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Tamils’ struggle for political rights reasonable, says Sumanthiran
TNA MP M.A.Sumanthiran told Parliament yesterday that the Tamils’ struggle was a struggle for justice.
“It is a reasonable struggle for political rights. Our struggle may be too long and hazardous. But we will attain a just solution if we continue in the non-violent path without deviating from it,” he said, making a statement to the House.
Full text of Sumanthiran’s statement: “This week we commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Mullivaikkal killings and other atrocities. It was a time when our people were locked into a narrow strip of land with no avenue for escape and had to survive only on kanji, while losing many loved ones and seeing many others maimed due to heavy shelling and shootings.
When the sound of guns and bombs eventually ceased, many were shot dead by the Army as they emerged from the war zone. Men and women of a certain age were forced to surrender to the security forces, never to be seen again. The others were forcibly herded into camps, surrounded by barbed wires, and kept as prisoners for over one and a half years, unlawfully. No one has been prosecuted or found guilty for any of these serious international crimes to date.
In the reports of the Panel Of Experts, dated 31st March 2012, handed over to UN Secretary General and the OISL international inquiry released in September 2015, the fact that several internal crimes were committed during the last stages of the war and that persons responsible should be prosecuted and punished have been strongly recommended.
The Sri Lankan government co-sponsored Resolution HRC/30/1 on the 1st of October 2015, at the UNHRC which underline the importance of the participation of investigators, prosecutors, defence attorneys and judges in a judicial mechanism. However, the Sri Lankan government later resiled from that commitment.
I consider this moment, 15 years after the end of the armed struggle, as the opportune time to reflect and act on the changes that had happened in the political, social and economic positions of the Tamils.
An armed struggle was waged for our political liberation. Although it is my personal belief that a just political liberation cannot be achieved at the point of a gun, I have repeatedly stated that we cannot today decry or judge the decision taken by the Tamil youth who saw no other option at a time when oppression and military suppression was enforced on our people. I have also consistently emphasised that the commitment and sacrifices unselfishly made by those who took up arms on our behalf should be regarded very highly. However, there is not one Tamil who would even dream of another armed struggle as an option after this sacrificial struggle was silenced 15 years ago.
It is in this background that I suggest, as an important step, an introspection as to whether the strategies we have adopted in the last 15 years have been successful or not.
If we keep aside the struggle for political liberation for a moment, and look at our social and economic life, it’ll be apparent that we have continuously regressed. The evidence of this is found in the increase in drug abuse and violent gang warfare among our youth. These are efforts to weaken our youth and although it may be true that the rulers are encouraging this, still the primary responsibility to contain these trends rests with our political and community leaders.
Although extraneous factors such as cinema contribute towards violence and drug abuse, we have failed to take effective action to counter such forces. If this regression continues our youth will be rendered as persons who are ill-equipped to handle responsibilities even if we attain political freedom. It is a matter of pride that our youths have excelled at National, Regional and International levels in the fields of arts, culture and sports. This underscores the importance of investing effectively in developing the abilities and talents of our youth.
Similarly, although several projects have been undertaken with the help of our diaspora in order to uplift the lives of our people whose economic status has been severely weakened, we have not done anything to create job opportunities in a big way in order that our youth may continue to live here with dignity and self-respect and dissuade them from leaving the country. This fact was exposed by the way the youth voted in the Jaffna district in the last general elections.
The two factors referred to above are not unconnected to our political rights. On the contrary they are intrinsically interwoven. Our path to political freedom must have a holistic approach. The bitter truth is that we have failed in the last 15 years to follow such a path.
One slight exception is the period of the last Parliament, 2015 – 2019. During that time large areas of land under military control were released and significant sums of money were allocated for the development of our areas which were neglected for several decades. But subsequently we are aware that land grab efforts have been accelerated and several acts of oppression are imposed on our people. These trends must be arrested and reversed if we are to protect “Tamil Nationalism” and continue to live on this Island as a Nation. We cannot move our freedom struggle even an inch by mere rhetoric or speeches that ignite feelings of a war mentality or by passing resolutions that have no practical value. While we loudly proclaim our status as a nation, we must also engage in strategies that would enable us to continue to live as a nation.
We who are committed to follow the path set by our founder Chelvanayakam, must eschew violence and all different manifestations of the same. If the life sacrifices made by our youth are not to be in vain, there must be clarity in our thinking and speech with regard to our approaches that do not instigate violence. The warning given by Mr. Chenlanayakam: “We who set out to do good for our people, ourselves would have brought about their annihilation” to the youth who started acts of violence in 1957 is relevant to today’s context too.
While we remain steadfast in our policy and fight for a change in the governance systems that would enable us to live with dignity and self-respect, we must handle the opportunities that arise at elections and other times with sharp diplomatic acumen.
This is the approach that must necessarily be adopted by those numerically in the minority in any democratic set up. We must explain in appropriate ways to the other communities also that the Tamil National Question is the most important national question in the country. We must make them realise that acknowledging us as a nation will do no harm to their own status in the country.
