The Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, two months after a natural disaster, we still debate how to resettle people. For 76 years we can talk about everyone’s forebears; instead, let’s focus on the 77th year — fix what was destroyed. When the storm came last Saturday, why were the usual hourly SMS alerts absent? Why did action not follow when officials alerted the Government? Why wait until landslides and floods devastated towns? Later they boasted they stayed up all night — that was their job.

¶ 02 We asked for a Select Committee; it was approved today. But don’t turn it into another like the one on releasing 323 containers, chaired by the Justice Minister with the Ports Minister and Deputy Minister for Police — asking the robber’s mother who stole. For this disaster committee, appoint those responsible — the Deputy Minister for Meteorology, Mahaweli, Highways, Environment — and find out where accountability failed. I urge the Speaker to look at this impartially and not reduce everything to politics.

¶ 03 The President told Parliament he would pay Rs. 1 million for a house’s foundation damage, Rs. 500,000 for full house loss, Rs. 500,000 for land — if that was untrue, say so here. But finally, people were promised only Rs. 50,000 and then Rs. 25,000. Pressure now falls on officials; GNs are asked to price cracks in walls. The GN union has stated its position; the Auditor General is yet to be appointed. Do not make officials scapegoats: either pay what was promised or say it cannot be paid; don’t send mobs to officials’ homes.

¶ 04 NBRO has prohibited return to some homes in high-risk areas; yet people are not given alternatives. Tell this House how many have been given alternative lands in these nearly two months; how many got Rs. 500,000? In Nuwara Eliya — Kotmale, Dessford Estate — Kandy, Matale: I was told lands were given; today I checked — they haven’t. Go there and give the lands instead of speeches.

¶ 05 What is the Government’s programme to allocate land to the affected? Meanwhile, look at heavy-handedness elsewhere. There are good education reforms, but some syllabus issues remain; officials are sent on compulsory leave over Grade 6 materials. In Embilipitiya, a ganja field of an MP was raided — the officer who seized it was assaulted and jailed. In Kurunegala, illegal sand mining — any arrests? Yet they’ll go to the AG’s Department with placards for support. Forestry and Geological Survey laws are not enforced against big offenders; only poor villagers get jailed for a latrine pit. In Colombo, an MP openly told officials to ignore a court order against unauthorized construction. This is your politics.

¶ 06 In Trincomalee, the Minister for Police said extra protection was given to a Buddha statue; next day, the OIC and officers re-installed it with umbrellas and drums — now the monk is in jail. Laws bend when you wish; but when it comes to relief for victims, the system bogs down. There is wastage — army rations tender losses — but can’t build a house for a flood victim. They criticize monks, oppose temples; going to Nainativu is called racism. Remember: we fought the LTTE, not Tamil people. Tamils can go to Kataragama, Sinhalese-Buddhists can go to Nainativu, Catholics to Madhu. Your mindset of labelling everything as racism is over.

¶ 07 Give me 30 seconds more, Hon. Deputy Chairperson. When in Opposition you promised Rs. 150,000 per acre for crop loss; now it’s Rs. 150,000 per hectare. Correct me if wrong. Then, only crops were damaged; today entire lands — bunds and soil — are destroyed. I ask the Government to swiftly implement a plan to return people to their village lands; grand speeches here won’t help.