Repealing PTA: Test of integrity for Sri Lanka’s new political order

Repeal the PTA in its entirety, as pledged, without introducing a disguised replacement

 The National People’s Power (NPP) emerged as a political force on the promise of transformative change. Among its core pledges—stated without ambiguity—was the complete repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). This commitment, made in both its Presidential and Parliamentary election manifestos, was a powerful acknowledgment of the deep scars this law has left on Sri Lanka’s social fabric. But now, signs of hesitation are emerging—and with them, the risk of betraying both domestic and international trust.

Importantly, at no point did the NPP campaign on a platform of replacing the PTA with a similarly broad and punitive law. If such an intention existed, it should have been clearly conveyed to the electorate. To proceed with a replacement now, cloaked in legal ambiguity or national security rhetoric, would be an act of political duplicity.

A law that bred conflict, not stability

Having served over four decades in law enforcement and national security—including as the head of the Counter-Terrorism Division—I have witnessed firsthand how the PTA, rather than curbing extremism, amplified cycles of violence and deepened ethnic grievances. Introduced in 1979 as a temporary measure, it soon became permanent. From the beginning, its broad and unchecked powers were used not just against armed militants but against journalists, students, political dissidents, and innocent civilians.

The most egregious example of its misuse occurred in the early 1980s. The abuse of the PTA by then-executive authorities contributed significantly to the 1983 anti-Tamil riots, a turning point that plunged the country into a devastating three-decade civil war. The international community, including the United Nations, condemned the state’s role in failing to prevent—and in some cases, enabling—these atrocities.

Post-war, successive Governments continued to invoke the PTA against minorities, especially the Muslim community. In the aftermath of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, numerous arrests were made under the PTA, including individuals with no proven link to terrorist activity. Many were held for years without charge, drawing international criticism from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Amnesty International, and the EU, which warned that continued misuse could jeopardise trade agreements such as the EU’s GSP+ concessions.

The price of repression

These abuses did more than tarnish Sri Lanka’s global reputation. They undermined public trust in state institutions, created fertile ground for radicalisation, and set back post-war reconciliation by years. For security professionals like myself, who have interviewed both Tamil and Muslim militants—including suicide cadres—it became painfully clear that state overreach, ethnic profiling, and impunity were among the root causes of extremism, not just its consequences.

Time and again, Sri Lanka has paid the price for laws designed for control rather than justice. If the NPP is truly committed to ushering in a new political culture, this is the moment to prove it.

What must be done

1. Fulfil the promise: Repeal the PTA in its entirety, as pledged, without introducing a disguised replacement.

2. No cosmetic rebranding: Any new legislation must not replicate the draconian powers of the PTA under a different name or structure.

3. Inclusive reform process: Engage civil society, legal experts, and minority communities in any future security framework design.

4. Comply with international norms: Ensure full alignment with human rights standards, including judicial oversight, time-bound detention, and access to legal counsel.

A test of political will

This is a moment of reckoning. The question is not just whether the Government can repeal a law, but whether it has the moral courage and political will to dismantle a system that has enabled repression and undermined democracy for over four decades.

The world is watching. So are Sri Lankans whose lives have been shaped by fear, surveillance, and injustice. The repeal of the PTA is not just a legal necessity—it is a symbol of a country trying to reclaim its conscience.

The NPP must decide whether it wishes to be remembered as the movement that kept its promises and restored justice, or as just another administration that succumbed to pressure, paranoia, and politics. 

(The writer is a retired Senior Police Officer, former Head of the Counter-Terrorism Division, State Intelligence Service, former First Secretary (Defence), Sri Lanka Embassy in Thailand, and Security Analyst and Researcher on Terrorism and Extremism.)