The government is going ahead with plans to introduce a new anti-terrorism law in place of the existing Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The NPP, during its presidential and parliamentary election campaigns last year, pledged to do away with the PTA.
A committee, headed by Rienzie Arsecularatne, PC, tasked to formulate the proposed new law, met on 14 occasions, with the last meeting held at the Justice Ministry last Monday (18).
A statement issued by the Justice Ministry quoted Arsecularatne as having said that the proposed amendments to the anti-terrorism law could be finalised soon. According to the statement, the defence sectors have been represented at this discussion by Senior DIG Asanga Karawita, Maj. General Sandun Gunawardena and Colonel K.N.S. Mendis.
Arsecularatne’s Committee is scheduled to meet again on 22 August. Former parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran, PC, on behalf of the ITAK, has repeatedly emphasised that none of the PTA provisions should be introduced into the proposed new law.
The National Shoora Council (NSC), too, has urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to honour his election pledge and repeal the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (PTA) without replacing it with a new Anti -Terrorism law, as no such mandate was sought from the people in the ruling party’s manifesto.
By Shamindra Ferdinando