Parliament met at 9.30 a.m. yesterday with Speaker K. B. Ratnayake in the chair.

After presentation of reports and Speaker made announcements House commenced debate on the extension of the State of Emergency by one more month, from 4th January 1999.

Moving the resolution, Minister of Irrigation and Power and Deputy Minister of Defence, Gen. Anuruddha Ratwatte said:

'The motion relating to the state of Emergency which was in force throughout Sri Lanka with effect from 4th December, 1998 was approved by this House on 9th December 1998.

Year 1999 is hopefully expected a year of peace which every peace-loving citizen of this country is anticipating. However, LTTE atrocities have reduced though they still continue their acts causing damage to life and property of innocent people. Security forces are consolidating the areas already liberated by them.

LTTE continue to damage electricity and communication supplies in the Eastern Province causing immense inconvenience and hardships to the people of such areas. I am tabling a statement of acts of violence committed by the LTTE during the month of December 1998. There is no guarantee that they will not create such mischief in the other areas as a part of their modus operandi.

I give an assurance to this house and the people that this government would sensibly and wisely face any situation finally to reach the much desired goal of defeating terrorism and usher in peace, a new era of peace in this memorable year.

Therefore, I appeal to the Hon. Members of this august assembly to vote for this motion to extend a state of emergency throughout Sri Lanka for a further period of one month.

I wish you all a Happy and Peaceful New Year.

W. J. M. Lokubandara (UNP, Badulla District) said: The Minister began his speech by wishing peace and happiness to everyone. But peace and happiness must begin from the government side.

The government postponed elections in five provincial councils by declaring a state of emergency in the entire island on August 4.

Section 22 of Act No. 2 of 1985 give the power to the Commissioner of Elections to take appropriate action in the event of a crisis situation. But by introducing a new Bill you have trespassed on the rights of the people to elect the members of their provincial councils.

The elections in the North Western Provincial Council is scheduled for January 25. This was the day the Sri Dalada Maligawa was bombed by the LTTE.

Why did you think it fit to fix the election on the anniversary of the bombing of the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. Who fixed the date? It can't be the Commissioner of Elections?

On January 8, we are celebrating the birth centenary of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike. On assuming duties as President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, delivering the inaugural speech on January 5, 1995, said she had a long year of legacy in the parliamentary history.

She was referring to Parliamentary history created by S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike in 1927. But the President, by speaking in English on the 50th anniversary of our independence, broke a tradition founded by her late father. Late Bandaranaike lamented, he cannot speak in Sinhala. English was then the language of the country.

Dixon J. Perera (PA, Colombo District) said: We must study the background of the war and take steps to remedy the causes of the war. Action must be taken to stop foreign support for the LTTE.

Government must equip the armed forces with sophisticated weapons.

Air Force should be provided with better air craft.

The TULF should be able to stand up as a party representing the Tamils. All patriots must get together and support the government.

A. Adekkalanathan (TULF, Batticaloa District) said: Ninety two people who went to fish in a reservoir in the Batticaloa District are missing. What happened to them is not known.

U. L. M. Mohideen (SLMP, Digamadulla) said: For six hundred years there had been no development of the Deegawapi Raja Maha Vihara - a sacred place of the Buddhists. It was Minister M. H. M. Ashraff who restored the Deegawapi. The Buddhist monk in charge of the Vihara has issued a statement to the effect. The comments of W. J. M. Lokubandara was communal.

The police ignore the Tamil youths who were members of the Civilian Volunteer Force created under the Indo-Sri Lanka accord of 1987. They were trained by the Indian forces working here. Salaries were paid by the Sri Lanka Government. Uniforms were also provided by the Sri Lanka Government.

The Civilian Voluntary Force should be given all the facilities entitled to them.

A. H. M. Azwer (UNP, National List) said: No Muslim has defiled his religion as the leader of the Muslim Congress has done. He is supposed to have crowned in the Akkarapattu Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society which is not a fit place for such an event.

