Members of Parliament from the Jatika Jana Balawegaya (NPP), led by Vijitha Herath, have asserted that relatives and comrades of those who died in the war have the right to commemorate their loved ones. Herath emphasized that the government should take steps to protect these rights.
During the adjournment debate on the Palestine conflict, Herath commented that just as people around the world have the right to remember their fallen, so too should the relatives and comrades of those who perished in Sri Lanka’s civil wars.
However, he condemned the recent arrest of three women and a man in Sampur, where they had gone to hold a commemoration for the war dead. This action, he said, was condemned by his party. The arrests occurred during a commemoration event, which Herath described as a peaceful gathering.
Herath drew a parallel to the United Nations’ establishment of a day to remember those who died in the Nakba incident, arguing that Sri Lankans also deserve the right to honor their war dead. He stressed that the right to commemorate those who died in conflict is recognized internationally and should be upheld in Sri Lanka as well.