Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I first pay homage in this august House to “Thiyaga Theepam Thileepan,” born Rasiah Parthipan, who fasted unto death non-violently for the rights of Eelam Tamils. Though 38 years have passed since his sacrifice, Tamils still live in their traditional homeland with rights denied. Planned Sinhalese settlements continue; Tamil political prisoners remain detained; militarization in the Tamil homeland continues. The vision for which Thileepan sacrificed his life remains unfulfilled — in that sense Parthipan still remains hungry.

¶ 02 On the Kivul Oya project: In Vavuniya North, the ancestral lands of Tamil people are being seized under the name of Kivul Oya in Mahaweli ‘L’ Zone. Dams are to be built blocking Maa Oya (Periyaaru) and Sooriyan Aru to create Kivul Oya. About 6,000 acres of irrigated agricultural lands are to be allocated to majority-community settlers who have encroached upon Weli Oya. Implementing this will submerge many traditional Tamil village tanks and the paddy fields below them in Vavuniya North — including Raman Kulam, Kottodai Kulam, Oyamaddu Kulam, Vellan Kulam, Periyakatukulam, Pannikkal Maddu Kulam, Channamuttamadu Kulam, Pulikkutti Kulam, and others; and parts of fields below Vedi Vaithakallu Kulam, Navalar Paam (ancient Tamil village), Kallaaru Kulam, Eechchan Kulam, Koolang Kulam; as well as villages such as Kattupuwarasankulam, Kanjuramottai and parts of Maruthodai.

¶ 03 The “heartland” of Tamils — the traditional Manal Aru region — is being renamed Weli Oya; the beneficiaries of Kivul Oya will be the new settlers, not the locals. The present NPP Government appears eager to press ahead. I urge this House to immediately halt the Kivul Oya project, release the seized small tanks, paddy lands and villages to their traditional Tamil owners, and enable them to live peacefully and farm their ancestral lands for self-sufficiency.

¶ 04 On the Mannar wind power project: For 55 days, Mannar islanders have protested the siting of wind turbines within residential areas. Despite prior suspension, the Government is attempting to resume, installing 14 turbines of 20MW and 50MW capacities across South Bar, Thalvupadu, Konnayan Kudiyiruppu to Nadukkuda. On 13 August, district representatives and MPs met the President and requested that no such projects be implemented on the island; it was agreed to suspend until people were briefed. Subsequently, from 05.09.2025, meetings were held in Santhipuram, Thalvupadu, Thottaveli, Olai Thoduvai, Pesalai; in all places people expressed strong opposition, and in Pesalai the meeting could not proceed.

¶ 05 On 19 September, large numbers protested outside the Presidential Secretariat. People are not against wind power per se, but oppose construction within dense residential zones of a small island (32 km long, 4 km wide) that already hosts 30 turbines; six more stand at Vankalai and Naruvilikulam — a total of 36 in the district. They believe they already contribute to national energy and renewable targets; further siting within residential areas will make living impossible. We hear instructions have been issued to resume the suspended project. Forcibly imposing a project that harms people’s lives is unacceptable. We urge through this House that it be stopped, and ask the NPP Government not to provoke a confrontation with Mannar’s people.

¶ 06 On fisheries: I informed the Fisheries Minister. On the 15th I went to sea with fishermen and directly witnessed illegal fishing about 15 km offshore, reported in the media. The Minister instructed his Secretary to stop it immediately. Yet neither the Navy nor the Department acted. Is the Navy asleep? Over 1,000 boats enter the Mullaitivu waters and plunder marine resources in broad daylight. What is the response of the Defence State Minister and the Fisheries Minister and Department? Fisher families are left without livelihoods and face starvation. Please stop these illegal activities immediately.

¶ 07 On Keppapulavu: Owing to sustained protests, more lands were released, but 190 acres remain seized. Everyone — the President, the Ministers including Fisheries, and officials — say they will release them soon, yet nothing happens. Sixty families still cannot resettle and are weeping. Why is this?