The main Parliamentary Opposition Party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), has decided not to accept the Defence Ministry's offer allowing Parliamentarians to purchase repeater guns and retain them even after their term of office has ended.
The Ministry had informed the Secretary-General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadheera recently that MPs would be allowed to purchase two repeater shotguns each from their personal funds, and retain them even after they are out of office.
When contacted by The Daily Morning and queried as to whether the SJB would accept the offer, SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said: “No, we will not accept it.”
SJB's National Organiser and MP, Tissa Attanayake also said that they would not need any weapons. “I received a letter informing me that we can purchase two repeater guns. I just tore it and threw it away. I have not been using any weapons for all these years. I also don't think that other MPs will need repeater guns,” he said.
The repeater guns, which are to be possessed by MPs, should be licensed annually in their respective districts. MPs reportedly have the option to choose from three models. They have however been prohibited from transferring the guns to any other party, and carrying them to the Parliament and other crowded places.
In response to concerns about allowing MPs to retain their guns after their term ends, The Daily Morning inquired Speaker of the Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana about whether this decision might be problematic, and he replied that he had no issue with it, as the decision had been made by the Defence Ministry.
However, likening the Defence Ministry's decision to a form of bribery during the Election period, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna-led National People's Power (NPP) Opposition Parliamentarian Vijitha Herath also said recently that no MP representing the NPP would accept the offer.
He said that it is “very dangerous” to allow MPs to purchase repeater guns and keep them even after they are no longer in office. “This is totally wrong. Allowing MPs to possess guns at a time like this is particularly dangerous. It is bribing ahead of an Election,” he said.
He also said that none of the MPs representing the NPP would take up the offer, adding that they had also refused to accept the pistols currently provided by the Government for MPs' security.