Topic
Security & Defence
869 speeches · 214 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. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera, M.P. JJB | 77 |
| 2 | Hon. Ananda Wijepala, M.P. JJB | 65 |
| 3 | Hon. Sajith Premadasa, M.P. SJB | 39 |
| 4 | Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa, M.P. JJB | 23 |
| 5 | Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, M.P. JJB | 18 |
| 6 | Hon. Ravi Karunanayake, M.P. NDF | 18 |
| 7 | Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney at Law, M.P. SJB | 17 |
| 8 | Hon. Mujibur Rahman, M.P. SJB | 16 |
| 9 | Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, M.P. ITAK | 16 |
| 10 | Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam, M.P. ACTC | 15 |
Speeches
869 on this topic- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka - Minister of Urban Development, Construction and Housing JJB AI summary Hon. Anura Karunathilaka condemned the Easter Sunday attacks and argued that they must be understood in the context of political extremism, failures in national security, and attempts by former power blocs to regain authority through fear and communal narratives. He alleged that false claims about an LTTE resurgence, including in relation to the Vavunativu police killings, were promoted with the involvement of some intelligence elements, while responsibility also lay with the Maithripala Sirisena–Ranil Wickremesinghe Government’s internal power struggle and inaction. He criticized former officials and Ministers who, despite prior warnings or responsibility at the time, now use national security arguments in Parliament. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Stepni (Stephanie) Fernando JJB AI summary Hon. Stepni Fernando said the Easter attacks harmed both Catholics and Muslims, causing 274 deaths and about 600 injuries, including 115 deaths and around 300 injuries at Katuwapitiya in her district. She argued that previous leaders had prior intelligence warnings but failed to protect the public, and said attempts to provoke ethnic violence after the attacks were restrained by Catholic leaders, including the Cardinal. She stated that the National People’s Power Government would investigate the attacks fully, punish all perpetrators, and pursue justice while promoting national unity. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Ramalingam Chandrasekar - Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources JJB AI summary Ramalingam Chandrasekar linked the Easter Sunday attacks to a broader history of communal violence in Sri Lanka, thanking Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith for helping prevent further unrest after the attacks. He recalled personal losses from the Zion Church and Kochchikade St. Anthony’s Church bombings and said he had sought to protect Muslims in Jaffna amid fear and tension. He argued that decades of racism, pogroms, insurrections, and mass graves had harmed the country, and called for transforming Sri Lanka into a better country for future generations. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. M.K.M. Aslam JJB AI summary Hon. M.K.M. Aslam argued that responsibility for the Easter Sunday attacks and subsequent communal violence should not be placed solely on the current government, citing failures of the then government, including security lapses and attacks on Muslims after 21 April 2019. He called for justice for Christian victims while also highlighting the detention and hardship faced by Muslims under the PTA and other laws, stating that punishment should follow only where evidence exists. He warned against turning the attacks into a Sinhala-Muslim issue and said the Government’s present debate was a necessary step toward accountability and national security. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) Saroja Savithri Paulraj - Minister of Women and Child Affairs JJB AI summary The Minister, speaking in the adjournment debate on the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, recalled the deaths, injuries, and subsequent social distrust, particularly the suspicion faced by Muslim communities and women wearing Islamic attire. She argued that politicians had exploited language, ethnicity, and religion for power, drawing parallels with Sri Lanka’s war experience and global conflicts in which civilians became victims. She stated that the Government is committed to social justice, equal citizenship for Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim communities, and ensuring justice and punishment for those responsible for the Easter attacks. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Kanthasamy Prabu JJB AI summary Kanthasamy Prabu described the Easter Sunday attacks as a politically motivated and divisive act that damaged inter-ethnic harmony, linking it to earlier episodes of communal conflict in Sri Lanka. He highlighted the impact on Batticaloa’s Zion Church and cited economic consequences, including declines in tourism revenue, employment, GDP growth, government revenue, investor confidence, the stock market and foreign investment. He said that if Pillayan is proven to be connected to the attacks, the government would allow legal action to proceed, and rejected allegations of political deals in the Vakarai Pradeshiya Sabha while counter-alleging misconduct in Kaluwanchikudy. 