The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, I wish to clarify to the House the removal of several name boards erected by the Department of Archaeology in the Eastern Province. Complaints have been received at the Valachchenai and Kokkadicholai Police Stations that certain individuals removed several of the 68 name boards placed by the Archaeology Department to identify routes to archaeological sites in the Valachchenai and Kokkadicholai Police Divisions.

¶ 02 A complaint was lodged at the Valachchenai Police on 2025.11.23 by Sivalog Kannan Silojini, Development Officer at the Kiran Archaeology Office, stating that six archaeology-marked name boards installed at Handiya, Pallachchenai, Kondakachchenai, and Saraweli to identify the route to the Dewimalei archaeological site in the Valachchenai Division were removed on 2025.11.22. The complaint further states these boards were removed by S. Sudhakaran, Chairman of the Valachchenai Pradeshiya Sabha, Deputy Secretary Padmanithan, Pradeshiya Sabha Members Ananda Sivacharasah and Selva Nagar, and a resident named Sundaralingam of Pulipanichchal, Kiran.

¶ 03 Accordingly, in relation to this incident, on 2025.11.24 (today), the Inspector General of Police has initiated an investigation under the Assistant Superintendent of Police – Valachchenai, to report facts to the Hon. Magistrate of Valachchenai, conduct further investigations, and take suspects and relevant items into custody and produce them before Court.

¶ 04 At the Kokkadicholai Police Division, a complaint was lodged on 2025.11.23 by Mr. Sundaram Sandrakandan, an Archaeology Officer at the Pattipola Divisional Secretariat Office, stating that two archaeology name boards installed on 2025.11.20 indicating the route to the Thandamalai archaeological site—at the 40 Watta Junction and the junction turning to Thandamalai Kochchivila—were removed by certain individuals.

¶ 05 Regarding this removal, the IGP has informed that on 2025.11.24 (today), facts were reported to the Hon. Magistrate of Batticaloa, and an investigation has commenced under the Assistant Superintendent of Police – Kaluwanchikudy, to identify and arrest those who removed the boards.

¶ 06 Hon. Speaker, the law is equal to all. Some imagine they have provincial powers to act as they please—there is no such ability. In the North, South, East, or West, the law is common to all. Therefore, there is no room to take such actions. The name boards marking archaeological sites have long been maintained by the Department of Archaeology under the law. The Government has the right to install such boards anywhere in Sri Lanka. We have observed attempts by certain groups to create communal issues by removing them. As we have consistently stated in this House, there is no room for communalism. The law is common to all. This morning, the Police reported the facts to the Courts. As per the Court’s orders, the Police have been instructed to take into custody the relevant items and responsible individuals and enforce the law.

¶ 07 Thank you very much.