The Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, participating in this debate on the Adjournment Motion brought in connection with International Women’s Day, I wish to record a recent development in India.

¶ 02 Some epochs in world history change the direction of human progress. We live in such a time. At the centre is artificial intelligence, a technological revolution reshaping many domains of human life and determining the future economic and social structures of the world. Recently, in New Delhi, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an international conference on AI indicated how nations should approach future technological growth.

¶ 03 India’s approach—linking technological growth with human development—has drawn global attention. Through initiatives like Digital India, Startup India and Innovate India, India has grown into a major digital and technological power. Once seen merely as an IT services hub, India now helps shape the global technological future. Behind this change is far-sighted political leadership and clear national policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

¶ 04 India’s efforts to base its future economy on technology are exemplary. As the world turns to AI, its impact is felt in Sri Lanka too. With rising AI adoption, it is said that many software engineers and tech professionals are at risk of losing jobs. This is both a challenge and a warning. Global experience shows technological changes can displace some jobs while creating new skills and new industries. Only nations prepared in advance can convert this into economic opportunity. A key need is to reform education to match future tech demands—introducing AI, coding, data science and robotics from school level, as many advanced countries do.

¶ 05 The generation that must compete in the future global economy is today in our schools and universities. Equipping them with the necessary skills is not just educational policy; it is a national responsibility. Here lies a risk that these changes could affect women particularly. Thousands of young women in the tech sector are building their lives and careers.

¶ 06 We must not forget: in the North and East, over 90,000 war widows exist—stated in this House in 2012 by then Deputy Minister of Child Development and Women’s Affairs, Mr. Hizbullah. Even today Members have referred to it. This cannot be denied. Across Sri Lanka, especially in the North and East after the war and due to socio-economic challenges, there are many women-headed households. Creating stable and dignified employment for them is a matter of social justice. The digital economy and tech sectors offer immense opportunity to transform women’s lives.

¶ 07 This is a critical time—we speak of women’s futures and of their children. For years—nearly eight years now—thousands from families of the forcibly disappeared have been protesting on the streets, waiting with longing for their children’s return. Around 240 mothers and fathers from among these protestors have died in the 16 years since the war’s end—many were wives who surrendered their husbands, and mothers who surrendered their children.

¶ 08 You know our culture: in Tamil tradition, the kumkum on a woman’s forehead and the thali around her neck signify that her husband lives and that her marriage endures. Many still keep their pottu and do not remove their thali, waiting for their husbands’ return. What happened to the disappeared? Where is their justice? What answer will this country give our sisters who surrendered their loved ones?

¶ 09 At Sencholai, many girl children were killed. Today we speak of killings elsewhere in the world; the same occurred in our land. Children at Sencholai were killed in airstrikes, and they have yet to receive justice. As Northern Provincial Minister, Ananthi Sasitharan bore witness to surrender—yet despite eyewitnesses, there is no justice.

¶ 10 LTTE Political Wing member Ilamparithy surrendered with his wife and children; likewise, Sakthi of the Forestry Division surrendered with his family; Thangan with his family; Raja with his children; Balakumar with his son; and Majid with his family. None have returned to this day. Why? What justice is there for them? They were urged to surrender even if they had once been fighters or aided the LTTE; yet there has been no justice.

¶ 11 Today Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj sits here. Hon. Minister, what answer will your Government give? After the war ended in 2009, many children were surrendered to Mrs. Mahinda Rajapaksa. What happened to those children?

¶ 12 Please tell us what happened to those children. Prabhakaran’s son Balachandran was reportedly fed biscuits and then shot dead. What answer is there? The surrendered journalist Isaipriya was stripped and executed—Channel 4 released evidence. What answer is there? We are a people who have suffered; in the North and East there are over 90,000 war widows among the Tamil nation. What answer will this country give to their grief and the yearning of our Tamil sisters? We boast of being the first country with a woman Prime Minister and a woman President. There is a woman Minister here. You cannot say you are not responsible for the past—because you are now uncovering many past crimes and seeking action. Likewise, justice must be given for injustices and crimes against the Tamil people. That is our people’s demand. We have asked many times in this House; we ask again: give justice to the families of the disappeared! On behalf of sisters who even now do not erase their pottu or remove their thali, I place this demand before this august Assembly. Thank you.