Features

Who needs the PTA?

Published

7 months ago

2025/07/20

Thilina Walpola

A protest against the PTA. (Picture credit Ada Derana)

“Not only our actions, but also our inactions, become our destiny.”
Heinrich Zimmer (The King and the Corpse)

Mohamad Suhail was arrested twice in one day, first under normal law, then under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. The first ‘crime’ of this 21-year-old student was walking down the road outside the Chabad House in Dehiwala. The Chabad House (a religio-political-social institution belonging to the Chabad-Lubavitch Movement, a Jewish-fundamentalist sect – think of Bodu Bala Sena with way more brains and cash), reportedly an illegal construction, continues to thrive under the benign gaze of law enforcement officers. Yet the same law enforcement officers arrested Mr. Suhail, a Lankan citizen, for being near a structure built to serve Israeli tourists.

Since Mr. Suhail’s real ‘crime’ would have earned them a magisterial reprimand, Dehiwala police accused him of not having an identity card. The magistrate refused to remand him and released him, pointing out that being in a public space without an identity card was no crime. Case closed. Or so it seemed.

Mr. Suhail went home to Mawanella with his father that evening. In the night, a team from the Dehiwala police went to his home and arrested him again under the PTA, effectively preventing the magistrate from giving him bail. His ‘crime’ this time was having anti-Israel posts on his social media.

That was 24 October 2024. He spent the next eight months and three weeks in remand prison. He would have vegetated behind bars for many more months, or even years, had not his incarceration made it to the news in June 2025, resulting in an outcry.

This week, the police informed the court that Mr. Suhail can be released on bail since he had committed no wrongdoing under the PTA. Incomprehensibly, despite this total lack of evidence, the case against him is to continue. Even harder to comprehend is the reason for his arrest. After all, being critical of Israel (or of any other country including Sri Lanka) is not a crime even under normal law let alone the PTA.

Mr Suhail’s case could have been regarded as an isolated incident had it not been for the arrest in March 2025 of 22-year-old Mohamad Rusdi. He too was detained under the PTA for the ‘crime’ of being anti-Israel. In his case too, the police failed to find any ‘evidence’ – other than his opposition to the Gaza genocide. He too was released on bail, because the state wants to maintain the case against him.

The two cases, taken together, prove how easily, how dangerously the PTA can be abused, how it can be used to persecute innocents on the most ludicrous of pretexts. If this practice of arresting Lankans for being anti-Israel is given a pass, what will the authorities do next? Arrest Lankans for laughing at Donald Trump, ridiculing Narendra Modi or mocking Xi Jinping? How about the ‘terrorist’ crime of disrespecting the Pakistani flag, Maldivian national flower or Nepal’s national anthem?

After all, had we been told one year ago that a Lankan can be detained under the PTA for being critical of Israel, wouldn’t we have dismissed it as an April Fool’s joke?

The conclusion is terrifyingly obvious: any act, however ordinary or innocuous, can be deemed terrorism under the PTA and anyone, however innocent, a terrorist.

Initially, the victims would be non-Sinhalese since in Sri Lanka terror mostly meant and means Tamil or Muslim. But eventually, it will be the turn of any Sinhalese the government of the day has a problem with. It is not hard to envisage NPP/JVP leaders being detained under the PTA by a future Namal Rajapaksa dispensation, maybe for the crime of threatening the president’s second cousin! After all, the NPP/JVP in government has set a new record in abusing the PTA, making it easier for its successor to sink to even more abysmal depths.

The PTA has been in existence for 46 years. In that time, it failed to prevent the phenomenal growth of the LTTE, the Eelam War, the Second JVP insurgency, and the Easter Sunday massacre. Despite these monumental failures, it thrives and will continue to thrive because every government feels the need for it, feels safer, more potent for it, sees it as a protector of last resort, not of the country or the people but of its own power.

Regarding the PTA as a talisman against political opposition, public discontent, and electoral failure is a mistake every government makes and no government learns from.

PTA: an anatomy of failure

Not every promise is made equal. Some can be ignored without major consequences. Breaking others herald disaster.

Like the promise the UNP made in its 1977 election manifesto to politically resolve the Tamil ethnic problem.

Armed separatism came into being under the UF government of Sirima Bandaranaike (the LTTE was formed in 1976). But there was still a chance to prevent large scale bloodshed by finding political solutions to the political problems of the Tamil people. This was what the UNP promised do in its election manifesto: “The United National Party accepts the position that there are numerous problems confronting the Tamil-speaking people. The lack of a solution to their problems has made the Tamil-speaking people support even a movement for the creation of a separate state. In the interests of national integration and unity so essential for the economic development of the whole country, the party feels that such problems should be resolved without the loss of time. The party, when it comes to power, will take all possible steps to remedy their grievances in such fields as,

· Education; (2) Colonisation; (3) Use of Tamil language; (4) Employment in the public and semi-public corporations.

