Justice Minister criticises MPs for stirring up racism, reminds of duty to represent all communities

Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe today (4) reminded MPs that they are not in Parliament to represent a particular community, but to represent all communities and religions. 

Making a special statement in Parliament this morning, the Justice Minister took issue over comments made by All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Leader Rishad Bathiudeen in Parliament during the debate on the head of expenditure of the Ministry of Justice criticising a member of the judiciary. He noted that Mr Bathiudeen's statements against a particular judge were unbecoming of an MP and urged Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa to inform Mr Bathiudeen to publicly apologise in Parliament to the judge for the offence caused.  

He also pointed to statements made in Parliament by Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP M.A. Sumanthiran and Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) Leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam criticising the use of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). 

The Justice Minister noted that the PTA is a law and had been brought in to combat terrorism. He further pointed out that five suspects who were part of an alleged plot that had been hatched to assassinate MP Sumanthiran had been arrested and indicted under the PTA. "Is he (Sumanthiran) saying that only those who were attempting to kill him should be tried and punished under the PTA, but that all others who killed innocents should not be tried under the legislation?" he queried. 

He noted that he had replied to Mr Sumanthiran during the debate on the head of expenditure on the Ministry of Justice over accusations made by the former that Mr Rajapakshe "should be ashamed to call himself the Minister of Justice."

"The first accusation was that a Buddhist monk in Batticaloa was threatening Tamil civilians and what I was going to do about it. I asked him whether the Justice Minister had any power to arrest such persons and noted that if there is such an issue, a complaint should be made to the police and the police should enforce the law on the matter. The second issue was that Magistrates in the North and East were issuing orders prohibiting "Mahaveer" commemorations for fallen LTTE cadres. Why should the Justice Minister be ashamed about Magistrates exercising their independence and issuing judicial orders accordingly? In fact, I am glad that the Magistrates are acting independently in such a manner. Thirdly, Mr Sumanthiran raised issue over the use of the PTA in the country. The PTA is a law that is in effect. If these accusations had been leveled by someone who did not know a thing about the law, it would not have been an issue, but it is shameful that such accusations are being leveled by a President's Counsel." 

Mr Rajapakshe said that when LTTE Leader Velipullai Prabhakaran was alive, neither Mr Sumanthiran nor Mr Ponnambalam could go up north. If Prabhakaran had been alive today, the MPs would not have been able to go anywhere near the north even today, he added.

"We are trying so hard to create peace between communities and yet, a few members here come and stir up racism," said Mr Rajapakshe. He called on the Speaker not to let such MPs stir up racism inside the House.