Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath has defended former Deputy High Commissioner to Australia, Himali Arunathilaka, following an Australian court ruling that found her guilty of failing to pay a domestic worker’s wages. Minister Herath emphasized that Arunathilaka had not engaged in any financial fraud or corruption, attributing the issue to systemic discrepancies in diplomatic salary structures.
Speaking at a press briefing, the minister clarified that Sri Lankan diplomats, including Arunathilaka, are permitted to employ domestic workers under protocols set by the Sri Lankan government. The salaries for such workers are determined and disbursed by the Sri Lankan government, not the diplomats themselves.
Herath acknowledged that the salary dispute arose because Sri Lankan wages, calculated based on the country’s economic conditions, are significantly lower than those in countries like Australia and Europe. “This disparity has created issues for Sri Lankan diplomats serving abroad. Himali Arunathilaka adhered to the salary framework set by the Sri Lankan government, but the Australian authorities applied their own labor standards to the case,” he explained.
The controversy began when Priyanka Dhanaratne, a domestic worker employed by Arunathilaka, filed a complaint in Australia. Dhanaratne, who moved to Canberra in 2015, claimed she worked from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, for nearly three years, receiving less than 90 cents per day. During this time, she reportedly only took two days off after suffering burns while cooking. She fled in 2018 and sought legal recourse.
In August, an Australian federal court ordered Arunathilaka to pay Dhanaratne $374,000 in unpaid wages, $169,000 in interest, and an additional fine of $117,000 last week.
Despite the court’s findings, Minister Herath maintained that Arunathilaka was merely following Sri Lankan protocols and had not personally engaged in any wrongdoing. He noted that similar issues have affected other Sri Lankan diplomats in the past and urged the Sri Lankan government to reassess its policies to prevent future diplomatic conflicts.
“The government will make a policy decision to address this situation. We deeply regret that Himali Arunathilaka had to face these legal and reputational challenges due to state protocols,” he said.
Currently, Arunathilaka serves as Sri Lanka’s permanent representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva. Minister Herath emphasized that her diplomatic service record remains unblemished and that the Sri Lankan government is considering measures to resolve such issues in the future.
