The Hon. Kaveenthiran Kodeeswaran

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, today a motion relating to the Agreement between Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates has been brought before Parliament. In truth, our country’s previous governments have entered into many agreements between nations that resulted in setbacks, because those agreements were undertaken based on personal decisions or primarily considering the interests of the other country rather than Sri Lanka’s interests. As a result, our economy suffered severely and deteriorated to the point of near bankruptcy.

¶ 02 Therefore, every agreement with foreign countries must be pursued with the objective of strengthening Sri Lanka’s economy and driving its economic development. International cooperation is essential for the country’s development.

¶ 03 At the ongoing 60th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs has stated that investigations into the human rights violations that occurred here will proceed under a domestic mechanism. However, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has indicated that an international mechanism is preferable. Frankly, we have lost confidence in domestic mechanisms. Even the previous government kept insisting on domestic mechanisms. If investigations are conducted domestically, then those who committed crimes in this country—the members of the armed forces and intelligence units responsible for genocide or ethnic killings of Tamils, and the politicians and officials connected to them—will be protected. Therefore, we call for investigations to be undertaken on the basis of an international mechanism with international support.

¶ 04 Why do you refuse an international mechanism? Are you afraid? Is it because you wish to protect those military and intelligence personnel, the connected politicians and officials, and their associated hit-squads? If you are genuine and have nothing to fear, and if you truly believe offenders must be punished, you must accept an international mechanism. Otherwise, it is clear you are fearful—fearful that if perpetrators are punished, your political survival will be imperiled. You must not allow that fear to prevail.

¶ 05 Not only in Mullivaikkal, but also in Chemmany and many other places in the North, hundreds of thousands of Tamil civilians were killed in genocidal violence. We stand here seeking justice for these. Past governments have proven that justice cannot be obtained through domestic mechanisms. Therefore, you must accept an international mechanism and work to establish justice and fairness. You are doing many things well—standing against drug trafficking, bribery, and corruption, and punishing offenders. That is commendable. Likewise, if you wish to excel in this matter too, you must accept an international mechanism.

¶ 06 We raise this because even small domestic issues remain unresolved—such as the long-standing Kalmunai administrative dispute. For nearly 30 years Kalmunai North had a separate Divisional Coordinating Committee Chair. Currently, Hon. Deputy Minister Vasanta Piyathissa has been appointed as the Coordinating Chair for that area, which we welcome. Yet, despite this, a Coordinating Committee meeting for that division has not been convened. Now a decision has been taken to conduct a joint Coordinating Committee meeting combining Kalmunai North with Kalmunai South. This is unjust. Stopping the long-standing separate procedure and now combining two DS divisions for joint meetings opens the door to serious malpractice and could cause new divisions. The government must not become the cause of renewed fractures between communities.

¶ 07 Historically, financial allocations and other matters for the area were handled through the North DS division. By forcing joint meetings for two separate DS divisions, you will create divisions between the two communities in that region. The people within Kalmunai have delivered significant votes to 141; today Tamils there stand ashamed. Even after appointing a Chair for the Divisional Coordinating Committee, meetings are not held. We strongly oppose and condemn this. Within Kalmunai Municipal limits, there are Sainthamaruthu DS, Kalmunai South DS, and Kalmunai North DS. Previously, each held its own separate coordinating meetings. Now, for the first time in Sri Lanka’s history, you are combining North and South DS divisions for one meeting. We consider this a betrayal of the Tamil people in the Kalmunai North DS. I urge the government to stop this and conclude my remarks.