Seyed Ali Zahir Moulana

Seyed Ali Zahir Moulana (born 25 June 1956) is a Sri Lankan politician, former diplomat and local government activist. He is most known for the pivotal and important role he played in bringing about an end to the Sri Lankan Civil War.^[1]

He has been politically active since 1988, and is the current Member of Parliament for the Batticaloa District, and the only directly elected Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Parliamentarian in the current Parliament of Sri Lanka.^[2] He was previously elected as a Member of Parliament for the Batticaloa District, under the United National Party from August 16, 1994 until his resignation on June 23, 2004.^[3]

Moulana is most noted for his orchestration of the defection of prominent members of the LTTE guerrilla group, including its one-time Military Commander Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan (Colonel Karuna), from the terror outfit to the government in 2004.^[4] He resigned his seat in Parliament shortly thereafter due to the rising threat on his life from the LTTE. Moulana thereafter was appointed as a high-ranking diplomat at the Embassy of Sri Lanka to the United States.,^[5] and upon his return to Sri Lanka elected as the Chairman of the Eravur Urban Council in 2011. He thereafter was elected to the Eastern Provincial Council,^[6] and held that position until his re-election to Parliament in August 2015.

Early life

Moulana grew up in Eravur, and attended St. Michael’s College of Batticaloa for his primary education.^[7] He thereafter attended Jamal Mohamed College in Trichy, India and later the University of California, Los Angeles, USA obtaining a degree in Computer Science in 1987. Moulana then returned to Sri Lanka in 1988 and entered active politics.

Early Political Career

Eravur Massacre

On August 11, 1990, the LTTE carried out a bloody overnight massacre in Eravur, killing nearly 200 civilians while they slept in their homes.^[8] Two nights prior, they had overrun and demolished the Eravur Police Station leaving the populace virtually helpless. Moulana was the first on the scene, and with the help of the Minister of Defense Ranjan Wijeratne, an army camp was established in Moulana's own home to help prevent further attacks from taking place on the people.

Eravur Pradeshiya Sabha

In March 1994, Local Government Elections were held in northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka. Moulana formed an independent party and contested as its chief candidate in the Eravur Pradeshiya Sabha elections. His party was elected with a large majority, and as the highest polled, he was unanimously elected Chairman of the Eravur Pradeshiya Sabha.

Member of Parliament (1994-2004)

Prior to the Parliamentary elections in August 1994, Moulana and his supporters were invited by then President D.B. Wijetunga to join the United National Party (UNP). Owing to the rise in popularity of the sectarian Sri Lanka Muslim Congress led by its founder leader M. H. M. Ashraff in the region,^[9] his dissent towards communal politics and interest towards pursuing a national identity for the Muslim community led Moulana to accept the invitation, and he subsequently contested and won the 1994 General Election with the UNP for the Batticaloa District, and was an opposition Member of Parliament.^[10]

He remained a Member of Parliament until his resignation on June 23, 2004.^[11]

Assassination attempt

Around 5:40 pm on December 9, 1995, Moulana and another UNP MP Jayalath Jayawardena were travelling to Batticaloa, when their convoy was ambushed by around 40 members of the LTTE. After 11 minutes of intense fighting, the convoy managed to enter the cover of the nearby Sittandy army camp. Moulana and Jayawardena escaped unhurt, although two of Moulana's bodyguards were killed in the attempt, while 5 others sustained injuries.^[12]

UNP Government, Ceasefire, Karuna Controversy and Resignation from Parliament

Ceasefire & Development

In the December 2001 General Elections, the UNP swept to power and formed the government with Ranil Wickremesinghe, the leader of the UNP appointed as the new Prime Minister.^[13] Moulana was appointed as Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister. The government then set about on its plan for the cessation of hostilities through a Norwegian government brokered ceasefire with the LTTE. During this time, peace talks commenced between the government and LTTE on a political solution to the ethnic crisis.^[14]

