Tamil MP’s privileges were breached; Government seeks report from immigration department

Siva Parameswaran

The NPP government led by President AKD has sought a report from the Immigration and Emigration officials at the Kattunayaka International Airport, Colombo regarding the brief unfair detention of the Tamil MP Sivagnanam Shiritharan.

He was en route to Chennai at the invitation of the Tamil Nadu Government to participate in the Diaspora Tamil meeting organized by the state.

While calling for a report from the airport officials, the government also expressed regret over the incident and the behavior of the immigration officials.

The issue also echoed in the Parliament. When MP Shiritharan raised a point of order stating his Parliamentary privilege had been breached, the Leader of the house and minister Bimal Ratnayake apart from stating the action taken by the government also assured the MP his privilege would be protected.

Sivagnanam Shiritharan elected on behalf of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi, from the Jaffna electoral district was on his way to Chennai to participate in the said conference but was stopped at the Kattunayaka airport by the immigration officials.

Speaking in Parliament on the 21st of January, MP Shiritharan said Counter Terrorism Investigation Department (CTID) officers told him they needed to interrogate him and verify his passport.

“The airport officials told me there are issues in my passport and I need to be interrogated by the CTID and other investigation units. Also, I was informed there is a travel ban against me. At this point, my colleague MP Hon. Rauf Hakeem who was also at the airport and proceeding for the same conference, intervened. After a lengthy interrogation, I was allowed to board the aircraft at the last moment, when it was ready for departure”.

Shiritharan says when he returned from India and inquired with the immigration officials regarding any travel ban against him, the officials confirmed no such ban had been imposed on him. However, he told Parliament his privileges as an MP had been breached.

“However, when I returned on the 13th of January, 2025, I checked with the officials if any travel ban had been imposed on me and I was told no such ban existed. In the absence of any travel ban and without any court ruling or any advice from you Hon. Speaker, the Immigration and Emigration officials said there is a travel ban against me. I feel, that being said so by the airport official breaches by Parliamentary privileges. Now, I raise in it in the Parliament to know the background of such an interrogation, which breaches my privilege”.

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader and opposition MP representing the Samagi Jana Balavegya Rauf Hakeem also confirmed the hindrance created to the ITAK MP Shiritharan at the airport.

“This happened at a time when we were about to pass through the special entrance for the MPs at the terminal. When the Immigration and Emigration officials told him there was a travel ban against him. I spoke to them. If there is a travel ban against a person there should be a case in that regard”.

The SLMC leader raised a further question in parliament regarding this incident. He questioned the stand of the NPP government which came to power promising to abolish the Prevention of Terrorism Act and still continue to patronize it.

“Not only that, even now your government is implementing that Act. According to the PTA Act, the CTID cannot arbitrarily function like this. But, when such questions are asked, nothing about any court order is mentioned. Hence, this is not only the breach of parliamentary privilege of a MO, but also a big injustice meted out to him. Even though we came to a decision after discussion, I request due investigation should be ordered into this”.

Responding to this, the Leader of the House and minister Bimal Ratnayake said that PTA has to be used very carefully.

“To speak about the Prevention of Terrorism Act, It’s neither our principle nor policy. However, till new laws are framed, we have to deal with the existing laws in the country very carefully, because we have run the government till the draft legislation is approved”.

Bimial Rathnayake added a report has been called for from the deputy Defence Minister and other officials regarding detaining MP Sivagnanam Shiritharan during his trip abroad.

“Although I am not in direct contact with the chairman of the Airport since this incident happened at the airport, I have asked for a report from him. I have also informed the deputy Defence Minister Major General Aruna Jayasekara to investigate this. Also since the issue is related to immigration, we expect you could refer this issue to Immigration and hand over to us the letter you received from the Privileges Committee, through the Minister.”

The Leader of the House also expressed regret on behalf of the government that a representative of the Tamils was detained at the airport by the immigration and also emphasized such a ban did not happen under the guidance of the government.

“Hence, we regret the inconvenience caused to the Hon. MP Shiritharan. However, it is not clear if this was due to the use of the PTA. He has also not said so. Also, he was not subjected to such an issue when he returned. So, this is definitely not the policy of the government or did not happen under the guidance of the government”.

He also assured that as the Leader of the House, he shall strive to protect the privileges of the MPs, whatever the issue may be.