The Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam

¶ 01 Thank you for at least 18 minutes, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

¶ 02 When this Government took office, I wanted to wish it well. For 77 years two formations governed this country. The current Government’s advent marks a departure. Whatever one may say about the JVP, the predominant constituent of the NPP, they have stood by certain principles, including eradicating racism—the backbone of the ethnic conflict—rooted in a majoritarian Sinhala-Buddhist nationalist ideology that has targeted Tamil-speaking people, especially in the North and East. In that context, we hoped this Budget would demonstrate a new beginning.

¶ 03 Our test is whether there is a significant departure on key issues facing the Tamil people of the North and East that made us oppose previous governments. Given a left-oriented party dominates, we expected focus on the vulnerable and their economies. The President mentioned special attention to the North and East due to 30 years of war. But this Budget has nothing specific recognizing that vulnerability.

¶ 04 He announced Rs. 5 billion for rural roads in the North after being told Jaffna could spend Rs. 1,300 million this year. With five districts, equal division gives Rs. 1,000 million per district—meaning Jaffna gets less than this year’s Rs. 1,300 million. Big headline, problematic detail.

¶ 05 He also announced Rs. 100 million for the Jaffna Library. Welcome, but today Rs. 100 million is inadequate to restore an entire iconic library to its original splendour.

¶ 06 Since 2001, I have called for special provisions for the war-affected North and East—protectionist measures for five to ten years post-2009 to let lagging economies catch up before applying uniform national policies. Previous governments ignored this; we hoped a left-dominated Government would adopt it. They have not.

¶ 07 Capital allocations to District Secretariats in the North are far lower than to districts like Hambantota, Galle, Kalutara, etc.—safe and developed areas—while war-affected districts get under Rs. 200 million. The message contradicts the speech’s intent.

¶ 08 On education, while we welcome modernization, nutrition, scholarships, and sports schools, I ask the Hon. Prime Minister, as Minister for Education and Higher and Vocational Education: pre-school teachers under her Ministry in the North receive only about Rs. 6,000 as an allowance, whereas pre-school teachers under the Defence Ministry’s Civil Security Department receive over Rs. 20,000, even Rs. 30,000. That effectively militarizes pre-school education in the North. This Government is silent and seems to continue that disastrous policy.

¶ 09 For the East, you speak of making it a financial hub with India’s help, while also announcing international bidding for 39 Trincomalee oil tanks—assets India has repeatedly sought under the Indo-Lanka Accord framework. That creates doubts and could undermine India’s willingness to help.

¶ 10 Agriculture and food security: in the North and East, the Forest Department and High Security Zones are a curse. Lands of returnees are designated forests; people are arrested without bail. There is nothing in the Budget addressing this. Without tackling militarization and forest designations, food security is a pipedream.

¶ 11 Dairy: In Mayilathamadu and Madhavanai, over 30,000 acres of dairy lands are being forcibly grabbed by outsiders, destroying livelihoods. Previous governments stood against Tamils on this; this Government says nothing. Protests continue—the second longest after the families of the disappeared.

¶ 12 Irrigation: The President highlights the Maduru Oya Right Bank Development Project. That very project underpinned previous governments’ colonization schemes displacing Tamils and triggering today’s dairy land crises. Continuing it without addressing that history sends shivers down our spine. On the Lower Malwathu Oya Project in Mannar, the genuinely affected are around 15 Muslim families in low-lying flood-prone areas, yet 1,500 families from Anuradhapura were identified as “affected” and slated for relocation to Chettikulam in Vavuniya. Why?

¶ 13 Military expenditure has increased; I will address details under Defence. None of these fundamental concerns for North-East Tamils are addressed. We had hoped for a radical departure after 77 years. Until the Government gives clear, unambiguous answers, we have no choice but to vote against this Budget. Thank you.