The Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I begin with the incidents in Trincomalee last evening and this morning, relevant to the Ministry of Justice and National Integration.

¶ 02 This Government came to power pledging to uproot racism, acknowledging the grievances of Tamils and Muslims arising from racist policies since Independence, and promising system change to prevent repetition.

¶ 03 In that context: in 1827, Trincomalee’s population was 74.52% Tamil, 24.72% Muslim, 0.53% Sinhala. In 1946, just before Independence: 48.74% Tamil, 39.6% Muslim, 9.87% Sinhala, the increase due to WWII and the Eastern Naval Command being established there. Today Sinhala are 26.97%. Tamils speak of ethnic conflict because, over 76 years, State-sponsored manoeuvres systematically made Tamil-speakers a minority in their historical areas. That is the crux.

¶ 04 Regarding the specific viharaya site: a small structure there was wiped out by the 2004 tsunami. The viharaya was then relocated to Sangamiththa Viharaya, and the beach land made public for tourism. The Coast Conservation Department prohibits buildings within 300 metres of the coastline; alternative land was given. In 2014, under Mahinda Rajapaksa, despite the high-risk designation and alternative land, the beach land was again allocated to the viharaya, and it remained quiet. Last week, a tuck shop was to be built; the Coast Conservation Department took legal action against the vihara authorities as the structure was illegal; they asked for a week to respond. Meanwhile, the incident occurred and was racialized.

¶ 05 Several people approached Hon. Minister Ananda Wijepala; to his credit, decisions taken yesterday were correct—aligned with your mandate: stand by the law and against racism. But today, the same Minister came and falsely claimed the decisions were to protect the statue.

¶ 06 How does Justice and National Integration come in? That Ministry must undo past racist acts, reverse post-war manipulations that enabled colonization projects, and ensure justice prevails—not capitulate to pressure from a now-minority in that area. You were elected—159 Members—on the promise you would act differently. Instead of backtracking, go to the Sinhala people and tell them the truth; explain the injustice. Ordinary Sinhala people did not oppose; hired goons did—one of our MPs was assaulted by them. Do not betray the Tamils and non-Sinhala voters who trusted you.

¶ 07 On the Office of the Independent Prosecutor: we welcomed it in the last Budget Debate. There is an inherent conflict if the same department both defends the Government and prosecutes—justice must be seen to be done. However, the Government has tried to present this Office as the answer to heinous war-time crimes alleged against the military and State. These are separate issues. The Tamil people will support the Office regardless, as fundamental to a credible system. But it cannot be touted as a mechanism to deal with genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes; that will never be accepted.

¶ 08 Therefore, when ITAK calls for a Division on the Votes of Justice and National Integration today, we will support voting against it—because on war-related heinous crimes, this Ministry and the Foreign Affairs Ministry have, like their predecessors, ensured victims do not get justice. If you are not following in their footsteps, you cannot stand for the same principles and actions. Hence, we will vote against.

¶ 09 Thank you.