The Hon. (Dr.) Elayathamby Srinath

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I thank the Tamil-speaking people of Batticaloa who elected me, the Almighty, and my party. I pay homage to our brothers and the Tamil national leader who raised their voices against oppression and fought for the Tamil people. I also congratulate the Hon. President, who has promised an honest, prosperous, non-violent and corruption-free governance, and his Government which has secured a strong majority.

¶ 02 Sri Lanka is a beautiful island. Why, 75 years after Independence, has it reached this state? Those who alternated in power used racism to serve their political interests and climb to power. For decades, Tamil people faced suppression, discrimination, language-rights violations, and land grabs. Consequently, the Tamil-speaking people had to fight for their rights and their livelihoods. Initially, they struggled non-violently through negotiations, but after being deceived, the armed struggle erupted. Today that struggle has fallen silent. In its aftermath, Tamil people suffered unspeakable pain, and the nation itself decayed and collapsed economically. In this context, we are at a decisive juncture to determine what must be done.

¶ 03 In the brutal war, Tamil people faced indescribable suffering; they were discriminated against in ethnicity, language, and land; their fundamental rights were denied. The new Government’s policy speech spoke of an inclusive, non-violent, corruption-free governance. We thank the President for this assurance. However, we are concerned that no firm positions were presented on the future political framework. After the war, many families became female-headed; many became persons with disabilities; they lost livelihoods. A basic support structure must be established for them.

¶ 04 I am here as a representative of Batticaloa. The district has resources—especially fisheries, paddy fields, and livestock—yet it lags economically. A robust development framework is needed. The Paduvankarai (west of the lagoon) area lacks strong infrastructure and facilities; a programme must be established to develop that region.

¶ 05 Future programmes must be implemented without bias, unlike in the past. Tamil people must be granted political rights related to Tamil nationalism and self-determination. Their language rights must be respected; their land rights protected. In this context, we are ready to work with you to rebuild the country. Raising our voice against oppression, questioning land occupation, safeguarding language rights, and demanding justice are not racism—they are our free voice. The Government must act with great sensitivity.

¶ 06 We are not against our Sinhala brothers or the country. We are against oppression, discrimination, violence and corruption. The new Government’s pledges inspire confidence. That confidence must be preserved. A lasting political solution must be found for the Tamil people; their language and land rights must be protected.

¶ 07 In the Mayilathamadu–Madhavanai area in Batticaloa, thousands of acres have been encroached upon and exploited. No firm assurances have yet been given to stop this. The Ilmenite resource in Vakarai is being plundered according to a plan; we need assurances to stop and rectify this.

¶ 08 The Tamil people of the North and East voted for the ITAK to secure their rights and sent us here. The Government must act to protect those rights and implement programmes without corruption and violence. Just as you are eager to build an honest and prosperous nation, we expect the same eagerness to deliver a lasting political solution and protect language rights. We are ready to join you in rebuilding the country. Please give us a clear signal. Thank you for the opportunity; I conclude.