The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna

¶ 01 Thank you, Hon. Presiding Member.

¶ 02 Before I begin, I wish to note this: even a child in Grade 1 knows the basic human needs are food, clothing and shelter. Yet an NPP Member stood on the same stage as the President and said “food, shelter, house.” Shame! To the NPP in Jaffna hosting such “donkey-like” Members, at least recruit those who studied up to Grade 2 or 3. If your Members cannot even state the basic needs, how can they serve?

¶ 03 On the President’s recent visit to the North: in Jaffna, “pittu” is an important food. The President came, ate pittu and left. We did not ask for pittu; we asked for justice. Release lands in the North, especially around Palaly. Stop Indian trawlers from plundering our fisheries and resources via the Navy’s enforcement. Rebuild homes of the displaced. Fulfil the wish of that 12-year-old still waiting for his father, Anantha Sudhagar. These are our demands, not pittu. Yet some are busy cooking for the President. Shame!

¶ 04 On that same day, the said “donkey” had a case in Kilinochchi Court. If I had skipped court without a valid reason like hospitalization, I would have been remanded. He assaulted a Vidhanaiyar (Grama Officer). If I had done that, imagine the outcome! My hands and legs would have been grabbed and I’d be arrested from the bathroom. But he roams Parliament freely while Police ask for seven months to arrest him. This is their Government—shameful!

¶ 05 Regarding Akkaraipattu Base Hospital in the Eastern Province: a grave injustice is occurring. Doctors are on strike for the second day in the Eastern Province, including Trincomalee Hospital, because they are being forced to record MS attendance by fingerprints and fixed times. Poor patients are suffering. I bring this to your attention.

¶ 06 More serious: at Jaffna Teaching Hospital, I have exposed many issues relating to the corrupt Dr. Thangamuthu Sathiyamoorthy. A person who worked there for 34 years was admitted at 4.30 p.m. after a coconut fell on his head; yet no CT scan till 9.00 p.m. Both CT scanners at Jaffna Teaching Hospital were not functioning; patients were sent to a private hospital (Dr. Ajanta’s) for scans. When I raised this with the Health Minister today, he claimed ignorance. I will raise this at tomorrow’s Sectoral Oversight Committee.

¶ 07 [Expunged on the order of the Chair.]

¶ 08 We in the North were not waiting for anyone to come and cook for the President. We expected the release of our lands in the Palaly area. People in the North voted for him believing in him. We do not want anyone, including the President, to come and inflame communalism in the North. The President’s claim that Sinhalese who pass Anuradhapura sacred sites and come north do so to stir racism is wrong. We welcome Sinhalese visitors; we invite those in the South to come and see how we live and our hardships. It is those who make such claims who provoke racism.

¶ 09 I opposed the Rajapaksas because I accept they killed our people. If some now don jumpers and visit the North, it is only because the Rajapaksas defeated your leaders, not mine. Do not bring back the “appam” letter or LGBTQ as wedge issues here; if modules are not properly withdrawn, they will persist. We believe Sri Lanka has its culture. With 80–85% Sinhalese, calling it a Sinhala-Buddhist country does not bother us. We want to live as Sri Lankans together.

¶ 10 The NPP has been in power a year. Have they resolved even one political issue? Any Sinhala–Tamil issue? Acted under the 13th Amendment? No. We do not want handouts for 40 years. We want equality to live with the Sinhalese and build a beautiful country. You have four more years—show results or face the people.