Marrying a Sri Lankan? You'll need the Defense Ministry's blessing

Policy aimed at protecting citizens' 'safety' draws widespread ridicule

20220105 Gotabaya Rajapaksa and document

Sri Lankans must get approval from the Defense Ministry to wed foreigners under a legal rule issued by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's government. (Source photos by Yuji Kuronuma and Reuters)

MUNZA MUSHTAQ, Contributing Writer

January 6, 2022 16:14 JST

COLOMBO -- Nithya Jayakody, a Sri Lankan citizen, was busy making elaborate plans with her European fiance for a grand wedding in Sri Lanka in August this year, but her nuptials were dealt a serious setback after the government announced in late December that starting Jan. 1, all marriages between Sri Lankans and foreigners must be approved by the country's Defense Ministry.