There will be a delay in the introduction of the new anti-terrorism bill in the Parliament of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s Justice Minister Wijaidas Rajapaksa announced on Thursday that there would be a further delay in the introduction of a new anti-terrorism bill in parliament that would replace the existing tough anti-terrorism law. This came a day after a powerful body of lawyers said it would not hesitate to challenge any law that undermines governance and freedom of citizens. The new Anti Terrorism Act (ATA) will replace the very draconian and infamous Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) of 1979.

Earlier on April 1, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardene had told reporters that a new anti-terrorism law would be introduced by the end of this month. However, the law minister said on Thursday that there could be a delay in introducing the bill, and it could be introduced in late April or early May. Sri Lanka has faced international pressure to abrogate the PTA, implemented in 1979 as a temporary measure to counter growing Tamil separatist insurgency in Sri Lanka.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe had earlier said that the new ATA Bill would be tabled by June. Today’s announcement comes as lawyers’ body Sri Lanka Bar Association on Wednesday asked the government to further delay the introduction of the bill, claiming that there was no consultation with stakeholders while drafting it. Earlier on March 17, the 97-page new Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) was published in the official gazette. Opposition and civil society groups objected to the new ATA law, saying it was designed to target civil society protests that erupted in the middle of last year over the previous government’s failure to deal with the current economic crisis.