The Hon. Muneer Mulaffer - Deputy Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, on behalf of the Government, I extend condolences to all who lost their lives. During this disaster, our Tri-Forces, Police, and other agencies faced great challenges. In any disaster there are three groups: the victims who lost lives, property, and businesses; the responders—the Tri-Forces, Police, officials, religious leaders, civil groups—who risk themselves to save others; and a third group who, instead of helping, spread rumors and try to gain political mileage, even to the point of attempting to create panic about dam spill gates like at Kotmale.

¶ 02 After the 2004 tsunami, Parliament appointed committees and produced reports on how the country should act in such events, including learning from other countries, but implementation lagged. Since this Government took office, Disaster Management Committees have been convened at district level, particularly in Gampaha, discussing mitigation and management.

¶ 03 Many countries—India, Pakistan, UAE, Russia, the USA, China—offered assistance immediately. Our duty is not to politicize but to clasp hands and help people return to normal life. Let us, as Sri Lankans at home and abroad, unite and move forward together.