The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker,

¶ 02 1. We are well aware that this country has a history of violence and that atrocities had been committed by all parties who were part of that violence, the war and conflicts. Any specific complaints that our Government has received will be investigated. If the Hon. Member submits details of particular emblematic cases, we can furnish more specific details. Sixteen years have passed since the end of the war; successive governments either covered up or promised investigations. We now face complex investigations where evidence is difficult. However, we are pursuing investigations into certain emblematic cases including the Easter Sunday attack and attacks against certain media personnel, looking at all available evidence and ways to gather more.

¶ 03 2. As stated in our Manifesto, we agree that families of the disappeared need answers. We are strengthening mechanisms such as the Office on Missing Persons by providing adequate resources to carry out its mandate effectively. As stated in our Manifesto, we will investigate enforced disappearances that occurred throughout the country. Many of our MPs know first-hand what enforced disappearances mean among their comrades and families, and we are sensitive to this. We will pursue answers through due process, hence strengthening the necessary mechanisms.

¶ 04 3. We acknowledge past abuses of power that led to wrongful charges and convictions against people with different political views. We will not repeat that. If the Hon. Member provides case numbers or specific details of persons currently held for their political beliefs, we will provide information on their status and plans for release.

¶ 05 4. We stand by our commitment to repeal the PTA. The Cabinet has approved a Cabinet Paper by the Ministry of Justice to appoint a committee to recommend repeal of the PTA. Given the urgency, we have instructed the committee to proceed fast and provide a White Paper for wider consultations on repealing the PTA and introducing new national security legislation. Meanwhile, national security must be handled within existing laws. I also note that certain parties that were in or supported governments between 2015 and 2020 frequently abused the PTA but did not raise these issues then. Nonetheless, we take this seriously and stand by our Manifesto.

¶ 06 5. We acknowledge that politically motivated land grabs occurred in the past. As stated in our Manifesto, we will not allocate or distribute land with the intention of altering ethnic composition in particular areas. Past governments began releasing land held by the military. We are identifying remaining land with the military that can be released. I am placing in the Library more detailed information on land currently identified for release by our Government.

¶ 07 6. When we took office, our urgent priorities were stabilizing the economy and ensuring democracy, particularly by holding long-delayed elections. We are stabilizing the economy and restoring democracy. Two elections have been held within six months, and a third is forthcoming; Provincial Council Elections, pending for years, must also be held. Once completed, we intend to start the process for a new Constitution, building on prior work and consultations without reinventing the wheel, and proceeding properly and consultatively.

¶ 08 Thank you.