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How did ‘terrorists’ become ‘militants’?
View(s):A reported change of the word “terrorists” to “militants” in a law that will allow land and property owners in the once war-ravaged north and east to reclaim ownership has triggered a controversy.
Minister Douglas Devananda, leader of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), raised issue at Thursday’s weekly ministerial meeting. He alleged that the words had been changed by Justice Minister, Rauff Hakeem at the behest of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran. Joining him was Minister Wimal Weerawansa who argued that the change gave an entirely different connotation to the existing law.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa was to note that if the word “terrorists” remained in the original draft law approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, it should remain that way. Once approval was granted, it should not be changed unilaterally, he said adding that he would go into the matter.
The Ministry of Justice was to originally amend the Prescription Ordinance to make provision for reclaiming ownership to absentee land and property owners. Thereafter, it said there would be a separate Act for this purpose.