Our struggle is a struggle for Justice; it is a reasonable struggle for political rights. Our struggle may be too long and hazardous. But we will attain a just solution if we continue in the non-violent path without deviating from it. I call on everyone to join us in such a pure and just struggle. Let us march towards a future with hope and confidence.”
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met with the officers of the Department of Prisons, including Superintendents of Prisons, Jailers and other officials, on Friday (17) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat.
Extensive discussions focused on the challenges currently faced by the prison system and the urgent measures required to address them.
Special attention was also given to the recent incident at the Negombo Prison, with lengthy discussions held on the steps needed to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
The meeting also addressed the challenges faced by prison officers and matters relating to their welfare.
The officials noted that this was the first opportunity they had been given to discuss their concerns directly with the President and expressed their appreciation for the opportunity.
Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Anil Jayantha Fernando, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and National Integration Ayesha Jinasena, Commissioner General of Prisons Prasad Hemantha Kumara, Commissioner of Prisons (Rehabilitation) S.K. Pallethanna, Commissioner of Prisons (Operation/ Intelligence) A.C. Gajanayake, along with a number of other officials of the Department of Prisons, were present at the meeting.
(PMD)
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised that greater priority must be given to strengthening Sri Lanka’s vocational education sector in parallel with the country’s ongoing education reforms, stating that the Government is prepared to allocate the necessary funding through the 2027 Budget.
The President made these remarks on Friday (17) during a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat to review the progress of projects implemented under the 2026 Budget allocations for the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education and to discuss the Ministry’s funding requirements ahead of the 2027 Budget.
A total allocation of Rs. 303 billion has been made to the Ministry under the 2026 Budget, comprising Rs. 160 billion for general education, Rs. 122 billion for higher education and Rs. 20 billion for vocational education.
The meeting reviewed the implementation of projects funded under these allocations, future plans and the Ministry’s funding requirements for the coming year. The President stressed that budget allocations should not be spent merely because they have been provided, but should instead be utilised in line with national priorities and identified needs.
Officials noted that the largest-ever capital allocation of Rs. 8 billion had been provided this year for vocational education. They also reported that 57,959 students had been enrolled during the first two quarters of the year across 310 Government vocational training institutions.
Particular attention was given to increasing the annual intake of students into vocational education institutions. Discussions also covered the allocation of a permanent site for the Ocean University, the gradual increase in student admissions to the University of Vocational Technology from next year and measures to expand both the number and quality of University Colleges across the country, enabling students in the regions to access technical degree and diploma programmes more easily.
The meeting also focused on programmes implemented under the general education sector. The President stressed that projects financed through foreign assistance should not become an unnecessary debt burden on the country, but should instead be undertaken only where they are aligned with Sri Lanka’s education policies and genuine national requirements.
Attention was also directed towards welfare programmes for schoolchildren. The President instructed that priorities be established to ensure that benefits reach those who genuinely require them based on the effectiveness of each programme. The President further noted that the President’s Fund remains ready to support scholarship programmes and instructed officials to prepare and submit proposals outlining such funding requirements.
The meeting also held extensive discussions on increasing the monthly financial assistance provided to students with special educational needs from 2026 onwards, as well as raising the allowances paid to student teachers at the National Colleges of Education.
Officials also briefed the President on issues relating to the existing student insurance scheme.
Discussions further focused on plans to invest Rs. 382 billion in the education sector during the 2027–2031 period to support its continued development. Particular attention was given to the proposed Digital Transformation Project, which forms part of this investment programme.
It was also noted that work has commenced on the rehabilitation of 20 schools and National Colleges of Education damaged by Cyclone Ditwah, with Rs. 1.9 billion allocated for the programme.
The meeting also agreed that teacher shortages, vacancies among non-academic staff and salary anomalies within the education sector should be addressed through a coordinated approach across the public sector. It was further agreed that a special commission would be tasked with recommending permanent solutions to these issues.
Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Dr. Harini Amarasuriya; Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando; Deputy Minister of Vocational Education Nalin Hewage; Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake; Chief of Staff to the President Prabath Chandrakeerthi; Senior Additional Secretaries to the President Russel Aponsu and Kapila Janaka Bandara; Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma; Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Nalaka Kaluwewa; together with officials from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, were also present at the meeting.
(PMD)
The Sri Lanka Navy rescued a fisherman from a local fishing trawler that encountered distress due to adverse weather conditions off the eastern coast of Sri Lanka.
The rescue operation took place on 17 July 2026, approximately 15 nautical miles off Pothuvil. The operation was launched following information received by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo.
In response, the Sri Lanka Navy deployed the Offshore Patrol Vessel SLNS Vijayabahu along with additional craft to conduct a search operation in the designated sea area, where they successfully located the distressed fisherman.
Following the rescue, the individual was brought aboard SLNS Vijayabahu, where naval personnel administered preliminary first aid. He was subsequently brought to the mainland and rushed for further medical attention.
Meanwhile, the Navy, along with the coordination of MRCC Colombo, remains constantly prepared to swiftly respond to the eventualities faced by maritime and fishing communities operating within the island’s Search and Rescue Region (SRR).
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