Wasantha Mudalige urges Govt. to disclose digital ID agreements with India
Demands immediate halt to any biometric data sharing
COLOMBO – People’s Struggle Alliance (PSA) activist Wasantha Mudalige has called on the government to immediately halt any move to transfer Sri Lankan citizens’ biometric data to India and disclose the full details of agreements signed between the two countries.
Addressing a media briefing at the PSA office on Sunday (13), Mudalige raised concerns over the collection of sensitive biometric information under Sri Lanka’s proposed digital identity program.
He said the government was taking steps to collect fingerprints, iris scans and facial-recognition data as part of the initiative to introduce digital identity cards for Sri Lankan citizens.
“We are not opposed to technology. However, we object to the government collecting and retaining people’s highly sensitive biometric data and allowing Indian companies to become involved in its management,” Mudalige said.
He argued that biometric information required greater safeguards than ordinary personal data, such as names, addresses and dates of birth, due to its unique and permanent nature.
According to Mudalige, such information could potentially be used for surveillance or to monitor and target individuals in the future.
He also questioned the involvement of Indian companies in developing and maintaining the system, arguing that Sri Lanka possessed sufficient local technology expertise to undertake the project.
Mudalige further called on the government to disclose the details of seven agreements reportedly signed during the recent visit of the Indian Prime Minister to Sri Lanka.
He alleged that responsibility for the digital identity project had been handed over to Indian companies following the conclusion of an earlier initiative implemented under the Department for Registration of Persons.
However, claims that Sri Lankan citizens’ biometric data has already been handed over to an Indian company have been disputed.
The government has previously maintained that Sri Lanka would retain control over and access to the biometric data collected under the project, while Indian entities would provide technical assistance.
The initiative, commonly referred to as the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SL-UDI) project, is intended to establish a digital identity system incorporating biometric identifiers, including fingerprints, facial recognition and iris recognition. India has provided financial and technical assistance for the project.
Mudalige said the government had no mandate to provide Sri Lankan citizens’ sensitive biometric information to foreign companies and called for any potential transfer of such data to be immediately stopped.
Reiterating his demand for the government make public the full details of agreements entered into with India, Mudalige announced that the PSA would stage a protest outside the Indian High Commission in Colombo on Tuesday (15), demanding greater transparency and safeguards over the proposed digital identity program.
–ENCL
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