Government leaders are accusing the UNP of violence for 17 years. But they are resorting to violence in the North-Western Province. Vehicles without number plates are moving about. What will be the impression of the international observers.

The Lake House papers, 'Dinamina' and 'Thinakaran' are publishing false news about the situation in the North-Western Province.

The Lake House is providing vehicles to the government's election campaign. So is the Ministry of Agriculture and several other government departments.

Government goondas are moving about threatening and attacking UNP supporters. They are carrying arms. How can you conduct a peaceful election under such a situation? Police are not accepting complaints.

A building belonging to the Madurankuli Mosque has been taken forcibly for the PA's campaign office. It is not possible to hold the daily prayers in the mosque at this time of Ramadan.

A certain government politician is carrying on a reign of terror in the Puttalam District.

He is forcibly removing green flags and hoisting blue flags instead. He has abused the wife of a UNP candidate in utter filth. She is crying and worried about her husband entering the fray.

Certain people have been taken into custody.

But the UNP will win the elections. We will also win the next elections.

Athauda Seneviratne, Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways said: It is usual that there are isolated incidents at every election. But there is no government sponsored violence today. In the past violence was directed by the government. In fact wide-spread state sponsored violence during the last regime created the mentality of violence in every section of the community. It is not easy to erase it quickly.

There are people with different temperaments contesting the election. If all people are peace loving individuals, there would not have been any unhappy incidents during election campaigns.

Bad examples set by the top most people in the last regime have done the damage. Stoning of judges' homes, summary execution of dissidents like Richard de Soysa are some of the ugly deeds of the last regime. But today no violence is supported by those at the helm of government.

We are confident we are winning the North Western Provincial Council elections. This time we will come to power with a majority very much higher than in the last few elections.

J. C. Alawathuwala (UNP, Kurunegala District) said: No action has been taken by the police about the attack on my office in Dodangaslanda.

My office was attacked by persons who took part in a conference chaired by Deputy Minister Athula Nimalasiri Jayasinghe. My office was attacked and a typewriter and some equipment robbed. My secretary and several other officers were present when the attack took place. The mobs were led by three PA Chairmen of Pradeshiya Sabhas. A complaint was made to the Rambodagalla police. But no action has been taken.

We launched a protest campaign. The new office I set up was also attacked and burnt down. The mobs included people who had come from Matale.

The damage from the attack has been estimated at Rs. 250,000.

If the government is not endorsing acts of violence the attack on my office should be probed. I also make this appeal to the Inspector General of Police.

H. M. Weerasinghe (PA, Digamadulla District) said: A problem has arisen over the lands of Deegawapi. As a Buddhist I oppose any action if such action affects the rights of the Deegawapi Vihara. Five hundred and fifty two acres of land have been demarcated for the land during the government of Sirimavo Bandarnaike.

The bund of the Senanayaka Samudra in Ampara needs more protection.

P. Dayaratne (UNP, Digamadulla District): We won universal suffrage 62 years ago. But we are fast losing the right of voting peacefully.

Today everybody is talking about the NWPC elections. President has declared that she was not supporting violence. She has also said that everybody involved in violence would be taken into custody.

Mr. Alawathuwala told the House that his office was attacked by PA supporters twice. The names of people involved and the numbers of the vehicles used by the mobs have been given to the police. Two weeks have passed. What action has been taken by the government? If the government is genuine in its proclamations that it was against violence, it can prove its stand by taking action on the complaint.

There were also assaults on UNP supporters at Kuliyapitiya. The police seems to be helpless.

The Kuliyapitiya resthouse has been fully booked by higherups of the government.

Two police officers have been taken into custody alleging that they have fired guns. The police officers were giving security to Sarath Kongahage. Police have found that no shot has been fired by the two officers. But they are still being detained. Why are they being detained?

