COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka’s government has come to the defense of Himalee Arunatilaka, a top diplomat ordered by an Australian court to pay over AUD 360,000 in back wages to her former housekeeper, Priyanka Danaratna.
The Federal Court of Australia found Arunatilaka, who is currently Sri Lanka’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, guilty of breaching the Fair Work Act. The court ruled that Arunatilaka was not entitled to diplomatic immunity in this case.
Arunatilaka had served as Sri Lanka’s Deputy High Commissioner in Canberra until 2018. During this period, Danaratna was employed under what the court described as “slavery-type conditions.” According to Australian media reports, Danaratna worked seven days a week with only two days off over three years and was not given proper breaks or paid overtime. The court found that Danaratna was paid only AUD 11,212 for her entire three-year tenure, significantly below the national minimum wage for a 38-hour week.
Danaratna’s plight came to light after she escaped from the diplomatic residence and sought refuge with the Salvation Army. Her lawyer, David Hillard, described the conditions as an example of modern slavery, highlighting the stark contrast between the wages she received and the legal minimums.
In response, Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry has defended Arunatilaka, asserting that the wages paid were in line with government-approved rates. The ministry maintains that the salary was in accordance with what was mutually agreed upon and that no irregularities occurred from their perspective. This defense comes amid widespread criticism on social media and public calls for accountability following the court’s ruling.