We will summon an All-Party Conference as stated earlier and implement its decisions” (emphasis mine).

But once in power with a five-sixth majority, the UNP forgot its promise. Instead of prioritising national integration, J. R. Jayewardene focused on creating an executive presidency thereby concentrating almost all power in his own hands. In the meantime, the virulent outpourings of the likes of Cyril Mathew began to given the government a racist image the UNP didn’t have in opposition.

Less than a month after the election, all hell broke loose.

On 15 August, three policemen on patrol in Jaffna stopped three cyclists. One of the cyclists pulled out a revolver and shot at a policeman. Over the next couple of days, the police went berserk attacking civilians, destroying property and burning the iconic Jaffna market.

On 17 August at 11. 00 am, a radio message was sent from the Jaffna police station to the IGP in Colombo: “Today, four CTB buses have been set on fire. Naga Vihara is under attack. A crowd has gathered at the railway station Jaffna with intention to assault incoming passengers. The situation is deemed serious.” Every word in that message was a lie, but was received as nothing but the truth by many Sinhalese. Soon, anti-Tamil violence exploded in Colombo, regional towns, and in the Plantations. In some parts of the North, Tamils retaliated by attacking Sinhala traders. Violence raged over two weeks. Hundreds of people were killed and tens of thousands displaced, most of them Tamil.

The riots were a warning of the fragility of the situation and the urgent need for a measured political response by the government. Had the Jayewardene administration returned to its election promise, and worked at resolving key Tamil grievances, the war could have been avoided and hundreds of thousands of lives, Tamil, Sinhala, and Muslim, saved. Unfortunately, the government did the opposite; forgetting the political grievances which led to the Eelam demand, it resorted to generalised repression in the North while and trying to surpass the SLFP on the racism scale in the South.

The Prevention of Terrorism Act was born of this mindset. Formulated in 1978 and becoming law in 1979, the PTA made it possible for the authorities to arrest and detain any Tamil on terrorism charges without a shred of evidence.

When the PTA came into being in 1979, the LTTE was capable only of isolated acts of violence. Just four years later, by 1983, despite a severe internal schism, it was able to wipe out an entire army patrol.

A vignette from the deadly Four-Four Bravo operation indicates what the Lankan state and government lost by focusing on repression instead of on winning over ordinary Tamils. The operation was carried out by the crème de la crème of the LTTE, including Vellupillai Prabhakaran. As the group made their way to the selected spot in the Tinnaveli junction, their footfalls attracted the attention of some residents. “The more inquisitive ones peeped out of their windows or balconies. The LTTE had anticipated this. To pass for Sri Lankan troops, Chellakili and Victor barked out orders in Sinhalese. The perennial fear of men in uniform did the trick. The curious onlookers quickly retreated out of sight” (Inside an Elusive Mind – MR Narayan Swami). Had the government adopted an approach of isolating the militants by reaching out to ordinary Tamils, some alarm might have been given and the attack averted, saving countless lives, starting with the 13 soldiers who were to die that night.

Not taking that path would lead to Black July and quarter of a century of war.

Who lied to the President, and why?

Like the UNP in 1977, the NPP/JVP came into office promising to achieve national reconciliation. And, like the UNP, it is failing. The needless and unjust detention of Mohamad Rusdi and Mohamad Suhail under the PTA signals that the current government is headed to an abyss – this time totally of its own making.

In April 2025, President Dissanayake publicly defended the arrest of Mr Rusdi insisting there was ample evidence to justify his detention under the PTA. Later, the police were forced to admit the opposite – there was not an iota of evidence against Mr. Rusdi.

Did the President lie knowingly or was he duped? If he was duped (which seems the more likely possibility since he is yet to show any signs of racism) it would have been by someone he trusts. We do not know who lied to him, but he does. Knowing the identity of the liar, it should be possible for him to figure out the reason for the lie. Was it money (Israel is notorious for bribery) or innate anti-Muslim sentiments? Or, are these arrests false flag operations aimed at whipping up another round of anti-Muslim hysteria?

In August 1977, a generalised pogrom could have been avoided if some police official in Jaffna had not sent that false radio message to the IGP. Who authored it remains a mystery. The why is obvious. That radio message was a false flag operation aimed at setting the country on fire. It was done with malicious intent, and it was done by a supposed guardian of law.

