The Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam

¶ 01 Madam Deputy Chairperson of Committees, today we debate the motion to remove IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon. Hon. Jeevan Thondaman has gone abroad for his grandmother’s funeral and granted me three minutes from his slot. I thank him. His position and that of the Tamil National People’s Front, and the Tamil position, are the same: we extend full support to the Government on the motion regarding Deshabandu Tennakoon.

¶ 02 Deshabandu Tennakoon is a political agent. Throughout his tenure, he acted as an agent of politicians. All the charges against him must be viewed through that political lens. Except for those who used him, every party in this House will accept that we cannot keep such political agents in high office—or even in government service. He must be removed.

¶ 03 However, he is not the only one trapped in this politicized culture. The Government repeatedly alleges that since almost the day 76 years ago when the British left, those in power used their authority, pressured public officers and deployed them for political ends, so the entire State machinery is politicized. That is true. The reason for the Government’s present stance against Tennakoon may be that they too were harmed by him or did not benefit from him.

¶ 04 But when a government in office uses officials for its purposes, and a new government comes and targets those officials for removal, everyone in this House will welcome that—we do too. Such people should not remain in office. Yet, what is the remedy when governments, as a matter of State policy, target a particular community—an ethnicity—and act against them? What is the answer?

¶ 05 In the police and military, Tamils have been brutally targeted. That is our history. You target Tennakoon today, but by only targeting him you will not remove the cancer of political interference from all affairs of this country. Even if you try, the injustices suffered by Tamils will not be remedied, because you too are a party acting systematically against the Tamil people.

¶ 06 Today, in the Chemmanni mass grave excavations, over 130 skeletons have been found. A Magistrate has ordered that the artifacts exhumed be exhibited and opportunities be given to the public to identify them. Accordingly, today in Chemmanni, members of the public are being called to view and identify these. At this very time, I state responsibly that the Secretary to the Ministry of Justice is directly communicating with those engaged in the excavation. Is this not political interference? If the Government wants more information on a court-directed process, it must go to court. A Secretary directly contacting officers working there is political interference. I say this responsibly and with regret, as I hold her in high regard—I never thought she would act like this.

¶ 07 Today, when the public are given a chance to view artifacts from the excavation, on the way to that site there is an ASP and around 10 others present. Is this not an intimidation of people? People are already fearful. When they go there, they are being intimidated. You do this because it is happening to Tamils; so you call it not political interference. How is this just?

¶ 08 Therefore, while there is no disagreement that the cancer of political interference must be removed and we will fully support actions taken for that, we cannot accept the injustice the Government continues to inflict on the Tamil people. The Tamil people still thirst for accountability. We cannot forgive the injustices you commit. We repeat: there is no difference between you and others on ethnic matters.

¶ 09 Yesterday, officials of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka went to Jaffna, observed the Chemmanni excavation sites and made comments. If the HRCSL were truly independent, they should tell this Government: you have not acceded to the Rome Statute; crimes under that Statute are not crimes in Sri Lankan law; the atrocities at Chemmanni fall within those crimes; therefore, only an international criminal investigation can deliver justice here. Instead, they advise the media not to be emotional, not to stir things. When the State is against an ethnicity, justice for that ethnicity will not come through State structures. With 130 skeletons already found, at least now accept this and take appropriate steps.

¶ 10 I take my leave.