A signature campaign was held in Mannar today as fishermen and members of the public protested against the Sri Lankan government’s proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill (PSTB) and other anti-terror legislation.
The campaign took place in front of the Mannar bus stand and was organised by the National Fisheries Solidarity Movement. Representatives of fishermen’s associations and residents from across the district gathered to register their opposition to the new legislation.
The proposed PSTB has been widely criticised by Tamil civil society groups, who warn that it replicates and expands powers long used by the Sri Lankan state to target Tamils. The Prevention of Terrorism Act, which remains in force, has been used for decades to detain Eelam Tamils without charge, extract confessions under torture, and silence political dissent.
In the Tamil homeland, the continued use of sweeping security legislation is seen as part of an entrenched system of militarisation, surveillance and occupation. Fishermen in Mannar, who depend on coastal access for their livelihoods, have repeatedly raised concerns over naval restrictions, harassment and arbitrary enforcement by security forces.
Tamil civil society organisations have warned that the PSTB risks entrenching further state repression and undermining basic freedoms, including freedom of expression and assembly. The inclusion of provisions affecting media activity and judicial oversight has drawn particular concern.
The protest in Mannar comes amidst wider resistance across the Tamil homeland against legislation that many view as tools of Sinhala-Buddhist majoritarianism and structural discrimination. Demonstrations and public campaigns have continued.