Warned by history, President Dissanayake has a chance to uncover the official/officials responsible for the equation of anti-Israel with terrorism and the consequent abuse of the PTA and bring him/them to justice.

The PTA was born as an anti-Tamil law. Its concept of terror invoked the image of every Tamil, from the politician advocating a separate state to the old woman sweeping the street who knew nothing of a separate state. So, when the LTTE carried out the Four-Four Bravo operation, Sinhala mobs wreaked bloody vengeance on every Tamil they could get hold of.

In 2012, the Rajapaksas, in search of a threat to keep Sinhala-Buddhists cleaved to them, created the Muslim enemy. That image led to the anti-Muslims riots of Aluthgama and Digana, and from thence to the Easter Sunday massacre. The one thing it didn’t do was to make Nilantha Jayawardena, the then head of the SIS, the first top official to receive concrete information about the coming attack do anything to prevent it. By April 21^st, he was in possession of the names of several potential attackers: Mohamed Zaharan, Mohamed Milhan, and Mohamedu Rilwan. If he had moved to arrest even one of these men, the attack might have been prevented. And he could have done so easily, under the normal law or the PTA. Yet he didn’t. As the Supreme Court pointed out, “All this shows that there was so much information that was available before Nilantha Jayawardena…but it cannot be said that Nilantha Jayawardena acted with alacrity and promptitude.”

Had Mr. Jayawardena been a Muslim he would have been accused of helping the terrorists, perhaps even arrested under the PTA. But he is Sinhala and Buddhist, and therefore remains as free as a bird. No wonder the PTA failed miserably in doing what it was created to do – prevent terrorism. But it will survive the NPP/JVP government to be used in an even more surreal and deadly manner under a President Namal Rajapaksa.

The PTA is like the executive presidency, another Ring of Power its current wearer never wants to take off. Today, it is Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s Precious. Someday it will be used against him. By the time he realises that, it will be too late, for him, and for ordinary Lankans who can become its victims for any reason or none.

by Tisaranee Gunasekara ✍️

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Features

Crucial test for religious and ethnic harmony in Bangladesh

Published

14 hours ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

A political protest that led to governmental change in Bangladesh mid last year. (photograph: imago)

Will the Bangladesh parliamentary election bring into being a government that will ensure ethnic and religious harmony in the country? This is the poser on the lips of peace-loving sections in Bangladesh and a principal concern of those outside who mean the country well.

The apprehensions are mainly on the part of religious and ethnic minorities. The parliamentary poll of February 12th is expected to bring into existence a government headed by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamist oriented Jamaat-e-Islami party and this is where the rub is. If these parties win, will it be a case of Bangladesh sliding in the direction of a theocracy or a state where majoritarian chauvinism thrives?

Chief of the Jamaat, Shafiqur Rahman, who was interviewed by sections of the international media recently said that there is no need for minority groups in Bangladesh to have the above fears. He assured, essentially, that the state that will come into being will be equable and inclusive. May it be so, is likely to be the wish of those who cherish a tension-free Bangladesh.

The party that could have posed a challenge to the above parties, the Awami League Party of former Prime Minister Hasina Wased, is out of the running on account of a suspension that was imposed on it by the authorities and the mentioned majoritarian-oriented parties are expected to have it easy at the polls.

A positive that has emerged against the backdrop of the poll is that most ordinary people in Bangladesh, be they Muslim or Hindu, are for communal and religious harmony and it is hoped that this sentiment will strongly prevail, going ahead. Interestingly, most of them were of the view, when interviewed, that it was the politicians who sowed the seeds of discord in the country and this viewpoint is widely shared by publics all over the region in respect of the politicians of their countries.

Some sections of the Jamaat party were of the view that matters with regard to the orientation of governance are best left to the incoming parliament to decide on but such opinions will be cold comfort for minority groups. If the parliamentary majority comes to consist of hard line Islamists, for instance, there is nothing to prevent the country from going in for theocratic governance. Consequently, minority group fears over their safety and protection cannot be prevented from spreading.

Therefore, we come back to the question of just and fair governance and whether Bangladesh’s future rulers could ensure these essential conditions of democratic rule. The latter, it is hoped, will be sufficiently perceptive to ascertain that a Bangladesh rife with religious and ethnic tensions, and therefore unstable, would not be in the interests of Bangladesh and those of the region’s countries.

Unfortunately, politicians region-wide fall for the lure of ethnic, religious and linguistic chauvinism. This happens even in the case of politicians who claim to be democratic in orientation. This fate even befell Bangladesh’s Awami League Party, which claims to be democratic and socialist in general outlook.