Moulana was tasked with developing a dialogue with LTTE leaders in the grassroots, and promote the UNP government's plan for development and reconciliation with the dissidents. By doing so, Moulana worked closely with the LTTE leadership, developing a close working relationship especially with Colonel Karuna Amman (alias Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan), the LTTE's Eastern Commander and overall Military Leader and strategist, and one of Velupillai Prabhakaran's most trusted lieutenants.^[15]

By building good relationships with the LTTE, the UNP government was able to provide the general populace amenities that they were deprived of for decades. At Moulana's initiative and under his direct supervision in a period of two years the Badulla-Chenkaladi A5 highway was reopened,^[16] railway lines were reconstructed and train services resumed to Batticaloa from Colombo after 10 years,^[17][18] and the first project of electrification for rural uncleared areas in Sri Lanka were carried out providing over 3000 homes with electricity.^[19][20]

Karuna Defection Involvement

In early 2004, Colonel Karuna began lamenting to Moulana of his displeasure with the LTTE leader on the insufficient distribution of resources and power towards the Tamils resident in eastern Sri Lanka.^[21] Moulana saw this is an indication of a possible significant split emerging within the LTTE, and informed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe of this development. He was instructed by the Prime Minister to covertly "keep the door open with Karuna".^[22][23]

In February 2004, Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga dissolved parliament and called for fresh elections. This led to the UNP government's operations with respect to the ceasefire to come to a temporary halt until elections were held.^[24] Moulana however, continued to keep tabs on Karuna.

When Karuna continued to express to Moulana of his dissatisfaction with the LTTE leadership, especially with his startling revelation that the LTTE did not intend to follow through with their commitment to the peace process, and were merely regrouping,^[25] Moulana realised that with the clear intention of the LTTE revealed, the only way a lasting peace can be restored in Sri Lanka is by defeating the LTTE militarily, and the only way the Sri Lankan government can defeat the LTTE is with Karuna on their side. Moulana then over a series of meetings with the Colonel began to convince him to defect from the LTTE and enter the democratic mainstream where he can voice his opinions on behalf of his people on a political platform.

In March 2004, Colonel Karuna officially announced in two letters that he sent to the LTTE leadership with copies to the international media that he was renouncing his LTTE membership, along with 5000 troops loyal to him in the districts of Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara.^[21] This was the biggest expression of dissension in the history of the LTTE, severely weakening the LTTE's fighting force and a clash within the factions in the LTTE seemed imminent. Karuna then formed his own political party, the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) and absorbed over 5000 troops loyal to him from the LTTE into his new party's paramilitary wing.^[26]

The LTTE began to launch an offensive against Karuna and the troops loyal to him.^[27] On April 9, 2004 large numbers of LTTE Sea Tigers and ground forces landed on the banks of the Verugal river in Vakarai, Batticaloa, and in clear violation of the Ceasefire accord signed with the Sri Lankan government began attacking and killing civilians and cadres loyal to Karuna alike in a brutal offensive. Karuna did not intend any harm to befall any civilians and withdrew all his troops and heavy artillery machinery to his main base in the Thopigalla jungles.^[28]

He then requested Moulana to arrange for secured transportation for himself and his trusted lieutenants to withdraw to the capital city of Colombo. As nearly 500 LTTE troops were moving fast on the offensive towards Karuna's base in Thopigalla, Moulana who happened to be close to the area, and due to the extreme sensitivity of the situation, decided to personally go to Karuna's base and get Karuna to safety himself. A six-car convoy carrying Moulana, Karuna and 20 other confidantes of Karuna retreated to Colombo on April 9, 2004, under the cover of darkness, where they were handed over by Moulana to high-ranking officers of the Sri Lanka Army Military Intelligence.^[29][30][31] Intelligence reports later revealed to the public said that Moulana and Karuna had managed to escape from the advancing LTTE forces by a mere 10 minutes.

