Parliament meets today

Tuesday, 23 April 2019 00:50 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

PM to make statement on bomb blasts, Emergency Proclamation also to be tabled

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

Party Leaders have accepted the Speakers decision to summon Parliament at 10.30 a.m. today enabling the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to make a statement explaining the recent explosions carried out by National Thowheed Jamath in eight locations on Sunday.

The Parliament sitting which will commence at 1 p.m. will be adjourned soon after Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa delivers his statement on these attacks that killed 290 injuring over 500 people.

Police Inspector General Pujith Jayasundara was also present at the Party Leaders meeting to explain the action taken to avoid such attacks soon after the international intelligence agencies cautioned Sri Lanka of the possibilities of attacks targeting the Catholic and Christian churches and tourist locations.

The Gazette notification containing the Emergency Proclamation is expected to be tabled today in Parliament enabling the lawmakers to have a full day’s debate tomorrow before being passed in the Parliament.

However, the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) Leader Rajavarothiam Sampanthan was not present at the Party Leaders meeting.

Soon after the Party Leaders meeting came to an end, an emergency meeting of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communal and Religious Harmony in Sri Lanka was held within the Parliamentary Complex with the participation of Buddhasasana and Wayamba Development Minister Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs Minister John Amaratunga, City Planning, Water Supply and Higher Education Minister Rauff Hakeem, Postal Services and Muslim Religious Affairs Minister Abdul Haleem, National Integration, Official Languages, Social Progress and Hindu Religious Affairs Minister Mano Ganesan, Lands and Parliamentary Reforms and Chief Government Whip Minister Gayantha Karunatileka, Justice and Prison Reforms Minister Thalatha Atukorale, Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) lawmaker Douglas Devananda, and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP Vijitha Herath.

During the meeting, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has stressed the importance of religious harmony and it should not be allowed to be developed into racial hatred or violence against ethnic or religious groups. Taking matters forward it was agreed to have an all-party conference attended by all religious leaders will take place in Parliament on 26 April at 3 p.m. in the Parliamentary Complex.