The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake — Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and Leader of the House of Parliament

¶ 01 Madam Deputy Chairperson of Committees, I wished to begin where the previous Hon. Member stopped. Recently, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, visited Sri Lanka. Upon departure on 26 June, his “X” message said:

¶ 02 “Leaving #SriLanka with much hope. Sensed a real desire from Gov’t & civil society to break from entrenched identity politics. In a divided world, my wish is for Sri Lanka to become a story of peaceful coexistence, of understanding others — where diversity is embraced as a strength.”

¶ 03 I repeat: he sensed a real desire from Government and civil society to break from entrenched identity politics.

¶ 04 Madam Deputy Chairperson, I wish to say that the Chemmanni mass grave investigations are being conducted by the Government, under court supervision. When we came in, only a few skeletal remains had been found. Now the number related to that tragedy has grown to around 130. These investigations are conducted by the Government, and we do not obstruct them.

¶ 05 When the High Commissioner came to our Party office, we requested him: sending bones abroad for carbon dating takes time; if possible, accredit a laboratory in Sri Lanka. There are mass graves in Matale; one under Sathosa in Mannar; in Thiruketheeswaram; in Mandaitivu; in Kokkuthuduwa. I have visited all those graves—not with cameramen. The Opposition’s biggest issue is that a national unity government like ours came in, leaving them orphaned. Mere communal rhetoric does not work anymore.

¶ 06 I also want to ask about Mirusuvil—people were killed and dumped in a well. Those who aided such killings are now with those who have formed the Jaffna Municipal Council. That history is over. The Rajapaksas danced with racism; today, Sinhala people, clergy, Buddhists and Christians are with the NPP government, leaving the Rajapaksas. The SJB’s “forbidden word” today in this debate is “Rajapaksa.” They will say “Deshabandu,” but not “Rajapaksa.” Deshabandu was brought by the Rajapaksas; Deshabandu committed murders with them.

¶ 07 I challenge the Opposition Leader and Hon. Gayantha Karunathilaka: if you can, come at 4 p.m. and vote against Deshabandu. I respect ordinary SJB MPs, but I challenge the front bench—vote against him. What is the forbidden word here? “Rajapaksa.” They say “since 2005 the Rajapaksas did this and that.” The white vans, the country turned into a killing field, all happened after 2010. That is why we left the Rajapaksa camp.

¶ 08 Today both SJB and Pohottuwa are the same—politically they must both be discarded. You align with Deshabandu; remember that. This is not merely about Deshabandu. The Supreme Court found him liable; yet the Rajapaksas appointed him IGP. This rotten politics, together with the Deshabandus, must be discarded.

¶ 09 Parliament has a historic moment today. Usually motions are brought by Members, the Leader of the House, or Chief Government/ Opposition Whips. Here there is a special feature: the Hon. Speaker himself has moved the motion—exceptionally rare—under the Removal of Officers (Procedure) Act, No. 5 of 2002. Nothing like this has happened before. We have shown our competence. I thank the Assistant Secretary-General of Parliament who toiled to ascertain the legal position; legal advisers were involved; the Hon. Speaker was engaged. We carefully studied the Act and the Standing Orders and prepared the full process. A Member this morning said it is sub judice—no. On or about 8 April, at the Parliamentary Business Committee we decided this is not before court in a way to bar us; I have the Minutes. There is no violation of Standing Orders.

¶ 10 This is a day the Hon. Speaker has presented a motion. I urge interested Members to study the Standing Orders. Once passed, the Speaker will notify the President.

¶ 11 Finally, to those who allege different things about us—I remember in 2001 when President Chandrika’s government fell and the UNP under Ranil Wickremesinghe came in, 3,500 SLFP members were arrested under the Offensive Weapons Act; Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva raised it daily; John Amaratunga was the Police Minister. Then came the Rajapaksas who turned this country into a criminal State. The President proved that; Deshabandu was a godfather in that criminal State.

¶ 12 We did not list every crime in this motion because including all would prolong the process. The former IGP said 182 out of 184 appointments were political. That is their duplicity.

¶ 13 The signal we send today by defeating such a powerful figure is that no honest officer need fear. Only thieves and wrongdoers should be afraid. We have already brought the Rajapaksas’ cronies before the law and will similarly punish the senior officials who destroyed this country with them. The Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala public will join our Government’s programme. The Opposition that unjustly defends criminals will go down with Deshabandu.

¶ 14 Thank you for the extra time.