The Hon. Mujibur Rahuman

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, regarding the expenditure head of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, I wish to raise several important points.

¶ 02 On 14 November, a defence agreement was signed between the United States and Sri Lanka—between the Ministry of Defence and the Montana National Guard. The Secretary to the Ministry of Defence signed on our side. The US Ambassador, Julie Chung, issued a message yesterday stating: “The State Partnership Programme MoU between the Montana National Guard and Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence was signed on 14 November and tabled today in Parliament.” She says it was tabled yesterday. It was not tabled yesterday, nor today. Perhaps the government told the Ambassador it would be tabled. We tell the government: do not lie—table the agreement in Parliament.

¶ 03 A few quick points. Yesterday, the President said we fear Ravi and Shani. We do not. In 2005 he rose to the stage and brought a group to power—those around him fear Ravi and Shani; not us. From 2015–2019, Ravi Seneviratne and Shani Abeysekara worked with us; we respect them.

¶ 04 When Gotabaya’s government took revenge on Ravi and Shani, SJB MPs raised their voices in this House—while the now President sat here silently then. Now he speaks, but then he did not. Ravi and Shani are frustrated because DIG Mahinda Disanayake, who was found to have harassed them, was promoted; and Ranawira, who obstructed CID’s Zahran investigations, is now an advisor at Public Security. The President tries to turn this frustration against us. The IGP and the Public Security Minister are not allowing them to work. Has the Public Security Minister ever told this House that these two officers are doing a good job? Never. Only the President speaks thus. Why? Because his own Minister won’t let them work.