The Hon. (Mrs.) A.M.M.M. Rathwaththe

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, today we debate regulations under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act. Before that, I wish to devote some time to address an important matter.

¶ 02 Sixteen years after the end of the 30-year brutal war, I, as the first woman MP to represent this august House on behalf of the women’s corps of the Tri-Forces, and as one who actively served during the war, must speak briefly about what the Opposition has been saying here about war heroes.

¶ 03 Who created those brutal conflicts? Who divided people by race and religion? For their political agendas, bankrupt political parties—many seated opposite—waged a war. I listened to their speeches over the past days and today.

¶ 04 Frankly, it is shameful. Those who now shed crocodile tears for war heroes—where were you when the brave Commander who led the effort to end the war, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, was hauled off to prison? Where were you when the son of a former President, called a “war hero” by name, licked shoes while war heroes were humiliated? Those who then hid with heads between their legs now come here to cry because someone said “soldiers” instead of “war heroes.”

¶ 05 Where were you when the so-called “Blue Squad” included pampered sons and actors on Army payrolls? Without any qualifications, just because he was the President’s son, naval ranks were thrown to the dogs, and senior officers were deployed for that son’s whims. Where were those now weeping then? When dogs of the so-called elites were bathed by soldiers, when pins were put in their saris, when sand tracks were laid for their sons to race before the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy—did you not see?

¶ 06 After the war ended, the same rulers sidelined the dignity of war heroes and sent them to clean drains in Anuradhapura, Colombo, Kandy and other cities, making it part of their official duty.

¶ 07 If narrow political agendas had not supplied arms to the LTTE; if people had not been divided by race and religion; our disabled war heroes would not be in this plight today, nor would we need to give “war hero” gratuities.

¶ 08 Also, a son of a former President served in the Navy and, as I know, drew no salary. Yet he could spend Rs. 500 million to open a TV channel in his name. How did he earn that money without a salary? It was through stealing public tax money.

¶ 09 As the Government and as one who served in the armed forces, I say: to the beloved mothers and fathers in the North whose children died in the war—they are war heroes; to the beloved mothers and fathers in the South whose children died—they too are war heroes. There is no difference between North, South or East. All who sacrificed in the war are war heroes. Our aim as a Government is not to create more war heroes nor another vile war, but to build a “prosperous country—beautiful lives.” We will take all necessary decisions—if those taken so far are insufficient, we will take more—to achieve that goal. We ask the Opposition: do not be eager to light fires again. It took around 30 years to put out the fires you lit. If you light them again, we are ready to put them out again.

¶ 10 Now, to today’s debate: Gazette Extraordinary No. 2428/07 of 19 March 2025 introduces several amendments to regulations Nos. 5, 7 and 8 under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act. To ease difficulties in importing vehicles from Japan, Bureau Veritas has been appointed as an empowered inspection agent. Benefits include easing practical difficulties importers face and reducing demurrage and process delays, thereby removing costs that would otherwise be added to retail vehicle prices. Thank you for the time given.