Opposition Leader says govt blocked his questions on Negombo unrest

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has accused the Government of blocking questions he sought to raise in Parliament regarding the Negombo Prison unrest, claiming this amounts to a violation of Standing Orders.

Speaking in parliament yesterday (08), Premadasa said the Opposition needs to know whether the Government has established the cause of the clash at Negombo Prison, and if so, what that cause was.

He also sought clarity on who authorised the intervention of the Police Special Task Force (STF), the legal provisions under which that order was given, and whether the order was issued in a timely manner.

He further asked for details on the loss of life and damage to property reported so far, and whether an independent and impartial investigation would be carried out with its findings presented to Parliament.

*Compensation and prison conditions raised*

The Opposition Leader said information is also required on the compensation the Government intends to provide to injured and deceased inmates, as well as to the families of prison officers who lost their lives.

He raised concerns over the extended period during which the Prisons Department functioned without a permanent Commissioner General, and asked whether existing overcrowding and security weaknesses in the prison system had contributed to the incident.

He called on the Government to present a national programme aimed at protecting the lives of inmates and preventing similar incidents in the future.

*"Privilege has been violated"*

Premadasa said denying him the opportunity to raise these questions amounted to a violation of his privilege, stressing that his questions were not intended as political debate but as an effort to gather factual information on the incident.

He said the rejection of his question to the subject minister during the previous day's Adjournment Debate, along with the absence of specific information provided during that debate, amounted to a violation of the public's right to know the truth and, by extension, a violation of freedom of speech.

He noted that a prisoner transferred from Negombo to Boossa Prison following the unrest had since died, and said it remains unclear what conditions prevail in other prisons across the country. He said this must be investigated and appropriate action taken.

He accused the Leader of the House of presenting a misleading interpretation of the matter and called for accurate data and information to be tabled before Parliament.

*Standing Orders*

The Opposition Leader referred to Standing Order 27 (2), noting that except where the Speaker rules a question unruly, all questions submitted to the Secretary General must be placed on the Order Book for reply no earlier than seven full days from the date of notification.

He noted that under the same provision, a question of general importance may be raised by the Leader of the Opposition or the leader of a recognised political party following formal notice to the relevant minister.

He said he was denied the opportunity to raise his question on the Negombo Prison unrest in the House on July 08, 2026, under this provision.