We have it on the authority of Taslima Nasrin in her ground-breaking novel, ‘Lajja’, that the Awami Party was not of any substantial help to Bangladesh’s Hindus, for example, when violence was unleashed on them by sections of the majority community. In fact some elements in the Awami Party were found to be siding with the Hindus’ murderous persecutors. Such are the temptations of hard line majoritarianism.

In Sri Lanka’s past numerous have been the occasions when even self-professed Leftists and their parties have conveniently fallen in line with Southern nationalist groups with self-interest in mind. The present NPP government in Sri Lanka has been waxing lyrical about fostering national reconciliation and harmony but it is yet to prove its worthiness on this score in practice. The NPP government remains untested material.

As a first step towards national reconciliation it is hoped that Sri Lanka’s present rulers would learn the Tamil language and address the people of the North and East of the country in Tamil and not Sinhala, which most Tamil-speaking people do not understand. We earnestly await official language reforms which afford to Tamil the dignity it deserves.

An acid test awaits Bangladesh as well on the nation-building front. Not only must all forms of chauvinism be shunned by the incoming rulers but a secular, truly democratic Bangladesh awaits being licked into shape. All identity barriers among people need to be abolished and it is this process that is referred to as nation-building.

On the foreign policy frontier, a task of foremost importance for Bangladesh is the need to build bridges of amity with India. If pragmatism is to rule the roost in foreign policy formulation, Bangladesh would place priority to the overcoming of this challenge. The repatriation to Bangladesh of ex-Prime Minister Hasina could emerge as a steep hurdle to bilateral accord but sagacious diplomacy must be used by Bangladesh to get over the problem.

A reply to N.A. de S. Amaratunga

A response has been penned by N.A. de S. Amaratunga (please see p5 of ‘The Island’ of February 6th) to a previous column by me on ‘ India shaping-up as a Swing State’, published in this newspaper on January 29th , but I remain firmly convinced that India remains a foremost democracy and a Swing State in the making.

If the countries of South Asia are to effectively manage ‘murderous terrorism’, particularly of the separatist kind, then they would do well to adopt to the best of their ability a system of government that provides for power decentralization from the centre to the provinces or periphery, as the case may be. This system has stood India in good stead and ought to prove effective in all other states that have fears of disintegration.

Moreover, power decentralization ensures that all communities within a country enjoy some self-governing rights within an overall unitary governance framework. Such power-sharing is a hallmark of democratic governance.

Features

Celebrating Valentine’s Day …

Published

14 hours ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating love, romance, and affection, and this is how some of our well-known personalities plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day – 14th February:

Merlina Fernando (Singer)

Yes, it’s a special day for lovers all over the world and it’s even more special to me because 14th February is the birthday of my husband Suresh, who’s the lead guitarist of my band Mission.

We have planned to celebrate Valentine’s Day and his Birthday together and it will be a wonderful night as always.

We will be having our fans and close friends, on that night, with their loved ones at Highso – City Max hotel Dubai, from 9.00 pm onwards.

Lorensz Francke (Elvis Tribute Artiste)

On Valentine’s Day I will be performing a live concert at a Wealthy Senior Home for Men and Women, and their families will be attending, as well.

I will be performing live with romantic, iconic love songs and my song list would include ‘Can’t Help falling in Love’, ‘Love Me Tender’, ‘Burning Love’, ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight’, ‘The Wonder of You’ and ‘’It’s Now or Never’ to name a few.

To make Valentine’s Day extra special I will give the Home folks red satin scarfs.

Emma Shanaya (Singer)

I plan on spending the day of love with my girls, especially my best friend. I don’t have a romantic Valentine this year but I am thrilled to spend it with the girl that loves me through and through. I’ll be in Colombo and look forward to go to a cute cafe and spend some quality time with my childhood best friend Zulha.

JAYASRI

Emma-and-Maneeka

This Valentine’s Day the band JAYASRI we will be really busy; in the morning we will be landing in Sri Lanka, after our Oman Tour; then in the afternoon we are invited as Chief Guests at our Maris Stella College Sports Meet, Negombo, and late night we will be with LineOne band live in Karandeniya Open Air Down South. Everywhere we will be sharing LOVE with the mass crowds.

Kay Jay (Singer)

I will stay at home and cook a lovely meal for lunch, watch some movies, together with Sanjaya, and, maybe we go out for dinner and have a lovely time. Come to think of it, every day is Valentine’s Day for me with Sanjaya Alles.

Maneka Liyanage (Beauty Tips)

On this special day, I celebrate love by spending meaningful time with the people I cherish. I prepare food with love and share meals together, because food made with love brings hearts closer. I enjoy my leisure time with them — talking, laughing, sharing stories, understanding each other, and creating beautiful memories. My wish for this Valentine’s Day is a world without fighting — a world where we love one another like our own beloved, where we do not hurt others, even through a single word or action. Let us choose kindness, patience, and understanding in everything we do.

