2026-02-19 / Debate (Continued): Judicature (Amendment) Bill and Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill - Committee and Third Reading 2026-02-19
Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen raised several constituency and national concerns in this wide-ranging speech. He called for urgent action following a fatal shooting of two young men from his Mannar constituency in Colombo, requesting medical care for the survivor, compensation for the victim's family, and measures to prevent such crimes. He also demanded the Attorney General's Department expedite cases against individuals associated with a matter in which he himself was acquitted, arguing it is unjust for secondary suspects to remain under prolonged prosecution. On drug smuggling, he alleged complicity by Navy officers and government ministers in Mannar and called for personnel rotation and proper investigations. He further demanded the removal of a Gotabaya-era Defence Ministry requirement restricting Qur'an imports — which he characterised as discriminatory — the reopening of the Mahara Mosque ahead of Ramadan, and the reopening of the Mannar–Puttalam road, warning of post-Ramadan protests if no action is taken. He defended the resettlement of displaced Muslims near Wilpattu as lawful, rejecting allegations of forest encroachment, and noted that Rs. 120 million in IDP resettlement and road development funds had been returned unspent.
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.
Mr. Deputy Speaker, although this debate concerns the Ministry of Justice, the Minister is not in the Chamber. That is regrettable.
Two young men from my constituency (Mannar/Musali/Vellimalai)—Riyadh Sameem and Mujahid Saharan—were shot with a firearm in Colombo when they went to a salon. One has been killed; the other is fighting for his life in ICU. They are poor. The father does not even have the money to visit his son in hospital. I have spoken to the President by phone. Please stop such killings. Otherwise tourism will suffer, and the fear of the war years will return. Ensure the injured man receives full medical care and save his life. Provide compensation to the victim’s family. Take urgent action to prevent such crimes.
Next, during the last Government I was jailed for three months merely for transporting displaced voters by bus from Puttalam to Mannar to vote. I was acquitted as innocent within six months. Yet a few engineers and a consultant who allegedly “helped me” still face a case dragging on for 4–5 years. Officers of the Attorney General’s Department are here: if I, the primary suspect, was acquitted, why do these cases against others continue, with police telling court they await AG’s Reports? Please direct the AG’s Department to act promptly and conclude these cases.
On drugs, you say narcotics come from Jaffna, Mannar, Kalpitiya. If you wish to stop it, you can. Do not keep the same Navy officers indefinitely in those zones; rotate them. I informed the Hon. Deputy Minister of Defence that a voice recording surfaced linking a Navy officer to drug smuggling and commissions. He said action would be taken; instead the officer was only transferred, with no proper inquiry. Ministers who visit Mannar are being feted by smugglers; they dine at smugglers’ expense. If your Ministers eat on smugglers’ money, how will you save the country? Act wisely and sever such ties.
There is now a shortage of Qur’an copies in Colombo. Why? Because Sri Lanka Customs has imposed restrictions on importing Qur’ans and tafsir. There are no such restrictions on Buddhist, Hindu, or Catholic texts. Only Islamic books require prior Defence Ministry approval—a Gotabaya-era order that still continues. Twenty-five MPs have signed a request to release consignments of Qur’ans now held at the harbour. Lift this discriminatory restriction.
The Mahara Mosque was closed during the Gotabaya Government. Ramadan is upon us, and Muslims there have no place to pray, including Tarawih. You have even appointed a Muslim as Deputy Minister for Religious and Cultural Affairs; from the day we arrived here we have asked: reopen the mosque. This is not Gotabaya’s government; it is yours. At least for Ramadan, reopen it urgently.
On the Mannar–Puttalam road: I opened this road when I was a Minister. It is a 100-year-old Government road. A racist group filed a case against its opening, which the Department of Wildlife Conservation fought—until recently, when it withdrew and refused to open it. Stop misleading people here; either reopen the road or provide a coastal alternative. If not, after Ramadan, we will mobilize protests. If this road were in the South—Ambalantota or Gampaha—would you keep it closed? This route saves 80–90 km for the people of Mannar, both Tamils and Muslims.
Some claim we destroyed Wilpattu by resettling Muslims. Not an inch of Wilpattu was taken. These people were resettled on their own lands from which they were expelled. After two decades, the area had become overgrown; clearing their own plots was done legally. Prove otherwise with law, not slander. Reopen this century-old road immediately.
On anti-drug efforts: we appreciate the action taken and the President’s resolve. But are all within Government equally committed? I must also note that Rs. 80 million allocated under the Ranil Wickremesinghe Government for IDP resettlement, and Rs. 40 million for road development for returnees, were sent back. I asked Hon. Chandrasekar, the Minister in charge of Jaffna, to restore these funds; he said he would, but to date nothing has been returned. Some Ministers are acting in an ethnic manner. Please stop such conduct.