Counter-Terrorism framework to Sectoral Committee

Cabinet this week decided to forward a draft Counter-Terrorism Law to the multi-party Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security for further debate.

The draft, intended to replace the existing Prevention of Terrorism Act, was recently produced by a Committee chaired by Minister of Law and Order Sagala Ratnayake. It was meant to have introduced provisions to prevent terrorism while affirming Sri Lanka’s international commitments on human rights. However, strong concerns have already been expressed about several of its clauses.

After Minister Ratnayake presented it to Cabinet on Tuesday, it was decided that the “policy and legal framework drafted by the said committee” will be forwarded to the Sectoral Oversight Committee.

Sectoral Committees on various subjects were set up last year. They comprise of MPs from various parties. The one related to national security has 20 members and is chaired by Malith Jayathilake, a UPFA National List MP. Another of its members is M. A. Sumanthiran, TNA Parliamentarian, who recently said in Parliament that the proposed new law will be worse than the PTA.