Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam

Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam raised four concerns directed at the Ministry of Justice and National Integration. First, he demanded immediate resolution of the Tissa Rajamaha Viharaya encroachment at Thayiddy, alleging the temple was illegally constructed by the military on private land, and criticising a recent government meeting that excluded the deeds-holding landowners while involving a former intelligence official in pressuring local authorities. Second, he objected to the Northern Province Governor convening a provincial health meeting inviting only NPP-aligned MPs designated as informal "shadow ministers," arguing that all Northern Province MPs should be included in such proceedings and characterising the practice as undemocratic. Third, he raised the case of PTA detainee Nimalan, alleging a change in custodial transfer practice has placed him at serious risk in outstation prisons, and called on the government to honour its pre-election commitments to Tamil voters on PTA reform. Fourth, he highlighted the case of detainee Morris, whose coerced confession was rejected by a court leading to acquittal, only for a new case to be filed against him, which Ponnambalam characterised as a continuation of unjust practices under the PTA.

Hon. G. G. Ponnambalam called for a Division on Item No. 80, a Resolution under the Public Security Ordinance. The Speaker directed members to vote using the electronic voting system — green for in favour, red for against, and yellow for abstention — and instructed members to verify their recorded votes on the digital console.

## Summary Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam announced his party's opposition to the Emergency extension, stating he would call a Division and vote against it, citing the historical use of emergency powers to suppress political dissent and protests in the North and East — including through court orders sought against demonstrations at Thayiddi — and the continued application of the Prevention of Terrorism Act against political opposition despite the Government's election promise to repeal it. Challenging the Government's justification that the Emergency is necessary for post-cyclone relief and reconstruction, Ponnambalam cited the uncompensated damage from the 2020 "Burevi" cyclone in Neduntivu (Rs. 20 million) and the unspent 2021 Northern Province allocation as evidence that the Government had failed to deliver relief without emergency powers. He also presented detailed statistics on Indian trawler poaching — including that of 2,871 Indian fishermen arrested since 2013, 2,779 were released without action — arguing that neither past nor present governments had adequately protected Northern fishermen or compensated their losses. Ponnambalam additionally raised the case of Mr. Rajkumar Rajeevkanth, who is reportedly facing harassment after posting on social media asking that Tamil cultural sensitivities be considered regarding the venue chosen for the cremation of a Buddhist monk in Trincomalee, and appealed to the Government to cease any action against him.

G.G. Ponnambalam urged the Minister to take immediate action on a matter for which video evidence and details had already been submitted to the Police and Navy. He noted that six days had elapsed since the submission without any response or action being taken, and pressed the Minister to treat the matter with urgency.

Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam addressed the Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources directly in the Chamber, urging urgent action on a matter involving families who had submitted video evidence and identification documents to the Police and Navy. The speech was brief and procedural in nature, pressing the Minister to respond to the families' outstanding concerns.

## Summary Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam spoke in support of microfinance regulation in principle but raised significant objections to the Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill, with particular concern for war-affected communities in the North and East. He argued that these regions, economically devastated by nearly three decades of conflict, were especially vulnerable to predatory microfinance practices, which he linked to widespread indebtedness, a slavery-like condition described by former Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy, and suicides among women borrowers. Ponnambalam contended that the Bill threatens to destroy longstanding community-based credit mechanisms in the North and East by classifying them as moneylending institutions, thereby stripping women's groups and solidarity-based organisations of their identity and autonomy. He further criticised the Bill for lacking legal enforcement mechanisms for consumer protection, failing to curb profit-driven lending, and proposing to expand CRIB coverage without addressing the existing financial disenfranchisement of rural borrowers, over 85 percent of whom are already listed as bad debtors. He invoked the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants (UNDROP, 2018) to assert that community credit organisation is an internationally recognised collective right. Ponnambalam demanded that community-based credit providers be exempted from the Bill and governed by separate legislation, and also raised a procedural concern that requiring borrowers from distant regions such as Jaffna to attend legal proceedings at a Colombo-registered office was unreasonable and unjust.