The Hon. (Ms.) Krishnan Kalaichelvi

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, in today’s debate on the resolution under the Public Security Ordinance and the essential public services, before addressing that, I wish to raise threats faced by the hill-country people from certain estate administrations.

¶ 02 On 21st of last month in Ratnapura District at Neelagama Estate, thugs were sent to break into and vandalize a worker’s home — the whole country knows this. When this issue arose, the Deputy Minister of Major Plantation and Social Infrastructure Facilities, Hon. Sundaralingam Pradeep, together with several Ratnapura MPs, visited the site, discussed solutions with district officials, and initiated action. They also spoke with the Minister of Justice and have taken legal steps against the estate manager involved.

¶ 03 This morning at Maskeliya, at Mokka Estate, the assistant estate manager assaulted a security guard from Middle Oya Estate; the guard is receiving treatment at Maskeliya hospital. In that instance too, NPP local councillors, organizers, and union leaders acted together, informed the Minister of Justice, and notified the police; the suspect was arrested and produced in court. Similar incidents occurred at Ragala and Delmar estates. While such intimidation is occurring, the responsible ministers and deputies for plantations, along with MPs representing hill-country areas, are acting together to address these matters.

¶ 04 Yet opposition leaders from the hills shout here now as if they are the only voice. For decades, you used the hill-country people. For the first time in history, under the leadership of the Hon. President, uniting all unions and parties representing hill-country people, we held a massive May Day rally on the 1st in Nuwara Eliya, bringing everyone together. To those saying hill-country people oppose this government and their issues remain unresolved, I must say: the hill-country people have sidelined their old politicians to such an extent that they could not even celebrate May Day united. That is why they make noise here now.

¶ 05 Some who are shouting today have been ministers and deputy ministers in past governments. If they had exerted on those governments the pressure they now put on the NPP government, our people would have lived better. They used to remain silent; today they urge the government to resolve hill-country issues. They also claimed the NPP government would not raise wages in the estates; but we did. As they try to gain publicity while government members intervene and resolve issues, people clearly see that they have confidence in this President and the only government that can resolve their issues is the NPP government. That is why on May 1st they taught a lesson to old hill-country politicians.

¶ 06 On the emergency: in the past, we know how emergency laws were used — to suppress students, workers, and women demanding their rights. As Hon. Chathuri Gangani said, compared to the tsunami, the 2025 “Ditha” cyclone affected the entire country and paralyzed it for 2–3 days. The emergency was used to restore normalcy quickly and must be extended to properly implement and expedite plans through officials. Therefore, extending the emergency is a current necessity to implement programs for those affected by the cyclone. I support it.