The Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, during this debate on the Bill to Repeal Parliamentary Pensions, I wish to raise a few matters.

¶ 02 First, a 17-year-old student from Vattukottai in Jaffna, named Ayubraj Arul, was shot dead by the police at around 1.00 a.m. on Tuesday, 10 February 2026, at Allaipitty while he was travelling in a vehicle. To date, his family has received no justice. I place this on record.

¶ 03 Secondly, on 13 January 2026, the United Nations Human Rights Office released a report stating that conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) persists in Sri Lanka and that the State has not adopted adequate mechanisms to provide justice to victims. This raises serious concerns because survivors have lost faith—“We have lost everything; we have even lost the hope of justice.” Approximately 23 women and men have given testimonies, with evidence of sexual violence spanning from 1983 to 2009. The OHCHR has clearly stated that these abuses were widespread, systematic, planned, and committed with institutional involvement, without accountability.

¶ 04 Hon. Presiding Member, sexual violence has become a tool in war. Following 1983, during the internal conflict between the Government and the LTTE, evidence shows that State officials were involved in such acts. The OHCHR further notes that sexual violence was used to intimidate, punish, and assert control over conflict-affected communities, often under the cover of “interrogation.” Even if this Government did not exist at that time, from 1983 to 2009 grave crimes against humanity occurred in this country. What is the Government’s response on investigating them, especially when an international human rights body has formally reported these abuses? What is the position of a Government that claims to respect human rights? Even after 2009 and after this Government assumed office, militarization has continued; officials implicated in sexual violence have not been punished. Emergency regulations and special legal frameworks remain in place—why can’t proper investigations be conducted? Does this not reflect weakness in the rule of law or an ethnically biased system?

¶ 05 The UN Human Rights Commissioner has also highlighted how prolonged timelines, delays in investigations, and limited judicial and medical capacities further obstruct access to justice for survivors. Complaints are often taken in non-confidential or difficult environments; language barriers undermine accuracy and fair outcomes; limited legal and medical support weakens cases; fear of reprisals from officials and an insensitive justice system discourages survivors from seeking remedies. The OHCHR consultations reveal a deep-rooted belief that impunity is inevitable due to decades of systemic dysfunction and institutional refusal. Survivors perceive the justice system as protecting perpetrators rather than delivering justice; long-stalled or failed cases have emotionally exhausted them and further entrenched the belief that accountability is impossible.

¶ 06 Hon. Presiding Member, the responsible authorities must provide justice. The Government must establish accountability for conflict-related sexual violence and associated repression, as urged by the OHCHR report of 13 January.

¶ 07 On the Bill to repeal MPs’ pensions: not everyone is affected. But there are former MPs who are alive today and depend on this pension to survive. In other countries, when an individual becomes an MP, they can often return to their prior profession afterward and thereby qualify for that profession’s pension as well. In Sri Lanka, when someone becomes an MP, they lose the pension of their previous employment and—if this Bill passes—lose the parliamentary pension too, jeopardizing their livelihood. If you require a person to resign their prior post to contest, then either create a legal pathway for them to return to that employment after their parliamentary service or ensure a fair mechanism so they do not end up destitute.

¶ 08 Please give me two more minutes. In the South too, I know of people who rely on these pensions. Look at them with compassion. A Minister said earlier that “this is our party’s decision.” Is Parliament to enforce a party’s decision upon the people? That would be a grave injustice to both the public and affected former Members. They are not people who amassed great wealth; they fulfilled their duties in their time. For those who served properly, the recognition must be just.

¶ 09 This Bill, rushed through, will adversely affect many, especially former MPs dependent on the pension. Justice must be ensured. Thank you.