Return to Parliament and Resignation

Moulana did not contest the 2004 General Elections, but was one of four UNP MPs nominated to Parliament through the National List due to a deal made between the UNP and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress to not field any UNP Muslim candidates from the East.^[32][33]

In June 2004, one of the Karuna loyalists who retreated to Colombo along with Karuna and Moulana was forced to return to Batticaloa and was captured and tortured by the LTTE, in which they forced a confession out of her. It was then revealed by her through a press conference called by the LTTE that it was Moulana who was Karuna's link with the government, and it was with him that they had come to Colombo.^[34] This revelation sparked a huge controversy surrounding the Government of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Army, the UNP and Moulana, as it implicated the government's role behind the split in the LTTE.^[35]

Owing to the severe threat on the lives of Moulana and that of his family by the LTTE assassination squads, Moulana immediately resigned from Parliament and fled Sri Lanka on June 23, 2004.^[36]

Diplomatic career

After living in self-exile for nearly 3 years in the United States due to the threat on his life, Moulana was nominated by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and confirmed by the Cabinet of Sri Lanka as the Minister of Economic Affairs at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington DC, USA.^[37] He ended his tour of duty in USA in December 2009.

Return to Sri Lanka and Resumption of Political Career

After the end of the Civil War in 2009, Moulana returned to Sri Lanka after living in self-exile in the United States for over 5 years in December 2009.^[38][39] Due to his involvement in the Karuna defection, Moulana was viewed by many Sri Lankans as being one of the pivotal components instrumental to bringing about an end to the civil conflict in Sri Lanka that had lasted nearly 3 decades.^[1][40][41]

Eravur Urban Council

In March 2011, Moulana contested the Local Government Elections and was elected with an overwhelming majority as the Chairman (Mayor) of Eravur Urban Council. Eravur Urban Council is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. Eravur, under his tenure as chairman was selected by the United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction Programme as a Role Model City for Disaster Resilience.^[42]

Federation of Sri Lanka Local Government Authorities and Commonwealth Local Government Forum

Subsequent to becoming Chairman of the Eravur Urban Council, Moulana was unanimously elected as the President of the Federation of Sri Lanka Local Government Authorities (FSLGA).^[43]

Moulana was elected as an Executive Director of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) in July 2015, and also as a Director of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) for the Asia-Pacific Region.^[44]

Member of Eastern Provincial Council

Moulana was appointed as a Member of the Eastern Provincial Council on 6 February 2015. He took oaths before the Governor of Eastern Province, Austin Fernando.^[45][46]

Return to Parliament

Following the dissolution of Parliament in June 2015, Moulana joined the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG).^[47] He claimed that he had been aligned with national parties for over 27 years, but owing to the failure of these parties to address the issues of Muslims and the subsequent deterioration of the Muslim community's image in the recent past of Sri Lanka, he had decided to join the SLMC. Muslims represent 70% of Moulana's vote base. He contested under the SLMC symbol in the Batticaloa District and was re-elected to Parliament on August 17, 2015 with nearly 40,000 votes, being the only Parliamentarian directly elected under the SLMC. All other elected SLMC Parliamentarians were elected through the UNFGG.^[48] Moulana re-entered Parliament after a lapse of 11 years.

