The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, please allow me two more minutes because I must state these points.

¶ 02 Israel is conducting inhumane attacks in violation of the laws of war, human justice and international law. When the arrested youth, Rusthi, was presented before the All Ceylon Jameiyyathul Ulama (ACJU), Sri Lanka Police Media Spokesman Mr. Nihal Thalduwa/Buddhika Mahanayake Manathunga [police spokesman referenced in OCR] stated that the ACJU had said he was beyond the status of an ordinary Muslim and needed rehabilitation.

¶ 03 Hon. Presiding Member, please conclude your speech.

¶ 04 Hon. Presiding Member, please give me two more minutes to speak about the matter related to our All Ceylon Jameiyyathul Ulama. The Police Media Spokesman has issued a false statement concerning our ACJU. We never made any such comment, and the ACJU immediately rejected it. At present, the young man is being held by the Terrorism Investigation Division in 90 days’ detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, according to the Police Media Spokesman.

¶ 05 Hon. Member, the allotted time is over. Please conclude.

¶ 06 Hon. Presiding Member, please allow me one more minute.

¶ 07 In the past, rulers used the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to take revenge on all those who exposed the misdeeds and anti-democratic activities of the ruling party and criticized it. At that time, the present President Anura Kumara, who was in the Opposition, along with other Opposition Members of Parliament, not only criticized the wrongdoings of the then ruling party but also demanded the repeal of the PTA. You came to power promising to abolish the PTA and to bring a new Constitution. Now, having come to power, you have used the PTA to arrest Rusthi, a young man who merely pasted a sticker condemning Israel’s inhumane massacres. This has damaged the trust that the Muslim people of Sri Lanka had placed in the ruling party. Please understand this reality.