… definition of ‘terrorism’ to be borrowed from Tanzania
The government is going ahead with moves to introduce a new anti-terrorism law in consultations with the United Nations amidsts protests from various interested parties, both in and outside Parliament, .
The Justice and National Integration Ministry said that UN representatives, via zoom, had joined a recent discussion, chaired by Rienzie Arsecularatne, PC, who is leading the Committee tasked with preparing a new anti-terrorism draft law.
The NPP, in the run-up to national elections last year, pledged to do away with the PTA, though recently Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara clarified that the country couldn’t do without an anti-terrorism law.
Among those present at the discussion at the Justice and National Integration Ministry were members of the Committee Senior Deputy Solicitor General at Attorney General’s Department Nerin Pulle, Saliya Peiris, PC (former President of the Bar Association), Attorney-at-Law Upul Kumarapperuma and Additional Secretary to the Justice and National Integration Ministry Piyumanthi Peiris and Colombo-based UN officials.
They have decided to examine whether the definition of terrorism in Tanzania’s Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002 could be adopted by Sri Lanka.
They also paid attention to the recommendations made by the Supreme Court in respect of the proposed anti-terrorism law.
The Justice Ministry revealed that UN representatives inquired whether the proposed law would contain provision to rehabilitate those who had been involved in terrorism. Commenting on this, senior military sources said that Sri Lanka had rehabilitated over 12,000 LTTE cadres at the conclusion of military operations in 2009. The discussion also covered ways and means to address the issue of failing to provide information regarding terrorist activities.
Sri Lanka introduced the PTA in 1979, as a temporary measure, but four years later it was made a permanent law to meet threats posed by terrorist groups.
By Shamindra Ferdinando