Renuka Herath (UNP - Nuwara Eliya District) said: In reply to the speech of the minister, you have to think of years 1977-94. You have to check your computer with Dr. Colvin R. De Silva. I do not know what party you have come from. This member says that we are talking about Wayamba Provincial Council and what else we have to debate at this stage. Gen. Ratwatte wished a happy and peaceful new year. Our wish is also that. But we know that it will not happen. In Wayamba there is lot of violence. I am going to protest over the extension of emergency. Though the government claims that the election would be a peaceful one, today at 2 a.m. in Marawila, one of our supporters has been attacked and his wife's jewellery stolen. The vehicle they came has no number plate. But the vehicle has a flag of Mr. Tissera who is No. 5 candidate of PA. I will take this matter up with the IGP. Is this how your supporters are behaving? I will tell you one thing. Crabs will dance only until the water boils. You will dance until you are in power. There are so many incidents which are being recorded in police stations. I would like to request police officers to be impartial and act impartially.

The PA is talking about election laws. But they are the ones who have broken them. If you start from Negombo to Wennappuwa you can clearly see who have violated the laws. The President has said that law breakers will be punished. But who will punish them? The PA is hoping to win by thuggery. At the same time they are talking about history. After talking so much they came into power. When they win they say it is a fair election. When they are defeated they say it is an unfair election.

We have to tell the Election Commission that if they do not conduct fair elections, our party is going to take action. The freedom of media is enjoyed by PA by remanding several media personnel including Ishini Wickramasinghe, Victor Ivan and so on.

The PA government is looking into disappearances. In 1971 were you patting the heads of the youth? How many were killed? How many bodies were thrown into rivers? People of this country wants to safeguard the country. We had an election to select the lamp or pot to enable the country to govern the country.

We will teach you a lesson from Wayamba.

Mr. Chairman, Mr. Athauda Seneviratne said that we stoned Judges, but what happened to Mahanama Thilekeratne? Now the power and the country is yours. But wait and see, Sarath Kongahage discussed certain issues over TV. The media is impartial and it worries them. Please remember the time you came into power and the promises given by you. The price of dhal has increased by twofold. The promised price of bread is not available today. The people are suffering from malnutrition.

You cannot change ballot boxes and we will not allow you to cast bogus ballots. A party that gave 1,000 of broken promises and you have misled them. The day that terrorist attack Dalada Maligawa is on 25th January. We will come to the next emergency debate after winning the Wayamba election.

T. B. Ekanayake (PA - Kurunegala District) said: We just heard a lady member of UNP speaking. It is sad to note that her speech was just a noise and no words heard. I request her to attend pre school and learn how to count.

There was a period when the UNP misused the powers vested to them. There were tyre pyres and we know that so many mothers are awaiting the return of their children. That was your conduct at that time. Mr. Chairman, I am surprised to know that Mr. Gamini Jayawickrama Perera had not received support from the UNP to contest the Wayamba elections.

Ronnie de Mel left the UNP and the country because he could not stand the party. We have started development work in rural areas and you could not digest it. In Wayamba there are four capital cities. The people are eagerly awaiting elections.

All the strengths of PA would be taken into consideration and the Wayamba election will clearly give us a victory.

Lionel Gunawardena (PA Gampaha District) said: At the time of the debate of the extension of emergency by one month, I found nobody was interested to find out why the need of the extension.

The Deputy Minister for Defence is trying hard to win the war.

The President who has won the hearts and minds of the people has established democracy in the country again. All leaders of the UNP try to destroy democracy. There was a period of terror. In the Attanagalle electorate 400 houses were set on fire. Our polling agents were locked up in police stations. All my children were harassed. I only wanted to remind you of history.

P. P. Devaraj (CWC - Colombo District) said: There are some attempts to whip up communal feelings in the Nuwara Eliya District. Communal amity is a must for development of the country.

Hon'ble Berty Premalal Dissanayake led a Parliamentary team to Chitagong Hill Tract and there we met the leaders of Shanthi Bahini. There were some lessons to learn from them.

Lanka's trouble started from the attempts in 1956 to define Sri Lanka as a Sinhala Buddhist country.

I place before the House a copy of the agreement between the Bangladeshi Government and the Shanthi Bahini in which the two parties agreed to protect the rights of the minorities.

In South Asia there are winds of change and this is a development which is commendable.

Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene (UNP - National List) said: PA government's own ministers have said on the floor of this House that the PA government would remain in power for twenty more years. You can of course remain in power as long as the people have confidence in you and no more.

Hundreds of vehicles without number plates are roaming the North Western Province where an election is to be held. All these vehicles belong to government departments. Instructions have been issued to owners of liquor shops and restaurants to give 10 men from each area to carry out intimidation campaigns. These people are threatening innocent persons.

Let us allow the people to decide to whom they should give their vote. Let us not force them to choose candidates whom they do not want.

Why is the government afraid to bring in international observers?

Two parties cannot win the same election.

S. Sivathasan (EPDP- Jaffna District) said: All speakers spoke about the Wayamba elections. What we wish is a free and fair election. I was able to observe a deviation of speech by P. Devaraj. Today South Asia has really started paying respect and regard to minority. This is a necessity in the country today. The people of Jaffna are suffering the most. The recent floods has resulted in a lot of damage. The living conditions in the refugee camps are terrible.

Up to now people affected from floods and war, have been forced to come to Vavuniya. They find it very difficult to adjust themselves to this type of condition. Lack of sea transport and road transport have created problems. These refugees in Vavuniya, amounting to about 300 people living in rented houses were informed that they would be taken to Trincomalee by ship. But the ship was cancelled. The 300 people who gave up the rented houses became refugees. This problem should be addressed immediately.

A number of very senior officials of the government have gone to foreign countries in order to purchase ships but with no success. People find it extremely difficult to live under the present conditions.

Another matter which should be identified is that persons move about armed freely in the area. It is a matter of concern. Today there is much talk about restoration peace and normalcy in Jaffna.

I would refer to one or two matters of health. The circular 44/90, regarding peoples who have displaced in government service could come back to their respective work places. We hope that the President's wish for peace this year will come true.

Yuses Peiris (PA - Puttalam District) said: We are debating the extension of emergency at the first day of Parliament for 1999. The people of this country know who the party will win the election. It is an unpleasant experience to be chalked on the food your have eaten. The UNPers are speaking as if they were new born babies.

Everyone can remember the Mahara elections. The people can remember what happen at that time.

We can remember the way the ballot boxes disappeared. I do not claim that our government is totally accurate. There are instances where promises could not be fulfilled due to unavoidable circumstances.

During the era of terror, lots were killed and many disappeared. Not only that, there were violence in all corners of the country. Though the UNP speak about the Wayamba election, we have won Provincial Councils, Pradeshiya Sabhas and other elections. PA will have a sound victory on January 25.

Indika Gunawardena (Minister of Housing and Urban Development) said: For a number of years, this House is called upon to extend the emergency. As a responsible opposition, we are called upon to extend the emergency. Since the opposition did not react positively to the proposals, it is our duty to extend support to the government.

Due to the war the Tamil population have to face many difficulties. Large number of soldiers have died and thousands of families displaced.

Since there is no transport to Jaffna, 33,000 persons who are registered are stranded. Facilities should be given to the Tamil people who are faced with lots of difficulties.

LTTE today lack manpower and try to take revenge from the Tamil people who are stranded. This is quite contrary to human dignity. These inhuman acts are going on for many years. The PA is trying hard to change this situation. All concerned sections are facing difficulties. The UNP is taking measures to disrupt the war. All Tamil members who took part in this debate mentioned the difficulties their people face.

The UNP carry out activities to sabotage the government's effort to restore peace and normalcy in this country. There is no solution other than measures taken by the government.

John Amaratunga (UNP - Gampaha District) said you are using vehicles without number plates to terrorise the people of the North-Western Province. The second tactic is the transfer of the honest police officers from the NWP. You are going to win elections in the NWP by these two tactics.

If you cannot hold the elections peacefully, cancel the election. This is a big problem for the people. We condemn violence.

Whether you try violence or false promises you will lose the elections.

There was a report in the Lankadeepa that the CID has taken into custody a businessman who supplied goods to the LTTE.

The press reports also says that this person had connections with ministers, deputy ministers and higher-ups in the police.

The most striking thing in the whole affair is that this man has been issued with an identity card of a minister's co-ordinating secretary.

If a minister or a minister's wife is a director of the company, the matter is really very serious. Would the government disclose the truth about this? Otherwise the people would suspect every minister.

I also would like to know how far the armed forces have progressed after recapturing Mankulam.

You have not released the reports of the attacks on army camps. Why can't the government make an attempt to secure the release of soldiers who are in the custody of the LTTE.

Coming back to the NWPC election it is the Sinhalese who are killing each other, in the province. We are the laughing stock in the eyes of Thondaman and Ashraff.

The election has become a serious problem to the people.

Anura Priyadarshana Yapa (Deputy Minister of Telecommunication and Media) said the UNPers talk as if they are contesting elections for the first time. There was an allegation that number plateless vehicles are roaming the Katugampola electorate. This is my electorate and I am telling the House frankly that no such vehicles are roaming the electorate.

The problem is we have party branches all over the electorate. But you don't have. You don't have men to paste posters, we have. You are hesitating to go to the field and to engage in propaganda work because you are guilty conscious. The UNP is free to do election work. But what can we do about your own inability to do so.

We are not going to use thuggery to clinch votes. Thuggery is counter productive. We have built up our strength in the North Western Province. We are confident of our victory.

We have instructed all police stations to take action on any complaints of election incidents. But don't bring weapons when you go on your election campaign. You can have police protection. If unauthorised persons were detected carrying weapons they will be arrested. Also don't provoke the people by shooting in the air as had been done in Kobeigane and Wattegama.

Nihal Galappatti (SLPF, Hambantota District) said: This is the first provincial election of PA Government. This has become the kingdom of violence. But they are getting ready to hold a democratic election. At the Kurunegala office on the 8th December who went there? 52 persons forcibly entered the room. This is the way they violate the election law at the very beginning. They resorted to very low action. This is immoral. It is against the moral conduct of the PA government.

Without slinging mud at each other I request you to conduct a fair election. The posters we pasted on the walls were covered by PA posters. Within hours our posters were removed. What is the meaning of this? It is only a cock fight to win the war.

To tell that Wayamba election is held under democratic conditions is false. The government power had been used fully to do whatever is necessary to grab the vote of the people. We were even not provided with enough vehicles. Today the government and officials use a number of vehicles. This is the way they carry out their election propaganda.

What the people expect is law and order by the police. The PA is trying to do the same thing as done in the local government elections. Complaints made at police stations are not been investigated. The police are under the influence of the PA.

We thought that 17 years of the UNP government could be ended once the PA was elected. We see now that the election propaganda is being carried out at the expense of other parties. There are 131 complaints lodged so far. Though the President says that she had done away with family politics, it still prevails in Wayamba. There are vehicles without number plates in Anamaduwa.

There were a number of incidents at Wayamba recently. People are threatened and abused. UNP started the tyre pyres and the PA are continuing it. This election is not going to be a free and fair election. What the people can expect is chaos due to actions of politicians. A valuable person in Nalanda Vidyalaya Minuwangoda committed suicide. We curse the people who contributed towards this.

S. Sathasivam, (CWC Nuwara Eliya District): We have to think of solving the ethnic problem by getting together. What we have stated to the Tourist Board is not to confine this place only to western tourists, but to make this a sacred place so that thousands and thousands of tourists could visit this place. The plan was to implement buildings, rest houses and other facilities for the tourists. I would like to say that plantation people had been in this country for more than 100 years and because of them we had earned foreign exchange. This has given a boost to the economy.

It is not only the Europeans that should come to this country but people from South Asian countries too. We should open up new avenues for them to visit. In the estate sector we have not engaged in self politics. We help and coordinate with these people and look into their problems. The appointment of grama sevakas is a timely action. The lack of divisional secretaries to cover certain areas create a lot of difficulties.

There are politicians for politics. There was an agreement and certain sections protested. There was another agreement and the same thing happened. We are still talking about these things. Racist news items should be banned from news papers.

Harendra Corea (UNP, Puttalam District) said: The country is not in peace but in pieces. There were demonstrations to close down the Voice of America and within 24 hours we did this.

There are other matters with regard to the elections. The package is not in favour of any single monk. There is no independent police. They are forced to do whatever the politicians say in fear of getting transferred to conflict areas.

It is not only the UNP that did these things. When our people make a decision they will make a good one. That is why they will vote for the UNP.

Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Plantation said: On the nomination day in 1994 at the Gampaha Kachcheri UNPers assaulted and grabbed the camera of a Divaina cameraman.

When a person tears away a poster, or pelt a stone you call it terrorism. What a joke is this.

The UNP does not have an election campaign either in the Kurunegala District or in the Puttalam District. How then can you win the NWPC elections?

Piyasena, Upali, Alavi and Jayawickrama Perera were picketing before the Kuliyapitiya Police station demanding early investigations into election related complaints. If we picketed near police stations when the UNP was in power we would not have lived today. Even our children would have been killed.

You are asking for a Police Commission. This demand is being made by the very people who appointed 53 ASPs by one stroke of the pen. How can you do such a thing if a Police commission was there? Some of the former police officials who are contesting election from the UNP would not have reached their positions if a Police Commission was there.

Piyasoma Upali (UNP, Kurunegala District) said: The PA postponed elections of five provincial councils. The reason adduced was lack of sufficient security personnel to provide security. You are going to hold elections in the NWPC. Is it because the security situation was now good? But it is questionable whether there are actually a sufficient number of security officers.

Kuliyapitiya was a peaceful town. Both the People's Alliance and the UNP are having election officers in Kuliyapitiya. The PA is also having a coordinating office in the Rest House.

The groups which have come from outside in support of the PA's election campaign are assaulting the people. One person has been hospitalised.

Those who come from outside must refrain from violence. There is no problem between the people of the area. The harassment is being committed by those who are coming from outside.

Those who come from outside to support the UNP or the PA leave the area soon after the election. But the residents of the area must live. They must live peacefully.

Minister Gen. Anuruddha Ratwatte winding up the debate said: From morning all the speakers talked about the Wayamba elections without even visiting Wayamba.

I am not prepared to answer a newspaper report. Now there was one bottle man who spoke about the elections. You are like a bottle man who read newspapers here.

Mr. Speaker there was another question regarding terrorism. In Chilaw Magistrate's Court there is a case over the selling of goods to LTTE. So how can you say there is no corruption or violation of law. The case is against a UNP candidate.

Now can anyone say that they were unable to lodge a complaint in a police station? Very recently there were incidents of shooting. How can the UNP say there were vehicles without number plates? Have they been there counting these vehicles. Is this the way they conduct their election campaign? Please do not get ready to cast bogus votes by employing JSS people I am warning you all now. Can you remember your old method of elections where you allowed JSS people to cast votes? Don't get caught repeating this act.

If the police did not act properly, please tell me. I will look in to this. Now you are scared to face an election. But we will not burn tyre pyres and not shoot. There will be minor incidents which cannot be avoided at an election.

The resolution was passed by 110 to 77 votes.

House meets again on February 9, 1999.
(Continued Tomorrow)