The Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha

¶ 01 Hon. Chairman, I am pleased to have this opportunity, with the Hon. President—also the Minister of Defence—present in the House.

¶ 02 Hon. President, when we speak about national security, law and order, and peace, we must focus on the Police. Recently, we saw the underworld raising its head: killings even in broad daylight inside court premises and on main roads, innocent people including children being murdered; people losing confidence to even enter courts safely.

¶ 03 I do not point a finger at the Government alone, but the Government has a responsibility. I entered Parliament in 2013. We remember how you criticized such things while in Opposition. Therefore, we all accept that the Police must be independent. But recently, a large number of Police officers were transferred. I suspect these transfers affected these incidents to some extent because many were not done properly or justifiably. They say a special unit transferred them based on intelligence. Yet, many officers-in-charge were transferred without a charge sheet. Some had good recommendations from their ASPs, SSPs, SPs and DIGs, but were moved based on other “requests”—from Government, the Police Minister, or the Acting IGP—rather than on proper assessments. This has demotivated officers and emboldened the underworld. The method of transfers has been a serious problem.

¶ 04 Police OICs are being faulted for not going on raids, but the system does not authorize OICs to directly conduct raids or issue search orders themselves. On such flimsy bases, officers were moved. As a result, Police OICs’ confidence fell, while the underworld’s confidence grew.

¶ 05 You also know about the STF. Generally OICs interact with politicians to some extent, but the STF is relatively insulated. However, significant transfers even within the STF, and throwing officers around, have weakened the STF, which helped the underworld to rise. The STF is a highly capable unit, vital for suppressing the underworld, narcotics, and other crimes. Today, the STF’s contribution has often become ineffective. As I understand, there is only an Acting Commandant; this too has affected matters.

¶ 06 Over the last month and a half, you cannot find even one Police station that seized as little as 5 kilos of drugs. Please pay urgent attention. I hear the Kaduwela OIC was transferred because there were two shooting incidents in that area. If two shootings justify a transfer, then many OICs should be transferred. Using such reasons to justify targeted transfers is unfair. I believe most officers have not become politicized.

¶ 07 The Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, Mr. Ravi Seneviratne, is present in the building. Hon. Ranjith Madduma Bandara and I, before the 52-day conspiracy, served as Minister and State Minister of Law and Order. We did not view officials through a political lens. There are many capable officers. Even under President Rajapaksa’s time, there were capable officers who worked with us after 2015. We did not suspect or hate them; they progressed. In any institution, a small percentage may be corrupt or incompetent, but looking at everyone with suspicion is not helpful. Work with the capable teams and move forward.

¶ 08 We worked with Ravi Seneviratne and Shani Abeysekara—capable officers who were subjected to revenge and injustice. The Sri Lanka Police as a whole did not take revenge on them; the former governments did. So, do not treat the Police Department suspiciously or angrily because of that. It is not right.

¶ 09 On the Easter Sunday attacks: that tragedy gave you a strong public mandate. People expect justice for the victims. As Hon. Rasamanickam asked: who ran the Tripoli platoon and those armed squads? The seed of the Easter attack began in the East—Vavunativu, the rise of Zaharan’s organization, etc. I recall when I was State Minister, some bogus narrative involving Namal Kumara and Mr. Maithripala Sirisena led to the arrest of Nalaka Silva. The current State Minister of Defence, Mr. Arjuna Jayasekara, was then the Eastern Province Governor. He can be empowered to help conclude the investigations. The Cardinal, the Catholic Church, the Catholic community, and the entire nation expect quick justice under your Government—without hiding anything.

¶ 10 About our war heroes: they ended the war and then supported your party and Government through your “Adithana” organization. Do justice to them too. Their request is “One Rank, One Pension.” I believe your policy statement included that. Yet, it is still not implemented. Hon. President, please ensure that by 2025, for all who retired, across all ranks, an equal and fair pension scheme is implemented without discriminatory tiers.

¶ 11 On policewomen: I hear even a set of shoes has not been provided for a long time. Please address such basic needs. This is not to point fingers but to ensure justice and provide necessary facilities.

¶ 12 On the passport transaction: we hear the current supplier has been given the order to produce 750,000 passports; and that a Cabinet Paper has been presented to procure another 1.1 million passports. If irregularities and defects exist, how can new orders be placed with the same firm? Hon. Ananda Wijepala, Hon. President—has such an order been given or a Cabinet Paper presented? If no final decision has been taken, ensure transparency; we know the public needs passports and the queues are long. But if there were irregularities, place orders with the proper company through a transparent process. There are many printing defects: wrong spellings such as “Yapahuna/Yapahuwa” misprinted, fewer pages than specified, etc. Correct these; a passport embodies our national pride. Ensure quality, proper page counts, and value for money.

¶ 13 On national security and the North-East: many lands are still held for Army camps and purposes. The people of the North-East gave, for the first time in history, a notable mandate to a southern party. Those are their traditional farmlands. I am not saying remove all camps from the North-East and bring them down south. Relocate where appropriate and return traditional lands to the people—a fair measure after 30 years of war. You gave that promise; they believed it.

¶ 14 Most important to national security is creating an enabling environment and meeting people’s expectations. You promised to abolish the Executive Presidency and bring a new Constitution with a strengthened parliamentary system. Many before said this and failed—President Chandrika and then Mahinda Rajapaksa. Hon. President, carry through. With a new Constitution you can also stabilize national security and move the country forward, building trust in the North-East. I don’t think you are clinging to executive power; you think of the people. Bring the new Constitution and build trust.

¶ 15 The underworld is mostly concentrated in the Western and Southern Provinces. In the North Western Province it is minimal. You can use the military to suppress the underworld in the Western and Southern Provinces. Those in the North-East do not intend to divide the country or take up arms again. Do not give such groups reasons in the future. Devolve power to the Provincial Councils. We, the SJB, will not ignite the country; we are not chauvinists. In the past, when governments tried to do the right thing, the Opposition would cry “the country will be divided.” But today, with 159 MPs, you can amend the Constitution and devolve power. We will support good measures. We promise not to incite the North-East or the South.

¶ 16 Hon. President, as the nation’s leader and the Minister responsible for national security, resolve these issues, ensure justice to the Tamil people and all our people, and steer the country correctly so we too can do politics and live happily here. I conclude.

¶ 17 Thank you.