Topic
Justice & Human Rights
2,079 speeches · 258 speakers
Party share
By the speaker's party · counts only, no scoring. "Unattributed" = speeches not resolved to an MP.
Most active on this topic
| # | Member | Speeches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney at Law, M.P. JJB | 162 |
| 2 | Hon. Sajith Premadasa, M.P. SJB | 96 |
| 3 | Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna, M.P. Independent Group 17 - Jaffna | 84 |
| 4 | Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney at Law, M.P. SJB | 79 |
| 5 | Hon. Ajith P. Perera, M.P. SJB | 71 |
| 6 | Hon. Ananda Wijepala, M.P. JJB | 67 |
| 7 | Hon. Mujibur Rahman, M.P. SJB | 60 |
| 8 | Hon. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, M.P. JJB | 52 |
| 9 | Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, M.P. ITAK | 48 |
| 10 | Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa, M.P. JJB | 47 |
Speeches
2,079 on this topic- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam ITAK AI summary Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam clarified that his Motion concerned the Government’s alleged failure to ensure justice for serious human rights violations from the Easter Sunday attacks to the Chemmani mass grave revelations, not the remanding of Pillayan. He reiterated calls for the Easter Commission report to be presented to Parliament, raised the need for an international investigation, and questioned Sri Lanka’s technical capacity regarding DNA evidence linked to Chemmani and “Sara.” He also said he had only sought clarification on reports about possible bail for Pillayan, noting the Minister had denied them and that MPs are entitled to seek such clarifications. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. D.V. Chanaka SLPP AI summary Hon. D.V. Chanaka responded to Minister Anura Karunathilaka’s claim that certain material was not in the Presidential Commission report. He requested the Minister to read pages 117–120 and 145, stating that those pages record prior information received by the CID Director and DIG and allege that failure to act contributed to the attack. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law JJB AI summary Hon. Sunil Watagala argued that the debate and Motion should not undermine ongoing CID investigations and judicial proceedings relating to the Easter Sunday attacks, noting that fresh facts reports had been filed in the Colombo Magistrate’s Court. He said the victims’ concerns are already before courts, cited Supreme Court fundamental rights case SCFR 191/19 in which he was involved, and emphasized that compensation orders and requests for intelligence-related information reflect the victims’ aspirations. He criticized the Motion for focusing on reports, bail for Pillayan, Sara Jasmin’s DNA evidence, international assistance, and missing weapons, saying these issues were disconnected from the central judicial process, and also requested correction of the wording from “Easter attack” to “Easter Sunday attack.” Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. D.V. Chanaka SLPP AI summary D.V. Chanaka stated that the commission in question was appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena and that its report was received during President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s tenure. He noted that His Eminence the Cardinal accepts only that report and urged the Minister to accept it as well. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. D.V. Chanaka SLPP AI summary D.V. Chanaka argued that, despite numerous intelligence reports before the attacks, officials in the CID and related security positions should be held responsible without needing further inquiry to establish accountability. He criticized the Government for allegedly giving political platforms and posts to officers whom commissions or findings had suggested should face criminal action for dereliction of duty. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. D.V. Chanaka SLPP AI summary D.V. Chanaka referred to a matter from Ranil Wickremesinghe’s tenure and stated that he could identify the Supreme Court judges involved if required. The intervention appears to relate to clarification of a previous point rather than a substantive policy proposal. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. D.V. Chanaka SLPP AI summary Hon. D.V. Chanaka alleged that police had withdrawn two of three alcohol-related charges against an individual because he was the Secretary in charge of Police. He questioned whether officials found by a Presidential Commission to have shirked responsibility could properly investigate accused persons, suggesting such investigations would be used to secure acquittals. He stated that his side did not trust the proposed investigation concerning their national list candidate. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. D.V. Chanaka SLPP AI summary Hon. D.V. Chanaka questioned whether the current party was connected to individuals linked to the Easter Sunday bombings, citing claims about Ibrahim’s funding role. He referred to Presidential Commission findings that called for investigations and indictments against those involved in the attacks, conspiracies, and dereliction of responsibility, and questioned the propriety of assigning related investigations to officials against whom allegations exist. He also cited a court matter involving the Secretary in charge of Police to argue that unresolved allegations could undermine confidence in the investigative process. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. D.V. Chanaka SLPP AI summary Hon. D.V. Chanaka questioned the Government’s handling of police and CID appointments and investigations, alleging political involvement and selective disclosure of information. He referred to inquiries connected to the Easter Sunday attacks, including claims about seized bank accounts and funding, and challenged the Government’s position on ISIS involvement. He also criticized statements by government figures about possessing “files” on MPs and raised concerns about national list appointments. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Mahinda Jayasinghe - Deputy Minister of Labour JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister noted that pension increases for retirees from 2016 to 2019 would begin from 10 July 2025, with interim payments already made pending full recalculation. Addressing the Easter Sunday attack investigations, he said the Government had been in office only nine of the 63 months since the attack and was pursuing investigations while withholding sensitive details to avoid compromising them. He rejected Opposition claims of political witch-hunts, cited several remand cases as lawful processes, and said the Government had an electoral mandate to deliver justice for victims and enforce the law. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera - Deputy Minister of Defence JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister said the Government is committed to uncovering the truth and ensuring justice for the Easter Sunday attack victims, noting that the Presidential Commission report was handed to the CID on 20.04.2025 after allegedly not being referred by the previous Government. He stated that investigations have been restarted and strengthened without political interference, with professional CID and intelligence officers reinstated, while sensitive findings cannot yet be disclosed. He rejected the need for a special prosecutor’s office with international assistance, arguing that Sri Lanka’s legal and security institutions have sufficient capacity and that trial-expediting reforms are already being pursued. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara SJB AI summary R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara argued that six years after the Easter Sunday attacks, victims had still not received justice despite repeated political promises and investigations. He questioned what new action the Government had taken, including efforts to bring back “Sara” from India, reveal alleged masterminds above Zaharan, and disclose information referred to in commission and FBI-related material. He accused successive election campaigns of exploiting the attacks and urged the Government to fulfil its manifesto commitments, seek international investigative assistance where necessary, and swiftly identify and prosecute those responsible. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam ITAK AI summary Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam argued that Sri Lankan law permits forms of international participation in investigations, citing the OMP Act and a Supreme Court determination on a Private Member’s Bill involving foreign observers or judges. He reiterated his call for a Special Prosecutor’s Office on human rights violations, questioning the capacity and impartiality of the Attorney-General’s Department where the State itself is implicated. He also said the Government had not responded to elements of his Motion, including concerns relating to the Chemmani mass graves. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law - Minister of Justice and National Integration JJB AI summary Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said the Easter Sunday attacks occurred under the previous Yahapalana Government and argued that former ministers now making proposals could have acted when in office. He emphasized that victims included both those killed and injured in the attacks and the Muslim community affected by subsequent anti-Muslim hostility. Addressing the motion’s call for a special prosecutor with international assistance, he said an investigative-prosecutorial model is incompatible with Sri Lanka’s adversarial legal system, but the Government is moving to establish an independent Prosecutor’s Office to avoid perceived conflicts involving the Attorney-General. He stated that investigations can be conducted by the CID, international assistance may be sought where appropriate, and prosecutions should proceed through Sri Lankan courts to deliver justice and closure. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB AI summary Sajith Premadasa renewed the Opposition’s call for a new mechanism to investigate the Easter Sunday attacks, citing earlier parliamentary debates and Standing Order 27(2) questions. He urged the Government to adopt a six-step plan endorsed by Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, including a reconstituted commission with local and foreign experts, a permanent investigation office, criminal prosecutions, a special court, and a State Prosecution Office. He said the process must be impartial, involve international assistance such as Scotland Yard or the FBI, and restore public trust, particularly among victims and the Catholic community. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs JJB AI summary The Minister reported on ongoing CID investigations linked to the Easter attacks and the Vavunativu police murders, stating that ballistic and recovered-weapon evidence now connects the killings to weapons associated with Zaharan’s network and that several associates have been arrested and indicted. He said serious doubts remain over whether Pulastini Mahendran alias Sara Jasmine died in the Sainthamaruthu blast, and that investigations are also examining prior intelligence failures at the Taj Samudra and allegations that former Eastern Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan had prior knowledge of the Easter attacks. He tabled an annex identifying 43 recommendations from the Presidential Commission report requiring implementation outside the Police Department, said efforts are under way to bring key witness Asad Maulana to Sri Lanka, and stated that disciplinary action and further legal measures will be pursued to address extremism, racism, and any politically motivated support or non-action by intelligence-linked actors. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs JJB AI summary Minister Ananda Wijepala said the Government had not abandoned investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks and corrected what he described as a misrepresentation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s remarks. He outlined the attacks’ casualties, the number of suspects arrested and indicted, and the sequence of investigations and commissions, including the Malalgoda Committee, the Parliamentary Select Committee, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry, and later committees on the Channel 4 allegations. He stated that previous governments had failed to adequately investigate key disclosures, while the current Government has begun a structured investigation in line with the President’s pledges and is prepared to refer earlier reports to the CID and, if necessary, table them in Parliament. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 Hon. (Dr.) Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana SJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana questioned the reliability of the DNA testing related to Sara Jasmine, noting that only one of three tests identified her and asking why the Government could not conduct another test. Referring to the Easter Sunday attacks, he urged consideration of the National Catholic Committee for Justice to Easter Sunday Attack Victims’ document, called for an independent international investigation, and requested implementation of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry recommendations. He said the Government had a duty to provide justice to the victims and at minimum disclose who was responsible. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 Hon. (Dr.) Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana SJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana questioned delays in investigations into alleged figures and incidents connected to the Easter Sunday attacks, including references to “Abuhind,” Jameel, Asad Maulana, “Sale,” Army intelligence officers, and Sara Jasmine. He asked why statements given to the Presidential Commission and claims made in the Channel 4 programme had not led to completed investigations, reports to Parliament, or arrests. He demanded that relevant officials be questioned and suggested sending an official team to France if Asad Maulana could not be brought to Sri Lanka. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana SJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana seconded the Motion and called for an update on investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks, noting President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s pledge to ensure justice. He asked what recommendations of the Presidential Commission report had been implemented during the Government’s ten months in office and requested that at least one implemented recommendation be tabled. He also questioned whether requests from the National Catholic Committee for Justice to Easter Sunday Attack Victims had been considered, and sought transparent reporting to Parliament on specific investigative leads, including the FBI-provided IP address, the release of an individual despite military concerns, and inquiries relating to “Matale Saharan.” Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →