A Sri Lankan anti-terror law that needs repeal
In the many cycles of violence in Sri Lanka’s troubled history, “terror” has been a running theme. While the state — that has repeatedly demonstrated a majoritarian tendency — has never held a mirror to itself to acknowledge the violence that it has unleashed on civilians, it has often sought to justify using draconian measures to “counter” or “crush” anything that it deems “terror”.
If there is one law in Sri Lanka that has received constant attention over the last half century in this regard, it is the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) passed in 1979, during the presidency of J.R. Jayawardene. It was modelled on South African legislation from the Apartheid era and British laws against Irish militancy, and replaced another law titled Proscribing of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and Other Similar Organizations Law of 1978…..| read more on The Hindu
