The Hon. Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan

¶ 01 Thank you, Hon. Presiding Member.

¶ 02 I am pleased to speak at the Committee Stage debate on the Budget Heads of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, and thank you for presiding.

¶ 03 The Government has made some positive announcements for the upcountry people in this Budget and I welcome that. However, massive allocations have been made to Defence. The Minister explained why, but we cannot accept it as is.

¶ 04 In the Northern Province, each army camp has appropriated large extents of land. For example, the Channaray training camp holds many acres, preventing local people even from fishing in the local tanks; people are left landless. Menik Farm, which historically sustained 300,000 as a farm area, has been seized by the Army. In Mullaitivu and other places too, many acres of our people’s lands have been taken; the Army engages in income-generating activities there. I personally saw Army personnel sun-drying chillies along a one-kilometre stretch near the Menik Farm camp. During the war, they seized people’s lands and cattle.

¶ 05 Along the A-9, they run eateries and barber shops at prime points. Having seized many acres and earning revenue with agriculture and cashew plantations, where does that revenue go? Can you show proper accounts? Every time the State tries to take lands, the people stand with their deeds and protest for their own lands—this continues even today.

¶ 06 Therefore, why do the tri-forces seize our people’s lands? The President has released some lands; we ask that all lands of the people held by the Army be fully released. Our people have placed great trust not just in this Government but in the President personally—please release all people’s lands. I am not asking to release State lands with active camps; I ask that farm lands be returned to the people and their cattle restored. Why are Army shops operating on the A-9? Where does that revenue go?

¶ 07 Near a bridge in Mannar District, the Army has a checkpoint. We accept that checkpoints are needed to intercept narcotics. But please move that checkpoint a little further into Thallady, in front of the big camp, and release the current site for public use. Then the local authority can develop the walkway and create a children’s play area. If the checkpoint is moved, it will benefit the people.

¶ 08 While our people trust the President, such actions create a sense of being in a war without gunfire. Though you allocate more funds to Defence, I again ask: where does the Army’s local revenue go?

¶ 09 On the Police: there are positive changes. As a people’s representative, I see them treating all equally. They stopped me on the road, asked for my identity card—that is good. The Police treating everyone as equal is welcome. If this is sustained and effectively used, the drug eradication effort can succeed; we are ready to cooperate.

¶ 10 However, the Mannar police station is in poor condition—the buildings are dilapidated, toilets unfit, dengue risk present. Please attend to this urgently.

¶ 11 On online business mafias: the Leader of the Opposition spoke well. Rural people are being defrauded. Just as you pursue drug eradication, please also act against online mafias. For example, in Devanpiddy, a poor fisherman’s family was cheated of Rs. 5 million by a company called Food Court Cream; the victim, Mr. Grony, died by suicide due to the scam. Please act.

¶ 12 To truly develop the country and secure our youths’ future and economy, the Prevention of Terrorism Act must be repealed. Only if the PTA is repealed will we see economic gains. Though you speak of reforms, we still do not know the extent or timeline. I reiterate: reduce defence expenditure; account for military revenues; return all people’s lands held by the forces; and stop planting Buddhist relics and claiming sites via Archaeology to impose a religious identity. If the Government claims to be free of racism and religious bias, do not allow such practices. A small spark can ignite sectarian flames. Give equal status to all. I conclude.