The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, as my time is limited, I will speak in Tamil.

¶ 02 Former U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a tariff against this country. Trump’s tariff is not an ordinary tariff; it is part of an economic war declared by powerful nations to subjugate powerful countries in the Asia-Pacific region. That is the truth. He devised a mathematical formula and imposed a 44 percent tariff on Sri Lanka, now reduced to 20 percent. The order says: “Certain foreign trading partners identified in Annex I”—Sri Lanka is listed—“have agreed to, or are on the verge of concluding, meaningful trade and security agreements with the United States.” It is clear we have compromised our security in some way to regain trade access. We have taken about USD 3 billion from them, while they receive only about USD 386 million from Sri Lanka. Even if they take 1,110 items, that gap of USD 3.6 billion cannot be bridged.

¶ 03 What has happened is that our security has been placed under constraint. Specifically, the Government has offered up the safety of the Muslim community living in this country, to facilitate entry by the Israel Defense Forces—acting as American proxies and representatives—into Sri Lanka. You have reduced the tariff to 20 percent by pawning the security of the Muslims. You must state that here.