The Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan

¶ 01 Human Rights Issues Faced by the Tamil Community in the North, the East and in Malaiyagam.

¶ 02 Hon. Speaker, during the Adjournment, I move the following:

¶ 03 I draw attention to and seek action on longstanding daily issues faced by the indigenous Tamil people of Sri Lanka, including: 1. Opening the doors to negotiations for a dignified, durable and permanent political solution through power-sharing, which Tamil people have sought for eight years without progress. 2. Release of Tamil political prisoners; arrests and investigations under the Prevention of Terrorism Act; protection for journalists and independent media practitioners. 3. For Malaiyagam estate workers: individual housing rights, residential land rights, livelihood land rights—past efforts including Indian housing assistance have not progressed; call for new, credible alternatives. 4. Resettlement and normal life for those internally displaced for over 35 years who still cannot return to their own lands; release of State and private lands occupied by the military in the North and East. 5. Estate schools belatedly integrated into the national system after 1977 remain the most backward; need special allocations and attention in new education reforms. 6. Encroachment upon Tamil historical sites via the Department of Archaeology. 7. Crises faced by fishermen and farmers. 8. Justice for the disappeared; and fair investigations into mass graves and human remains identified in several sites in the North and East, including the skeletons exhumed at the Hindu cemetery at Ariyalai, Chavakachcheri, Sittuppathy, and others. 9. Lack of progress on commitments in the “Hatton Declaration” of 15.10.2023 by the now-ruling party (then in Opposition) regarding land, housing, equal opportunity in public service, education, health, income, wages, poverty and discrimination faced by estate women. 10. Military interventions in civil processes in the North and East, including incidents such as the death of a family man following an assault by the military at Muthaiyankattu in Mullaitivu. 11. The need for impartial justice for Tamil people facing continuous human rights challenges.

¶ 04 Hon. Speaker, there are two nationalities in this country: Tamil and Sinhala. Foundational issues between these nationalities have persisted for over 80 years without resolution. Agreements proposed—Bandaranaike-Chelvanayakam Pact (1957), Dudley-Chelva Pact (1965)—were torn up. No fundamental solution emerged. Through Parliament, Tamil leaders sought a just, dignified political settlement, but those efforts were shelved.

¶ 05 The Indo-Lanka Accord signed on 29 July 1987 by Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi and President J.R. Jayewardene laid a foundation, but like a patient in spasm, progress stalled for 38 years. As an international agreement, it still lingers without implementation regarding a political solution.

¶ 06 Under President R. Premadasa, the Mangala Moonasinghe Committee proposed ideas which were later set aside. Proposals under President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (1995–1997) and the 2000 draft Bill were also shelved. During Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s time, Oslo and Tokyo statements did not translate into implementation. Later, President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s inaugural address at the All Party Representatives Committee (APRC) and the Expert Committee reports contemplated 13+ power sharing. These too remained unimplemented.

¶ 07 This Government nears one year in office this November, yet appears not to have taken steps towards resolving this eight-decade problem. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has addressed this House multiple times in 2024 and 2025, and abroad, but we have not heard a clear pathway to open doors for a solution to the national question.

¶ 08 The NPP/JVP tradition has sacrificed greatly—leaders, cadres, property—through uprisings and a political revolution to gain power. Likewise, Tamils in the North and East struggled, losing over 60,000 youth, with hundreds of thousands extinguished; human remains lie in many places. Armed struggle arose only after democratic struggles were crushed. We do not challenge or compete with you; as equal partners in this nation, we seek a way forward together, recognizing our language, culture, history and identity, alongside those of the Sinhala nation.

¶ 09 Claims that human history here began with Vijaya overlook 5,000-year-old human remains found in Sri Lanka, including at Polonnaruwa, showing indigenous peoples—Sinhala and Tamil—lived here, including Iyakkars and Nagars.

¶ 10 We are a people who once lived with sovereignty. Colonial powers took that sovereignty and handed it to the Sinhala majority at independence. The national question remains under majoritarian dominance. We seek a solution grounded in democracy and human rights. The President promised a “United, Clean and Prosperous Sri Lanka” and said, “I see an opportunity.” Please open the doors to peace. For development to be achieved, power must be shared so all can live without fear.

¶ 11 Once Singapore aspired to reach Sri Lanka’s heights; today Sri Lanka looks up to Singapore. How will we reach progress? Open the doors to reconciliation.