Amidst mounting pressure on the NPP government not to introduce a new anti-terrorism law in place of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (PTA), Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara has declared that Sri Lanka needs such a law to meet the threat of terrorism.
Pointing out that anti-terrorism laws are in operation in other countries, Attorney-at-law Nanayakkara has emphasised the importance of the anti-terrorism Act as the government was responsible for the protection of the country.
The National Shoora Council (NSC) recently urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to honour his election pledge and repeal the PTA without replacing it with a new Anti -Terrorism law, as no such mandate had been sought from the people.
The Jaffna Bar Association, too, recently demanded that the PTA be repealed forthwith and not to introduce a new law in its place.
At a meeting on 20 May, the Jaffna Bar insisted that no replacement law was necessary. It claimed that Sri Lanka’s existing Criminal Procedure Code already contained sufficient provisions to address criminal matters and protect public safety, rendering any new law redundant.
However, the Justice Minister stressed the need for anti-terrorism laws when a group of civil society representatives met him at the Ministry to hand over a set of proposals to him in response to the government’s call for public opinion on a new anti-terrorism law. (SF)