Former Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran has reiterated that there must be no compromise in the demand for the complete repeal of Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), warning that its abolition should not be tied to the introduction of new legislation.
His remarks come as debate continues over a proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill that the Sri Lankan government intends to introduce, known as the Protection of the State from Terrorism Nill (PSTB), as a replacement for the PTA. The period allocated for public submissions on the draft legislation concluded on 28 February.
The PTA has long been criticised by Tamil political parties, human rights organisations and international observers for enabling arbitrary detention, torture and prolonged imprisonment without trial. For decades, the law has been used disproportionately against Tamils, particularly during and after the armed conflict in the Tamil homeland.
Speaking on the issue, Sumanthiran stressed that the demand for the law’s abolition must remain unequivocal.
He stated that there should be no compromise in the call for the PTA to be repealed in its entirety and emphasised that the repeal of the existing law should not be made conditional on the introduction of any replacement legislation.
Several national-level human rights advocates and civil society activists have also expressed opposition to the government’s proposed new law. They argue that special anti-terrorism legislation is unnecessary and that existing criminal laws are sufficient to address acts of violence or threats to public security.
Despite these concerns, the Sri Lankan government has maintained that a separate legal framework is required to deal with acts of terrorism.
Sumanthiran said that it remains the principled position of his party that special legislation to combat terrorism is not necessary. However, he added that if the government proceeds with drafting such a law, ITAK would take part in the legislative process.
He explained that engaging in the process would allow them to examine the government’s proposals and work to ensure that any legislation brought forward complies with international human rights standards.
The debate over the future of the PTA continues to draw scrutiny both domestically and internationally. Tamil political representatives and civil society organisations have repeatedly warned that replacing the PTA with similar legislation would merely perpetuate the same system of repression under a different name.