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 Aruna Jayasekera raised a point of order to clarify remarks referring to him as former Eastern Commander, stating that only a small segment within intelligence, not the wider apparatus, had assisted an extremist group for political purposes. He emphasized that intelligence and CID units remain professional, citing their handling of the Arugam Bay incident, and said a criminal investigation is ongoing. He added that he fully cooperated with the CID, spending six hours giving evidence about events during the previous government and his own actions as Eastern Commander. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Mujibur Rahman SJB AI summary Mujibur Rahman said the Easter Sunday bombings were a conspiracy involving elements of the State and noted that both his side and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s side had promised to identify the masterminds. He tabled the Malalgoda Committee report, the Imam Committee report on the Channel 4 broadcast, and evidence from former DMI head Chula Kodituwakku for investigators’ use. He argued that the Government, having received the public mandate after promising justice, now bears responsibility for finding and prosecuting those behind the attacks. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Anil Jayantha - Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development JJB AI summary Minister Anil Jayantha said the Easter Sunday attacks were an organised and networked crime requiring a comprehensive investigation, not a narrow attribution to a few individuals or extremist labels. He argued that past failures of governance had created public distrust in justice processes, and said the NPP Government would not obstruct investigations or allow the matter to be buried. He linked the attacks to “fear politics” and the pursuit of political power, citing severe economic, social and democratic consequences, and called on the Opposition to cooperate with investigative agencies rather than undermine or leak information. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Ananda Wijepala JJB AI summary Ananda Wijepala raised a point of order stating that cases relating to the attack have been filed and are being heard in the Batticaloa High Court. He argued that earlier governments had misdirected investigations, and that if the Vavunativu Police post killings had been correctly identified at the time, the Easter Sunday attacks could have been prevented. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Rauff Hakeem argued that the Easter Sunday attacks require further investigation into alleged links mentioned in the Presidential Commission report, including “Abu Hinde” and “Pakkam Abu,” and called for key witnesses such as Saharan’s wife, Hadiya, to be examined without intimidation. He questioned the role of the Attorney General’s Department in objecting to her evidence and urged the Government to identify and disclose any “deep state” actors referred to by the President. Referring to B Report 35882/24 connected to the Channel 4 matter, he criticized the investigation for charging only a subordinate officer while not proceeding against two others, and demanded that the Government handle the inquiry transparently. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Rauff Hakeem questioned why the Office on Missing Persons is being limited to observation rather than taking more active steps. He implied the need for the OMP to move beyond passive monitoring and deliver concrete action on cases of missing persons. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and Leader of the House of Parliament JJB AI summary Bimal Rathnayake argued that the Easter Sunday attacks were part of a wider political and security failure, alleging that conditions of anti-Muslim sentiment and instability were cultivated after 2015 to enable the Rajapaksas’ return to power. He accused the then Government and later administrations of ignoring intelligence warnings, failing to prevent the attacks, and not conducting proper investigations, including sidelining officers such as Shani Abeysekara and Ravi Seneviratne. He linked the attacks to subsequent economic damage, especially the collapse of tourism, and said the current Government has revived stalled cases and seeks judicial proof of the planners and operators behind the attacks. 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. Mahinda Jayasinghe JJB AI summary Mahinda Jayasinghe thanked the Member who brought the Motion, saying such pressure on the Government was appropriate, but urged that criticism not be based on false premises. He stated that the Government was accountable to the people and rejected claims of arbitrary rule or political deals. Referring to Pillayan and India’s concerns, he said action would be taken against anyone involved if wrongdoing was found, asserting that the Government’s only “deal” was with the people. 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. 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 →