The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, today’s Bill to establish the National Building Research Institute has been brought by the National People’s Power Government. Through this, areas affected by natural disasters — in particular, landslides — will have a body that is legally organized to function, beyond the structure that existed previously. In his introductory remarks, the Hon. Minister said the institute would legally operate henceforth, focusing on restoring regions and buildings damaged by natural disasters.

¶ 02 When we speak about landslides, we must also pay attention to flooding and the hardships people face. Such regions are found across the country. For example, in Batticaloa District, the devastation caused by last year’s floods remains unaddressed. Although the District Development Committee, Minister, and Governor then promised, through the Disaster Management Centre, that certain matters would be rectified, nothing has happened to date. Roads leading to Porativu Pattu and Maalayarkattu remain unrepaired; these are roads that are severely affected by floods every year.

¶ 03 When planning roads and streets in such regions, if the National Building Research Institute were also mandated to assess and approve with respect to landslides and flood risks, it would be better. While earlier governments attempted some of this, this government has actually brought the Bill. However, as Deputy Minister for Environment would know, in our districts the damage caused by illegal sand mining and ilmenite extraction permitted by GSMB under the Central Environmental Authority could exceed the natural landslide damage. In Thirukkovil, Vakarai and similar areas, permits are being issued for such extraction, creating conditions for future disasters. I urge the Hon. Minister to pay attention to these matters as well.

¶ 04 The NPP Government is completing one year since President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s election on 21 September last year. Within this year, what solutions has he proposed for the problems faced by the Tamil people? There is hardly anything to point to. In fact, solutions have not been provided to the people at large either. Specifically, on the key problems of the Tamil people, we cannot identify any satisfactory solution by this government.

¶ 05 As the one-year mark approached, to have answers when asked “What have you done in a year?”, the President rushed to Jaffna in the first week of this month and launched some development projects, and similarly in Colombo. I saw the Minister in charge of transport attend the Jaffna District Development Committee and proudly say that the NPP Government opened a road. Sir, on that road you can only travel; you cannot alight from the vehicle. If the road is two kilometres long, along that length you can only travel without getting down, because the lands beside the road remain occupied by the military. You cannot call this land release or road opening.

¶ 06 Across the North and East, land and pasture issues persist. In Batticaloa, Mayilathamadu Maathavanai pastureland must be declared by Gazette as pasture; otherwise, if it remains under the Mahaweli Authority, inter-ethnic tensions will follow. Farmers there have struggled and requested a Gazette notification for 730 days; even after asking your government, not even preliminary steps have been taken. This is the main cultivation season; within a short time, encroachers will come and seize that pastureland. The government has not even conducted a study to provide a permanent solution.

¶ 07 Similarly, regarding the release of lands occupied by military camps, if you visit you will see nothing has happened. Forest Department lands too: when the responsible Minister visited Batticaloa District, he said such lands would be released; months have passed and nothing has occurred — only words.

¶ 08 On past human rights violations faced by our people, we cannot accept the government’s approach. This morning I read that bullets were found at the site selected for a new international cricket ground in Mandaitivu, Jaffna; in Chemmany, human skeletal remains continue to be found, yet no action has been taken.

¶ 09 The President, Prime Minister and Ministers said Provincial Council elections would be in early 2025; then late 2025; now they say 2026, but they show no interest in bringing the necessary legislation. They said they would abolish the executive presidency; nothing concrete has been said. No talks have begun on a new Constitution. I can list more.

¶ 10 Let me state clearly: our problems are worse than before. Previous governments at least openly said “We will not do these.” But these leaders say, “We are not racists; we have the greatest concern for the people of the North,” and keep deceiving our people. We cannot continue to allow this.

¶ 11 I will also say a few things in Sinhala.