Civil society, trade unions, activists urge Govt. to withdraw Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill

The proposed ‘Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill’ is not an abolishing of the PTA, but an enhancement

Justice Minister 

Harshana Nanayakkara 

Following is a letter written by civil society groups, trade unions and activists to Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara to withdraw the ‘Protection of the State from Terrorism’ (PSTA) Bill.

We the undersigned people of Sri Lanka, social activists, members of mass movements and civil society, write to you with regard to the proposed Bill published on your Ministry’s website titled ‘Protection of the State from Terrorism’.

We read the aforestated Bill with alarm and disappointment.  On 22 January, 2025 you made a statement in Parliament that the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (PTA) no: 48 of 1979, would be ‘abolished’, and the promise of abolishing this draconian law, has been a consistent policy position that your Government has taken, both before and after assuming office. At a meeting held at your Ministry with members of civil society organisations on the 29 May 2025,  this promise was reiterated with the assurance that the new law would be subject to rigorous consultative processes commencing with the publication of a white paper. 

The proposed ‘Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill’ is not an abolishing of the PTA, but an enhancement. It is PTA+. We the undersigned, and no doubt yourself too, are witnesses to the horrific legacy of the PTA. We fear terror laws and the terror it unleashes on ordinary people. It amounts to ruling by use of terror law. Ordinary citizens have had their lives devastated by the PTA, and the State is yet to recognize these wrongs and deliver repair and restoration. The PTA has been a tool for oppression, injustice, discrimination, racism, inequality and dictatorship. It undermined the Rule of Law, Democracy and has created deep divisions in our society, which ironically your Ministry on National Integration is now attempting to address. 

A white paper would have given an opportunity for the Government to clearly lay out for public discussion the motivation(s) for an anti-terror law at this point in time, and the rationale for the extraordinary provisions and aggrandisement of executive power that is being sought. Most importantly, this would have helped the public to have informed deliberations on whether the serious curtailment of fundamental freedoms and liberties of citizens had any rationale. A white paper was promised, and is yet not available. 

This seems to be a deliberate ploy by the National People’s Power (NPP) Government, to either pass this Bill despite strong opposition, or if protests intensify and the Bill has to be withdrawn, that the existing PTA remains intact. Therefore, we clearly state that both the proposed PSTA bill and the existing PTA, must be thrown out.

The Government rushing in with a bill has deprived the citizens of having a national conversation on the need for such a draconian law in the first place. We strongly believe that it is a necessary step to foreground any discussion on the technicalities of the provisions, if indeed a law is needed. This prior deliberation is particularly needed given the devastation wrought on the lives of individuals, to the rule of law in the country, as well as to national reconciliation. 

It is our considered view that Sri Lanka at its present point in history, does not require a specialised terror law, nor require the continued operation of the PTA, and certainly does not require the PTA+ in the form of the ‘Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill.’

The ‘Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill’ is a serious threat to the freedom and safety of every citizen in this country.  

(i)The Executive has more power under this proposed Bill than before. Not only is every Police officer now entitled to exercise powers and trigger this specialised law, the Executive has more power to obtain information from banks and financial institutions and access private communication of persons who are not even suspects.

(ii)It has broadened the scope for the exercise of these broad powers, with a widened definition of terrorism and in particular has broadened the scope of committing the offence of terrorism by the use of words and expressions and thereby seriously threatening the freedom of speech, and in particular political speech.

(iii)The draft continues to empower the Executive with emergency type broad power to proscribe organisations, establish prohibited places, obtain restriction orders and order curfews by mobilising the broad language of terrorism. 

Therefore we as citizens and victims of the PTA call on you forthwith to;

a)Uphold your election promise of abolishing the PTA, and withdraw this bill with immediate effect

b)Introduce a bill for the repeal of the PTA, and effect a moratorium on the use of the PTA till such time the Act is repealed

c)Place before the public a white paper outlining why an extraordinary law is required at this point in time, explaining the Government’s reasons for the shift in policy of the NPP, that people voted it to power in 2024.

Signatures;

Individuals

1.Ajitha A. - Vallamai Traveler

2.Anithra Varia

3.Anuratha Rajaretnam

4.Anushaya Collure

5.Arjuna Parakrama, Professor Emeritus, University of Peradeniya

6.Ashila Dandeniya

7.B. Gowthaman

8.Balasingham Skanthakumar

9.Bishop Kumara Illangasinghe

10.C. Tozer

11.Chaminda Dias

12.Channaka Jayasinghe

13.Chanu Nimesha

14.Chintaka Rajapakse 

15.Christopher Stephen

16.D.B.S. Jeyaraj - Journalist

17.Dayapla Thiranagama - Political Activist

18.Dhanusha Pathirana

19.Dr. Mahendran Thiruvarangan - University of Jaffna

20.Dr. Ramila Usoof - University of Peradeniya

21.Dr. Ranil D. Guneratne

22.Dr. S. Jeevasuthan

23.Fahima Sahabdeen

24.G.S. Hashan Jeewantha - Former PTA detainee

25.Galwewa Siridhamma Himi - Political Activist and Former PTA detainee

26.Hejaaz Hizbullah - Attorney-at-Law and former PTA detainee

27.Hemalatha. K - Activist 

28.Herman Kumara

29.Hussain shamil Imtiaz Ali

30.Inthumathy Hariharathamotharan

31.Jeewaratnam Sureshkumar (iPEN)

32.Joanne Senn

33.K. Nihal Ahamed

34.Kalani Subasinghe

35.Kandiah Rasaledsumi

36.Kounthini R. - Vallamai Traveler

37.Kungiraman Madawan

38.Kusal Perera - Journalist

39.Kuvenitha S.