References

Sri Lankan Civil War
Origins	Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism 1956 1958 1977 Sri Lankan riots Burning of Jaffna library Black July
Combatants	Sri Lanka Army (LRRP) Navy Air Force Police Special Task Force Home Guards Attacks on civilians Assassinations LTTE Divisions Air Tigers Sea Tigers Black Tigers Attacks in the 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s Assassinations Suicide bombings Other militants (list) ENDLF ENLF EPRLF EROS PLOTE TELO  India Indian Peace Keeping Force Paramilitary EPDP TMVP
Phases	Eelam War I Indian intervention Eelam War II III IV Eastern / Northern theaters
Major battles	Kokkilai Vadamarachchi Poomalai Pawan Jaffna University Helidrop Balavegaya 1st Elephant Pass Pooneryn Riviresa 1st Mullaitivu Sath Jaya Vavunathivu Jayasikurui Thandikulam–Omanthai 1st Kilinochchi Oddusuddan A-9 highway 2nd Elephant Pass Bandaranaike Airport attack Point Pedro Jaffna Thoppigala Vidattaltivu 2nd Kilinochchi 2nd Mullaitivu Puthukkudiyirippu
Major Events	Air Lanka Flight 512 Indo-Sri Lanka Accord Expulsions from Northern province Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi Assassination of Ranasinghe Premadasa Assassination of Lalith Athulathmudali Temple of the Tooth attack Lionair Flight 602 Bandaranaike Airport attack Expulsions from Colombo 2009 suicide air raid on Colombo
Leaders	Sri Lanka Military Army Tissa Weeratunga Nalin Seneviratne Hamilton Wanasinghe Cecil Waidyaratne G. H. De Silva Rohan Daluwatte C. S. Weerasooriya L. P. Balagalle Shantha Kottegoda Sarath Fonseka Navy Asoka de Silva H. A. Silva Clancy Fernando D. A. M. R. Samarasekara H. C. A. C. Thisera Daya Sandagiri Wasantha Karannagoda Air Force Dick Perera Andibuduge Fernando Makalandage Gunawardena Oliver Ranasinghe Jayalath Weerakkody Donald Perera Roshan Goonetileke Civilian J. R. Jayewardene Ranasinghe Premadasa Dingiri Banda Wijetunga Chandrika Kumaratunga Mahinda Rajapaksa LTTE Militant Velupillai Prabhakaran Pottu Amman Karuna Amman Political Selvarasa Pathmanathan Anton Balasingham S. P. Thamilselvan India Military Harkirat Singh Ashok K. Mehta Civilian R. Venkataraman Rajiv Gandhi V. P. Singh
Aftermath	Reactions to end of war (Tamil diaspora) Remembrance Day Alleged war crimes Chemical weapons Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) UN Panel on Accountability in Sri Lanka NPC resolution on Genocide
Related topics	Casualties Assassinations Massacres Child soldiers Disappearances Human rights Popular culture Terrorism PTA State Sixth Amendment Thirteenth Amendment 1988 Maldives coup d'état 1987–89 JVP Insurrection
Sri Lankan Civil War at Wiktionary    Source texts at Wikisource    Textbooks at Wikibooks   Images and media at the Commons    Quotations at Wikiquote    News stories at Wikinews

← Members of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka (1994 (1994)–2000 (2000)) →
Speaker: K. B. Ratnayake Prime Minister: Chandrika Kumaratunga/ Sirimavo Bandaranaike / Ratnasiri Wickremanayake Leader of the Opposition: Ranil Wickremesinghe
Central Province	Kandy Sarath Amunugama Tissa Attanayake A. R. M. Abdul Cader Gamini Dissanayake Abdul Cader Shahul Hameed D. M. Jayaratne Lucky Jayawardena Lakshman Kiriella Wilson Kuruppuarachchi Anuruddha Ratwatte Irajarathnan Sivasamy Ediriweera Weerawardena Matale Alick Aluwihare Nandimithra Ekanayake Monty Gopallawa Janaka Bandara Tennakoon Jinadasa Vidanagamage Nuwara Eliya Tissa Abhayagunasekara P. Chandrasekaran S. B. Dissanayake Renuka Herath C. B. Ratnayake Suppaiah Sathasivam Muthu Sivalingam Arumugam Thondaman
Eastern Province	Ampara M. H. M. Ashraff Nihal Bakmeewewa P. Dayaratna Chandradasa Galappaththi U. L. M. Mohideen H.M. Weerasinghe Batticaloa M. L. A. M. Hizbullah Seyed Ali Zahir Moulana Joseph Pararajasingham P. Selvarasa K. Thurairajasingam Trincomalee M. E. H. Maharoof M. N. Abdul Majeed Sunil Ranaweera A. Thangathurai
Northern Province	Jaffna Unfinished Vanni S. S. M. Abu Bakar V. Balachandran Rasamanohari Pulendran S. Shanmuganathan D. Siddarthan Premaratnage Sumathipala
North Central Province	Anuradhapura Somapala Adikari Chandrasoma Bandara Berty Premalal Dissanayake Punchi Banda Dissanayake P. Harrison Tissa Karalliyadde Shantha Premarathna A. H. B. Semasinghe Polonnaruwa Nandasena Herath T. B. Mahalekam H. G. P. Nelson Rukman Senanayake Maithripala Sirisena
North Western Province	Kurunegala A.H.M Alavi D. M. Bandaranayake Bandula Basnayake Jayadeva Chandrawansha Salinda Dissanayake T. B. Ekanayake H.M.A. Loku Bandara S. B. Nawinne Gamini Jayawickrama Perera Munidasa Premachandra Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake Jayasena Rajakaruna Piyasoma Upali D.P. Wickramasinghe Anura Priyadharshana Yapa Puttalam D. M. Dassanayake Joseph Fernando Milroy Fernando Harold Herath Festus Perera D.R. J. Silva Asoka Wadigamangawa
Sabaragamuwa Province	Kegalle Jagath Balasooriya Y. L. M. Farook Maheepala Herath P. B. G. Kalugalla K. Vincent Perera H. R. J. Podinilame Athauda Seneviratne R.A.D. Sirisena Mano Wijeyeratne Ratnapura Gamini Atukorale Nalanda Ellawala U. L. Heenmahaththaya K. D. Nanda Mathew Vasudeva Nanayakkara Susantha Punchinilame Jayatissa Ranaweera John Seneviratne H. M. U. Silva Pavithra Wanniarachchi
Southern Province	Galle Vajira Abeywardena M. U. S. D. Amarasiri Asoka Weerasinghe de Silva Amarasiri Dodangoda Piyasena Gamage Sarath Gunawardena Nandadasa Gunasinghe H. G. N. P. Kariyawasam Rupa Karunathilake Richard Pathirana Hambantota Mahinda Amaraweera Ananda Kularathne Chamal Rajapaksa Mahinda Rajapaksa Nirupama Rajapaksa Mervyn Silva J. P. V. Vipulaguna Nihal Galappaththi Matara Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena Dullas Alahapperuma Ronnie de Mel Chandrasiri Gajadeera E. A. Samarasinghe Mangala Samaraweera Mahinda Wijesekara H. R. Wimalasiri
Uva Province	Badulla W. J. M. Lokubandara Dilan Perera Hema Ratnayake R.M. Ratnayake Ravindra Samaraweera Lakshman Senewiratne Sennan Veera Samaraweera Weerawanni Monaragala Dharmadasa Banda Ranjith Madduma Bandara Sumedha Jayasena A. M. Jayawardana Jagath Pushpakumara
Western Province	Colombo Ossie Abeygunasekera P. P. Devaraj Srimani Athulathmudali Nawalaage Benet Cooray Nimal Siripala de Silva Tyronne Fernando A. H. M. Fowzie C. V. Gunaratne Indika Gunawardena Karunasena Kodituwakku Jeewan Kumaranatunga Gamini Lokuge Weerasinghe Mallimarachchi R. Yogarajan M. H. Mohamed Susil Moonesinghe Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra Gunasekara Premaratne Amal Senalankadikara Bernard Soysa Kingsley Wickramaratne Ranil Wickremesinghe Gampaha John Amaratunga Chandrika Kumaratunga Jeyaraj Fernandopulle Upali Gunaratne Lionel Gunawardena Anura Hapangama Lakshman Jayakody Wijayapala Mendis Jinadasa Nandasena Athula Nimalasiri Felix Perera Joseph Michael Perera Reginold Perera Sarathchandra Rajakaruna Suranimala Rajapaksha Reggie Ranatunga Neil Rupasinghe A. V. Suraweera Kalutara Sumithra Priyanganie Abeyweera Imthiaz Bakeer Markar Reginald Cooray Thilak Karunarathna Anil Moonesinghe Ediriweera Premarathna Jayasiri Sarath Kumara Ranawaka Mahinda Samarasinghe Kumara Welgama Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
National List (29)	Unfinished

