Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, today I am pleased to speak in the debate on the Adjournment Motion brought by Hon. Lasith Bhashana Gamage regarding the protection of the Muthurajawela wetland. Six minutes have been allocated to me.

¶ 02 My heartfelt thanks to Hon. Lasith Bhashana Gamage for bringing this Adjournment Motion; I fully support it. However, I must say a few things. Forests and wetlands are found not only in the South but also in the North. A good example is when, under the Kivul Oya Mahaweli development scheme, forests were destroyed. When forests were felled and turned into paddy fields, there was no problem for you. But here, you now say we must carefully protect Muthurajawela. In Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Parantan, more than 1,500 acres of wetlands are not being protected, and there have been issues regarding land under acquisition orders. [Expunged on the order of the Chair.]

¶ 03 These were given during the past government to enable corruption. You are not willing to investigate that corruption because already, eight times, he has voted for you in the Constitutional Council, and now he is your henchman. My concern is that in Poonakari wetlands are not protected; in Paruthithurai in the Northern Province wetlands are not protected. You push your Kivul Oya project into places where people do not wish to live. Manal Aru is the land of our valour. Back then I was doing my O/Ls in 2011; they said people were chased and beaten out of Manal Aru.

¶ 04 Even if for ten generations you call “Manal Aru” by the name “Weli Oya”, for a thousand generations the valour of our Manal Aru soil will remain in our memory. You have changed the name to “Weli Oya” and settled Sinhalese people there in large numbers. I have never opposed Sinhalese settlements as such. If you want development, if you want Mahaweli projects, I will support. But I completely oppose the forcible settlements brought to that area.

¶ 05 That is Tamil people’s land, Muslim people’s land—lands of traditional minorities. You are settling people there! You have changed “Manal Aru” to “Weli Oya”! Yet today you bring an Adjournment Motion to say protect Muthurajawela wetlands. Is that not shameful? Looking at all of you, I feel like asking, “Do you eat with your hands?” Is it not shameful?

¶ 06 Further, people in Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Mannar are greatly troubled by the Forest Department. Boundary stones are placed within lands where people live and farm, and then those lands are marked as belonging to the Forest Department. You have no voice to speak about that, no will to do such good for the people who voted for you. You come to Jaffna and eat “pookkai”—is that not shameful? I wish to say more.

¶ 07 Today I saw that you went around with MP Namal Rajapaksa, having a little fun, even taking his mother along after two years. Perhaps that gave a little kick to some in our LTTE diaspora—just a little thrill like sniffing before taking a step. But because of that, people will not vote for you. Remember what I say; believe me; let us see in five years what happens. This will never get you there.

¶ 08 Today, against our Hon. Speaker, a complaint has been made to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, saying Rs. 2 million worth of petrol was used. Are you not ashamed? What do you eat? Are you Buddhists? Are you Sinhalese? Are you not ashamed? The Hon. Speaker uses Rs. 2 million worth of petrol. I say this with his permission; I have clearly obtained that permission. The second matter is this: