The Hon. Lal Premanath

¶ 01 Mr. Presiding Member, I move:

¶ 02 “Whereas measures taken to prevent suicide among young persons—such as training school teachers in counselling, establishing counselling units at every Divisional Secretariat and District Secretariat, conducting diploma/degree/postgraduate counselling programs in state and private universities, and setting up psychiatric units in all major hospitals—have proved inadequate; this Parliament resolves that political authorities, public officials, electronic and print media, and the public must intervene more deeply.”

¶ 03 Sri Lanka ranked among the highest in suicide rates, notably in the 1990s. Despite interventions, we have not achieved sufficient, effective engagement. Data from Police and the Health Ministry focusing on ages 15–29 show high female suicides among 15–19 year‑olds—school‑going age—linked to breakups, exam stress and failure, and parental conflicts; recently, cyberbullying and certain online games also factor.

¶ 04 Among 20–29 year‑old males, drugs and employment problems dominate—economic stress, addiction, unemployment, and domestic disputes. Though overall rates declined from late‑1990s peaks, young suicides and attempts remain high. Annually, roughly 15–20% of suicides are under 30. Of every 10–20 attempts, one results in death.

¶ 05 Key issues include weaknesses in counselling systems and stigma. Mental illness is still mocked, deterring treatment. Poor coordination among schools, police, divisional offices, and hospitals impedes accurate data and response. Crises like the pandemic increased psychological distress.

¶ 06 We must allocate more funds to save young lives—at district and divisional levels—and leverage “Praja Shakthi” community structures. The Youth and Sports Ministry should give this added focus. Education should embed personality development and resilience. Counselling officers must be more field‑oriented and work with community networks, intervening both before and after incidents to prevent clustering effects.

¶ 07 The media must also act responsibly. Some sensationalize suicides for ratings or political aims; songs romanticize suicide and “meeting in the afterlife,” shaping harmful attitudes. I saw this morning a media outlet label a death as suicide; later police called it suspicious. Media must avoid sensationalism.

¶ 08 Parents should reduce pressure from over‑structuring children’s education and heed guidance from the Women and Children’s Affairs Ministry; relevant laws should link to this effort. Parents must understand social media and online gaming risks—their responsibility is pivotal. I propose a national rapid‑response unit; with such an entity we could save perhaps 3,000 lives a year.

¶ 09 Thank you.