath, Research/Programme Officers at RCSS, were also associated in the discussion.