The Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, before addressing today’s Debate, I wish to raise an important matter. In Udayanagar East, Kilinochchi District, a villu paattu (epic ballad) artist, Kanesukumar Sangeethkan, has recently been arrested and detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). In this country, artists, creators and journalists have repeatedly been summoned and intimidated by the Terrorism Investigation Division merely for expressing their views freely; many works have been suppressed from publication. The arrest and detention of this folk artist is yet another assault on freedom of expression. The PTA continues to be used as an instrument of repression. Therefore, we reiterate that the PTA is unnecessary and must be repealed. I call for the immediate release of Sangeethkan and the removal of the PTA from our statute books.

¶ 02 Next, on Northern Province fisheries: fishers in Mullaitivu, Mannar, Kilinochchi and Jaffna have become among the most impoverished today. They face severe hardship compounded by illegal practices such as purse-seine (surukku valai) fishing and light-assisted fishing, which devastate livelihoods.