← Members of the 11th Parliament of Sri Lanka (2000 (2000)–2001 (2001)) →
Speaker: Anura Bandaranaike Prime Minister: Ratnasiri Wickremanayake Leader of the Opposition: Ranil Wickremesinghe
Central Province	Kandy Mahindananda Aluthgamage Sarath Amunugama Tissa Attanayake A. R. M. Abdul Cader Rauff Hakeem M. H. A. Haleem Keheliya Rambukwella Anuruddha Ratwatte D. M. Jayaratne Lucky Jayawardena Lakshman Kiriella Ediriweera Weerawardhana Matale Alick Aluvihare Ranjith Aluvihare Nandimithra Ekanayake Monty Gopallawa Janaka Bandara Tennakoon Nuwara Eliya Periyasamy Chandrasekaran Navin Dissanayake S. B. Dissanayake Muthu Sivalingam Suppiah Sathasiwam Krishnan Jegatheeswaran Shanmugam Arumugam Thondaman
Eastern Province	Ampara Ferial Ismail Ashraff A. L. M. Athaullah P. Dayaratna Wimal Dissanayaka Chandradasa Galappaththige Markandu Gunasekeram U. L. M. Mohideen Batticaloa Abdul Cader S. Ganeshamoorthy Seyed Ali Zahir Moulana Joseph Pararajasingham Nimalan Soundaranayagam Trincomalee M. K. A. D. S. Gunawardana M. A. M. Maharoof M. N. Abdul Majeed M. S. Thowfeek
Northern Province	Jaffna V. Anandasangaree Douglas Devananda Karthigesu Velummylum Kugendran T. Maheswaran Nadarasah Mathanarajah Kandiah Sangaran Mavai Senathirajah S. Sivamaharajah A. Vinayagamoorthy Vanni Selvam Adaikalanathan R. Kuhaneswaran Noordeen Mashoor Vino Noharathalingam Santhakumara Punchihewa Premaratnage Sumathipala
North Central Province	Anuradhapura Duminda Dissanayake Punchi Banda Dissanayake W. B. Ekanayake P. Harrison Chandrani Bandara Jayasinghe Tissa Karalliyadde Don Simanralalage Shantha Premaratne Appuhamilage Herath Banda Semasinghe Polonnaruwa Earl Gunasekara Nandasena Herath Nelson Paththinige Rukman Senanayake Maithripala Sirisena
North Western Province	Kurunegala Rohitha Bogollagama Salinda Dissanayake Johnston Fernando Jayarathna Herath Nimal Herath Sarath Munasinghe Ranjith Navaratne S.B. Nawinne Gamini Jayawickrama Perera Munidasa Premachandra Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake Nimal Bandara Rathnayake Somakumari Tennakoon Piyasoma Upali Anura Priyadharshana Yapa Puttalam Palitha Range Bandara D. M. Dassanayake Ivon Sriyani Fernando Milroy Fernando Piyankara Jayaratne Festus Perera Neomal Perera Dayasritha Thissera
Sabaragamuwa Province	Kegalle Jagath Balasuriya Lalith Dissanayake Mahipala Herath Jayathilaka Podinilame Champika Premadasa Sirisena Rupasinghe Athauda Seneviratne Ranjith Siyambalapitiya Mano Wijeyeratne Ratnapura Gamini Atukorale Surangani Ellawala Heenmahaththaya Liyanage Abeynayaka Piyadasa Susantha Punchinilame Jayatissa Ranaweera Mahinda Ratnatilaka W. D. J. Senewiratne Dharmadasa Wanniarachchi Pavithra Wanniarachchi
Southern Province	Galle Vajira Abeywardena Amarasiri Dodangoda Piyasena Gamage Sarath Gunawardena Padmasiri Kariyawasam Gayantha Karunathilaka Keerthi Mawellage Hemakumara Nanayakkara Richard Pathirana Athula Indika Weerakoon Hambantota Siri Alexander Nihal Galappaththi Ananda Kularatna Sajith Premadasa Chamal Rajapaksa Mahinda Rajapaksa Dilip Wedaarachchi Matara Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena Dullas Alahapperuma Chandrasiri Gajadeera Jinadasa Kitulagoda Sagala Ratnayaka Mangala Samaraweera Mahinda Wijesekara
Uva Province	Badulla Nimal Siripala De Silva W. J. M. Lokubandara Lakshman Senewiratne Sethapenage Appuhamy Ralalage Madduma Bandara Upali Samaraweera Ravindra Samaraweera Rathnayake Mudiyanselage Ratnayake Dilan Perera Monaragala Ranjith Madduma Bandara Sumedha Jayasena Ananda Kumarasiri Gamini Vijith Vijithamuni Soysa Jayasundara Wijekoon
Western Province	Colombo Nimal Fernando Tyronne Fernando A. H. M. Fowzie Bandula Gunawardena Dinesh Gunawardena Indika Gunawardena Ravi Karunanayake Chandana Kathriarachchci Jayantha Ketagoda Karunasena Kodituwakku Jeewan Kumaranatunga Gamini Lokuge Mohamed Maharoof M. H. Mohamed G. L. Peiris Lilantha Perera Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra Samson Silva Wimal Weerawansa Ranil Wickramasinghe Gampaha John Amaratunga Anura Bandaranaike Pandu Bandaranaike Jeyaraj Fernandopulle Edward Gunasekara Lionel Gunawardena Vijitha Herath Karu Jayasuriya Jayalath Jayawardena Sarath Keerthirathna Ananda Munasinghe Sarathchandra Peramunagamage Felix Perera Joseph Michael Perera Susil Premajayantha Suranimala Rajapaksha Reggie Ranatunga Neil Rupasinghe Kalutara Reginold Cooray Tuder Dayarathne Nandana Gunathilake Imthiaz Bakeer Markar Ediriweera Premarathne Mahinda Samarasinghe Abeyrathne Pathirage Rajitha Senaratne Kumara Welgama Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
National List (29)	JVP A. R. Anjan Umma PA Somaweera Chandrasiri Raja Collure Basheer Segu Dawood Ronnie de Mel Monty Gopallawa Leslie Gunawardana Mohamed Haneefa Lakshman Kadirgamar Wijayapala Mendis Alavi Moulana Rizzwi Sinnalebbe Batty Weerakoon R. Yogarajan UNP A. H. M. Azwer Nihal Bakmeewewa K. N. Choksy Sirinal de Mel P. P. Devaraj K. Kanakaraj M. N. Abdul Majeed Tilak Marapana Milinda Moragoda Ravindra Randeniya M. S. Sellasamy Daham Wimalasena

