File photograph: Protestors in Jaffna call for a repeal of the PTA, 2019.
As Sri Lanka’s National People's Power (NPP) government faces mounting pressure over its proposal to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) with a new anti-terrorism law, Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara has reiterated the government's position on ensuring such legislation remains.
"Although previous governments had appointed and taken forward a number of committees to bring a new bill to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), no steps have been taken to prepare a bill," the minister said. "The NPP Government appointed a committee in this regard. We made a public request to the people in the country to provide their views and suggestions to that committee. We will positively accept the suggestions you have given and submit them to the relevant committee.
“This bill is not being prepared to be used for suppression on the grounds of racism, religion or any other issue. Such a bill is essential in facing global terrorist challenges.”
“There are anti-terrorism bills in other countries of the world. Those bills have been prepared by those countries to protect human rights. Since it is the responsibility of the Government to protect the country, such a bill should exist,” Nanayakkara continued.
His comments come after a coalition of 240 organizations and individuals submitted a proposal to the Justice Ministry, demanding the immediate repeal of the PTA without introducing a replacement anti-terrorism law. The proposal cited existing provisions in Sri Lanka's penal code that can be used to address potential threats without the need for new legislation.
The group also presented five key recommendations and raised concerns about the composition of the committee appointed to oversee the matter. The proposal criticized the lack of accountability for violence and terror committed by the Sri Lankan state and questioned the legitimacy of introducing new legislation that had not been part of the government’s election mandate.
Similarly, the National Shoora Council (NSC) recently urged Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake to honour his election pledge by repealing the PTA without replacing it with a new anti-terrorism law. They stressed that such a mandate had not been obtained from the public.
The Jaffna Bar Association echoed these demands, insisting at a meeting on May 20 that the PTA should be repealed immediately. The Association stated that the existing Criminal Procedure Code provides sufficient tools to address criminal matters and ensure public safety, making any new law redundant.