40.Lavina Hasanthi Perera

41.Lionel Peiris

42.M.F.M. Fazeer - Journalist

43.Maithreyi Rajasingam

44.Mario Gomez

45.Marisa de Silva

46.Mariyarosari S. - Activist 

47.Melani Gunathilaka

48.Nagulan Nesiah

49.Nicola Perera - Colombo University

50.Nirmala M. - Activist 

51.Nirmala T.

52.Niththika S. - Artist 

53.Nivanthini S. - Vallamai Traveler

54.Nuwan Bopege - Attorney-at-Law

55.P.M. Mujeebur Rahman, LLB - Journalist

56.P. Muthulingam

57.P.N. Singham

58.Pasan Jayasinghe 

59.Priyantha Gamage - Attorney-at-Law

60.Prof. Jayadeva Uyangoda - University of Colombo

61.Prof. Shamala Kumar - University of Peradeniya

62.Prof. Sumathy Sivamohan - University of Peradeniya (Retd.)

63.Rahman A.

64.Rajany Rajeswary - Feminist Activist

65.Rajkumar Rajeevkanth

66.Raveendran V.

67.Rev. A. John

68.Rev. A. Stephen

69.Rev. Fr. Jeevantha Peiris

70.Rev. Fr. M. Sathivel

71.Rev. Fr. M. V. E. Ravichandran - University of Jaffna

72.Rev. G. Manoruben

73.Rev. I. Rajkumar

74.Rev. J. Sathies Crispus

75.Rev. S. D. P. Selvan

76.Rev. S. John

77.Rev. Sr. Deepa Fernando

78.Ruki Fernando - Former PTA detainee, human rights activist and writer

79.Sabra Zahid 

80.Sadique Salih

81.Sandun Thudugala

82.Sarah Salih

83.Sarala Emmanuel - Feminist Activist

84.Sarankan K.

85.Saththiyaseelan K. - Activist and Artist 

86.Sellaiya Sathishkumar - Former PTA detainee

87.Selvaraja Rajasegar - Editor, Maatram.org 

88.Shamini V. - Activist 

89.Sheila Richards

90.Shreen Saroor - Rights Activist

91.Siritunga Jayasuriya - General Secretary, United Socialist Party (USP)

92.Subathray Yogasingham 

93.Suganthini S.

94.Sujatha J.

95.Sunanda Deshapriya - Journalist, Writer and Human Rights Activist

96.Sunthareswaran S. - Activist, Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF)

97.Thasneema Dahlan - Social Activist /Educationist

98.Thayalini J.   

99.Thileepan S. - Social activist 

100.Tisaranee Gunasekara

101.V. Weerasingham

102.Ven. Fr. Samuel J. Ponniah

103.Visaka Dharmadasa

104.Wasantha Mudalige - Political Activist and Former PTA detainee

Organisations/Movements

105.Alliance for Minorities

106.Human Elevation Organisation (HEO)

107.Institute for People Engagement and Networking (iPEN)

108.Institute of Social Development (ISD)

109.International Centre for Ethnic Studies

110.Inter University Students’ Federation (IUSF)

111.Law and Society Trust (LST)

112.Mannar Women’s Development Federation (MWDF)

113.Movement for Land and Agrarian Reform (MONLAR)

114.Movement for People’s Council (MPC)

115.Muslim Women Development Trust (MWDT) 

116.National Fisheries Solidarity Organization (NAFSO)

117.People’s Alliance for Right to Land (PARL)

118.Stand Up Movement Lanka

119.Vallamai, Movement for Social Change

120.Viluthu

121.Voice Of The Plantation People Organization (VOPP)

122.Women’s Action Network (WAN) 

Trade Unions

123.A.M.S.D. Perera - President, All Ceylon Telecommunication Employees Union

124.Amila Sandaruwan - Joint Teachers Service Union

125.D.G.N.U.K. Jayarathna - Joint Railway Employees Union

126.Dammika Munasinghe - Joint Development Officers Centre

127.Devinda Kodagoda - Private Workers Centre

128.Duminda Nagamuwa - Workers Struggle Centre

129.Joseph Stalin - General Secretary, Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU)

130.K.N.P. Fernando - Joint Nursing Service Union

131..Marx Prabagar - Plantation Workers Centre

132..Swasthika Arulingam - President, United Federation of Labour (UFL)

133..Tempitiye Sugathananda himi - Joint Health Workers’ Union

134..Tharindu Uduwaragedara - Journalist and General Secretary, Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions

135.Y.B. Jayasekara - Joint Water Supply Workers Union