TNA must take disciplinary action against Sritharan

The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) of 1978 which was first enacted as a temporary law in 1979 by the then UNP Government led by the late President J.R. Jayewardene was passed as an Act in Parliament three years later. The PTA of Sri Lanka prohibits its citizens from supporting terrorism and separatism that threaten the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. It even bans the airing of views that support and encourage terrorism. Those who violate the PTA would be subjected to jail terms and even their movable and immovable assets could be confiscated.

Although some opportunistic Tamil politicians had made controversial speeches time and again, thereby violating the PTA, barely any action had been taken against them. Hence, some of them commit the same offence over and over again and go scot free.

However, the time is now opportune to deal with such transgressors who continue to air views which threaten the country's sovereignty.

Velupillai Prabhakaran was, by and large, the most barbaric and ruthless terrorist leader the world had ever known. He had been instrumental in killing thousands of civilians in broad daylight, apart from the assassination of world, political, religious and civil society leaders with his terror outfit. Can anyone in his or her right senses eulogise such a megalomaniac?

But this is exactly what Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian S. Sritharan did in Parliament on Tuesday, when reading out a prepared statement, glorifying and romanticising Prabhakaran's misdeeds.

In his controversial speech in the apex Legislature on Prabhakaran's birth anniversary, Sritharan justified the cause fostered by the LTTE terrorist outfit and called it a freedom struggle. Taking cover under parliamentary privileges, he stressed the need to commemorate the slain LTTE leaders and cadres on what he called 'Mahaveer day'.

His speech drew widespread condemnation from Government and Opposition benches. Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake responded that Prabhakaran was responsible for the killing of many leaders of all communities. Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara also opposed the statement by the TNA MP and the controversial sections had been expunged from the Hansard.

However, the TNA disassociated itself from Sritharan's statement glorifying the LTTE and Prabhakaran. TNA leader R. Sampanthan told the media that what Sritharan had expressed was certainly not the position of their party. Sampanthan said the TNA's stand had been clearly outlined in the party's manifesto presented to the people of the North prior to the September 21 Provincial Council election. The TNA leader said that Sritharan "would have been moved by the fact that November 26 was Prabhakaran's birthday" and that the MP would have made "an emotional statement". Sampanthan added that the TNA did not campaign during the previous elections "on such a line" and even Sritharan had not aired such views during the election campaign. Sampanthan said that if Sritharan wanted to campaign for elections on such lines, the TNA would not have permitted him to do so.

Since Sampanthan has said that Sritharan's controversial speech in Parliament "clearly does not reflect the TNA's position" and that the party is against it, the TNA must prove its transparency by conducting a disciplinary inquiry against the MP.

Can a blood-thirsty terrorist leader such as Prabhakaran, who had killed many leaders in the Tamil society itself, be called a freedom fighter? Leaders of political parties aligned with the TNA were also brutally killed by Prabhakaran.

Going by Sritharan's statement, there isn't a shadow of doubt that he has directly supported, espoused, promoted and encouraged the establishment of a separate state within Sri Lanka's territory.

Prabhakaran, a secessionist terrorist, had unsuccessfully attempted to set up a separate state within the territory of Sri Lanka, which he called Tamil Eelam, through an armed struggle. In glorifying Prabhakaran, the leader of one of the most notorious terrorist outfits in the world, Sritharan had not only violated his oath taken as a Member of Parliament, but also fanned the flames of separatism in the country by promoting the LTTE's separatist agenda. The oath upholding the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution states: "I ............... do solemnly declare and affirm/swear, that I will uphold and defend the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and that I will not, directly or indirectly, in or outside Sri Lanka, support, espouse, promote, finance, encourage or advocate the establishment of a separate state within the territory of Sri Lanka."

Every parliamentarian or any other Government servant takes this oath when he or she assumes office. In these circumstances, how could a legislator violate the oath he had taken at the same place, taking cover under parliamentary privileges?

Although Sritharan could not be challenged in a court of law for his controversial speech as he is covered by parliamentary privileges, he could be taken to task in Parliament for violating the Constitution and the Sixth Amendment and promoting terrorism and separatism.

It is mind-boggling that Sritharan seems to have forgotten how Prabhakaran and his gang assassinated moderate Tamil leaders who reposed faith in democracy, including the leaders of his own party.

Prabhakaran not only killed outstanding Tamil politicians, including Lakshman Kadirgamar, Uma Maheswaran, Neelan Thiruchelvam, Kumar Ponnambalam and T. Amirthalingam, but also opened fire at those who crossed over to Government-controlled areas with white flags. Prabhakaran and his goons even killed infants and breast-feeding mothers while looting the gold jewellery and salaries of Tamil public servants. Prabhakaran went on the rampage in the North and killed scores of undergraduates of the Jaffna University who opposed terrorism.

There is certainly no room for a separatist agenda in Sri Lanka. Prabhakaran's henchmen such as Sritharan should by no means be permitted to make such inflammatory comments that could rob the country of its hard-earned peace. The peace that one and all enjoy today did not come on a platter, but rather due to supreme sacrifices by the valiant Security Forces who sacrificed their life and limb to vanquish LTTE terror and usher in peace and harmony in the country.

At a time when the country is enjoying the rich dividends of peace and all communities live in perfect peace and harmony, LTTE sympathisers such as Sritharan should never be permitted to fan the flames of terrorism.

UPFA parliamentarians should present a proposal to prevent all acts promoting separatism in the country. As Minister Dissanayake had said, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa will definitely look into the matter. A process of "de-eelamification" should be implemented promptly with provisions to take legal action against those who encourage separatism in the country.

Government and Opposition parliamentarians should unreservedly condemn Sritharan's high-handed act and expel him from Parliament for violating the Constitution and its Sixth Amendment.

It is earnestly hoped that Government and Opposition parliamentarians would take prompt action to ensure that separatist ideologists such as Sirtharan could not exploit the temple of democracy to speak in support of terrorism under the guise of parliamentary privileges.

The current laws are more than adequate to deal with traitors such as Sritharan and take them to task. They should be severely punished under the Prevention of Terrorism Act so that LTTE sympathisers would no longer try to glorify Prabhakaran and his now defunct terror outfit which had unleashed untold misery on over 21 million Sri Lankans.

Opportunistic politicians should not be permitted to play the racist card and violate the oath they had taken to protect the Constitution under a unified country.