The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna

¶ 01 Thank you, Hon. Presiding Member. I will begin in Tamil and conclude in Sinhala.

¶ 02 I am a Jaffna Tamil. Hon. Shritharan has set off a kind of relay with this Adjournment Motion on protecting fundamental human rights of Tamil-speaking people in the North, East and Hill Country. There is no separate Motion for “only Tamils,” “only Hill Country,” or “only Muslims.”

¶ 03 I have no personal brand of politics; I do not ridicule the ITAK or the “bicycle” ACTC, nor claim a 30-year seniority badge or a new label. Whatever Tamil party — they are my brothers. I will not tolerate a Sinhalese belittling them.

¶ 04 Hon. Bimal Rathnayake claimed the Motion framed peoples as Sinhala versus Tamil; Hon. Shritharan did no such thing. That claim is blatantly false. I raised a point of order then.

¶ 05 Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen said abroad they speak of development and forex — true; here we still harp on ethnicity: we Sinhala, we Tamil, we Muslim. Since 1948, the topic has been racism. The NPP claims to reject racism yet acts with ethnic bias — I will give examples. They say “we have given to the North; we opened fisheries jetties like Kurikattuwan.” I have always said: when the Government does good, I will support it. But when a Tamil brother is insulted here — whether Hon. Shritharan or Tamil MPs from Batticaloa — I cannot stay silent. I have neither argument nor racism; I will seek votes anywhere — Matale or Athurugiriya — and come to Parliament.

¶ 06 Hon. Bimal boasted of votes in Jaffna; but after one ride on a cart to pluck mangoes, do not point to that tree every time. You were chased out the second time. When I spoke here, my microphone was cut for eight days. After local elections, could you form even one council in the North? Yet you still say you are not racists.

¶ 07 [Procedural exchanges and remarks were ordered expunged by the Chair.]

¶ 08 You came to this Government promising action against corruption: “Name any MP; speak up,” you said. I table a recent report from Tellippalai Base Hospital about a financial irregularity in the cancer unit. When an SJGH doctor allegedly linked to Mahinda Rajapaksa faced issues, he was arrested. But in the North, frauds go unarrested. Is there one law for the North and another for the South? You arrested Ranil; but he will get bail this evening — and others too. Yet some cannot be touched. Can you arrest the aide of Sumanthiran? You will not — because he speaks for you. Thank you.