Several Tamil organizations in Jaffna have lodged complaints with the Vadukkodei Police yesterday (16), urging the immediate arrest and court appearance of former Minister Marvin Silva over alleged hate speech.
The organizations assert that the former minister’s public statements have fostered an atmosphere of hostility towards Tamil people in the north by the Sinhalese population in the south, causing emotional distress that warrants legal action.
The complaints, lodged by these Tamil organizations, highlight a specific statement made by the former minister that implicitly conveyed a threat to the Tamil community’s well-being. The complaint refers to his remark that the “heads of the Tamil people will be taken to Kelaniya,” which they interpret as an implicit threat of harm or death to the Tamil population.
In the submitted complaints, the Tamil organizations underline that under Sri Lankan law, it is impermissible to make implicit statements that insinuate the inferiority of a minority group and advocate harm against them. They contend that such statements perpetuate psychological trauma and violate the rights and dignity of the Tamil community.
Moreover, the organizations express their dissatisfaction with what they perceive as government inaction regarding the former minister’s statements. They emphasize that the rule of law should be applied impartially to ensure justice for the Tamil people who are grappling with profound psychological distress due to these statements.
