The Point Pedro Pradeshiya Sabha has called for a ban on commercial activities conducted by the Sri Lankan military within its jurisdiction and urged that the proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill (PSTB) not be introduced.
The resolutions were adopted at a sitting of the Sabha held the day before yesterday under the chairmanship of Chairman Udayakumar Yugathees. Councillors also passed a resolution calling for the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act and the withdrawal of the draft Protection of the State from Terrorism legislation. Of the nineteen members present, fifteen voted in favour, while four members representing the National People’s Power abstained.
During the session, members also unanimously resolved that Sri Lankan military personnel should refrain from engaging in commercial enterprises in areas under the authority of the Point Pedro Pradeshiya Sabha. Councillors expressed concern that such activities contribute to the proliferation of narcotics use among youths, including schoolchildren, and emphasised that the military should confine itself to its designated security duties.
Across the Tamil homeland, the Sri Lankan military has long been involved in a wide range of commercial ventures, including tourism, agriculture, shops and services, often operating on land under military control. Tamil civil society groups and local authorities have repeatedly warned that these activities undermine local livelihoods, distort markets and entrench the military’s presence in civilian life.
The Sabha’s resolutions reflect wider concerns among Eelam Tamils over ongoing militarisation and the continued economic and administrative influence exercised by the Sri Lankan armed forces in the North-East. Calls to restrict military involvement in civilian commerce have intensified amid ongoing land occupation and the use of state resources for military-run enterprises.
The council also considered other administrative matters, including the allocation of Provincial Council funds to renovate a designated site in the Sixth Ward within the Sabha’s limits. It was noted that the Jaffna district has gained international recognition as a centre for tourism, and matters relating to this sector were discussed. Public complaints submitted to the Sabha were also reviewed, with the Chairman outlining steps taken in response.
However, the passage of resolutions opposing both military commercial activity and new security legislation underscored continuing resistance in the Tamil homeland to state policies seen as reinforcing occupation, surveillance and control over civilian life.
