The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, the Justice Minister spoke of “snake channels” (rumor-mongering media). But people watch them; even you are in government today partly because of those channels. Don’t dismiss them.

¶ 02 Let me be frank: if the Opposition had been in power now, they would be surrounding the US Embassy with protests. I will also speak openly about India. Today your party holds the Presidency, so you won’t criticize India. I am different. Who trained the Navy recently? Not here—training was in Visakhapatnam on the 18th. Yet you still curry favor with India. Tell your President to keep holding hands with India. You came here and said India would take a second ship and rescue people; by 4.00 p.m. India told you they would. But they did not. In the end, India gave us “bole pass” (clearance) for the second ship as they did for the first. Our Navy Commander had, according to the Iranian Ambassador in Colombo, conveyed to them to come here. Did he speak with responsibility? If not, remove him. I am repeating what the Iranian Ambassador said.

¶ 03 India is one of five countries with veto-like power in the world order; they maintain strategic silence and pass matters quietly to Sri Lanka, seeking to wash their hands. Even so, we are grateful you rescued the second ship. This is our country too; when there is a problem, all of us are affected. I will say no more on that.

¶ 04 About emergency: why now? You have even taken Saliya (linked to investigations) into custody. How many masterminds of the Easter Sunday attacks have been caught? The then Attorney General Dappula de Livera claimed there was a “grand conspiracy,” but when called to the CID, he evaded it and obtained a court order. That is how that “mastermind” claim ended.

¶ 05 Next, the Urban Development Authority (UDA): in Colombo 7, Torrington Avenue, plots 187, 189, and 225—no owner for about 15 years. The UDA deposited Rs. 150 million at the Nivithigala Divisional Secretariat regarding these lands. Now someone has produced forged deeds and the UDA is about to pay out. Investigate this.

¶ 06 In Trincomalee District, 700 small sand mining permits (under 100 cubes) for poor men who use canoes and punts to collect sand were all cancelled and given to a single company, allowing that company to take 47,000 cubes of sand. Restore justice to those 700 families; this government was elected by small people, not to enrich a few companies.

¶ 07 At the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Agency, a JICA program offered training slots in Japan to 10 ordinary officers. Those opportunities have been taken by Secretaries and DGs, not the junior officers. This has happened under many governments. Ensure fair opportunities.

¶ 08 On 18 December I warned here of an impending gas shortage. By February there indeed was a shortage—unrelated to the current war, which escalated later. You cannot meet national demand with two ships; you need four or five. Listen when the Opposition raises practical issues.

¶ 09 Finally, do not assume others will always come to your aid. Iran is now isolated. One day we too must act in our own interest. If those warships came here on our invitation for training, you could have told the US, “These are invited vessels; they will remain until the war ends.” Would America ignore India’s word? No.

¶ 10 We narrowly escaped, by God’s grace, and are thankful the second ship was saved. But why must our government always bow its head? When such crises occur, bring the House together—we 225 will raise our hands to support the government.

¶ 11 Thank you.