The Hon. Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, I wish to speak on three main matters: the President’s Throne Speech, the Vote on Account, and the recent floods.

¶ 02 First, I thank the people of the North and East who voted for the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), giving me the opportunity to speak as a people’s representative in Sri Lanka’s 10th Parliament. I also extend appreciation to the National People’s Power (NPP), which has formed a single-party government, and to its 22 women MPs including those representing persons with special needs.

¶ 03 Though we are in Opposition, our party will support progressive measures of the government.

¶ 04 I am 56. From childhood we grew with a mindset of opposing whichever government came, because minorities were not treated equally. My father was a communist and long-time member of the Communist Party. I was raised without distinctions of race, caste, or religion; I see all as human. Yet why did resentment grow in us? This House must reflect on that.

¶ 05 There is a national anthem and a national flag. We could not respect them as others did; the House must understand why.

¶ 06 With a two-thirds majority of 159 MPs, this government should establish a system that treats all citizens equally so such alienation does not arise.

¶ 07 The Minister of Public Security said peace requires a change of mindset. Behavioural change cannot be achieved in a day. We must build mutual trust. Who begins that trust, and how? With your two-thirds, the government must initiate trust-building.

¶ 08 A positive step: last month our people held remembrance events for relatives and friends who died in the war without being obstructed. I thank the government on behalf of my people. That is goodwill. Another issue: some cemeteries where our relatives are buried remain military camps—for example, the Thuyilum Illam at Eechankulam, Vavuniya. Parents should be allowed annually to pay respects; the site should be declared a cemetery, not remain a military camp, otherwise it hinders trust-building. Also, political prisoners who have been in jail for 25–30 years—whether for crimes committed or alleged—should be released. The government should undertake such goodwill measures.

¶ 09 How did the NPP come to power? After Anura Kumara Dissanayake won the presidential election, major changes occurred. In that presidential election he received about 27,000 votes in one area; within two months, the parliamentary election brought around 80,000 votes to his party. People voted believing he would create a corruption-free, egalitarian, youthful, commons-based governance.

¶ 10 If you do not foster this trust, peace and tranquility will not come to this country. I conclude. Thank you.