Janaka Palapathwala (Singer)

Janaka

Valentine’s Day should not be the only day we speak about love.

From the moment we are born into this world, we seek love, first through the very drop of our mother’s milk, then through the boundless care of our Mother and Father, and the embrace of family.

Love is everywhere. All living beings, even plants, respond in affection when they are loved.

As we grow, we learn to love, and to be loved. One day, that love inspires us to build a new family of our own.

Love has no beginning and no end. It flows through every stage of life, timeless, endless, and eternal.

Natasha Rathnayake (Singer)

We don’t have any special plans for Valentine’s Day. When you’ve been in love with the same person for over 25 years, you realise that love isn’t a performance reserved for one calendar date. My husband and I have never been big on public displays, or grand gestures, on 14th February. Our love is expressed quietly and consistently, in ordinary, uncelebrated moments.

With time, you learn that love isn’t about proving anything to the world or buying into a commercialised idea of romance—flowers that wilt, sweets that spike blood sugar, and gifts that impress briefly but add little real value. In today’s society, marketing often pushes the idea that love is proven by how much money you spend, and that buying things is treated as a sign of commitment.

Real love doesn’t need reminders or price tags. It lives in showing up every day, choosing each other on unromantic days, and nurturing the relationship intentionally and without an audience.

This isn’t a judgment on those who enjoy celebrating Valentine’s Day. It’s simply a personal choice.

Melloney Dassanayake (Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2024)

I truly believe it’s beautiful to have a day specially dedicated to love. But, for me, Valentine’s Day goes far beyond romantic love alone. It celebrates every form of love we hold close to our hearts: the love for family, friends, and that one special person who makes life brighter. While 14th February gives us a moment to pause and celebrate, I always remind myself that love should never be limited to just one day. Every single day should feel like Valentine’s Day – constant reminder to the people we love that they are never alone, that they are valued, and that they matter.

I’m incredibly blessed because, for me, every day feels like Valentine’s Day. My special person makes sure of that through the smallest gestures, the quiet moments, and the simple reminders that love lives in the details. He shows me that it’s the little things that count, and that love doesn’t need grand stages to feel extraordinary. This Valentine’s Day, perfection would be something intimate and meaningful: a cozy picnic in our home garden, surrounded by nature, laughter, and warmth, followed by an abstract drawing session where we let our creativity flow freely. To me, that’s what love is – simple, soulful, expressive, and deeply personal. When love is real, every ordinary moment becomes magical.

Noshin De Silva (Actress)

Valentine’s Day is one of my favourite holidays! I love the décor, the hearts everywhere, the pinks and reds, heart-shaped chocolates, and roses all around. But honestly, I believe every day can be Valentine’s Day.

It doesn’t have to be just about romantic love. It’s a chance to celebrate love in all its forms with friends, family, or even by taking a little time for yourself.

Whether you’re spending the day with someone special or enjoying your own company, it’s a reminder to appreciate meaningful connections, show kindness, and lead with love every day.

And yes, I’m fully on theme this year with heart nail art and heart mehendi design!

Wishing everyone a very happy Valentine’s Day, but, remember, love yourself first, and don’t forget to treat yourself.

Sending my love to all of you.

Features

Banana and Aloe Vera

Published

14 hours ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

To create a powerful, natural, and hydrating beauty mask that soothes inflammation, fights acne, and boosts skin radiance, mix a mashed banana with fresh aloe vera gel.

This nutrient-rich blend acts as an antioxidant-packed anti-ageing treatment that also doubles as a nourishing, shiny hair mask.

* Face Masks for Glowing Skin:

Mix 01 ripe banana with 01 tablespoon of fresh aloe vera gel and apply this mixture to the face. Massage for a few minutes, leave for 15-20 minutes, and then rinse off for a glowing complexion.

* Acne and Soothing Mask:

Mix 01 tablespoon of fresh aloe vera gel with 1/2 a mashed banana and 01 teaspoon of honey. Apply this mixture to clean skin to calm inflammation, reduce redness, and hydrate dry, sensitive skin. Leave for 15-20 minutes, and rinse with warm water.

* Hair Treatment for Shine:

Mix 01 fresh ripe banana with 03 tablespoons of fresh aloe vera gel and 01 teaspoon of honey. Apply from scalp to ends, massage for 10-15 minutes and then let it dry for maximum absorption. Rinse thoroughly with cool water for soft, shiny, and frizz-free hair.