The Hon. Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, thank you for the opportunity.

¶ 02 Many speak of the Mullivaikkal tragedy. It is a calamity that should never befall any people, anywhere. During the final phase of the war, as civilians fled Mullivaikkal, unimaginable suffering occurred: a child suckling at a dead mother’s breast; a father shot dead while holding his wife and child by the hands; bodies left for animals to scavenge; families unable to perform last rites. Many of our people still live with trauma, like mental patients, remembering May 18 each year and crying out for justice. Even appeals to the UN have not yielded relief.

¶ 03 Next, in Mullaitivu District, land had been allocated for a Jaffna University campus, but there has been no progress—perhaps due to it being the Vanni. The government must prioritize establishing university campuses in Mullaitivu and Mannar to uplift the education of war-affected communities. Efforts stall repeatedly; this must change.

¶ 04 I recently visited the villages of Konnayan Kudiyiruppu and Kattukkaran Kudiyiruppu in Mannar. Two pressing issues affect Konnayan Kudiyiruppu: first, smallholders are using discarded poultry offal as fertilizer, causing foul stench and attracting flies into homes, food, and children’s items, spreading disease. This practice, banned in Puttalam, has shifted to our area by those coming from there. It should be prohibited here too.

¶ 05 Second, there is a canned fish factory discharging waste openly, severely contaminating local water sources, making them unusable. These must be addressed.

¶ 06 On education, the Vanni continues to be neglected. While Jaffna reportedly has excess teachers, the Vanni lacks teachers in science, mathematics, and other key subjects. Despite this, principals and education officers strive to keep standards up. But if neglect continues, we will be compelled to launch a strong struggle. The Northern Provincial Education Department and the government must act. Our Governor is concerned, but neglect persists. This is an early warning.

¶ 07 Thank you.