← Members of the 12th Parliament of Sri Lanka (2001 (2001)–2004 (2004)) →
Speaker: W. J. M. Lokubandara Prime Minister: Ranil Wickremesinghe Leader of the Opposition: Ratnasiri Wickremanayake/Mahinda Rajapakse
Central Province	Kandy Mahindananda Aluthgamage Sarath Amunugama Tissa Attanayake Dimuthu Bandara Rauff Hakeem Mohamed Hazim Lucky Jayawardena Lakshman Kiriella Srimathi Manthilake Keheliya Rambukwella Anuruddha Ratwatte Thilina Bandara Tennakoon Matale Alick Aluvihare Ranjith Aluvihare Sanjeewa Kavirathna Janaka Bandara Tennakoon Bandula Yalegama Nuwara Eliya Periyasamy Chandrasekaran D. M. S. K. Dassanayake Navin Dissanayake C. B. Rathnayake Piyadasa Kaladugoda Muthu Sivalingam Arumugam Thondaman
Eastern Province	Ampara Ferial Ashraff P. Dayaratna H. M. M. Harees Anver Ismail Mohamed Ismail Athaullah Ahamed Lebbe Marikkar A. Chandranehru Karunasingha Thewarapperuma Batticaloa Abdul Cader M. L. A. M. Hizbullah Gnanamuththu Krishnappillai Joseph Pararajasingham T. Thangavadivel Trincomalee M. K. A. D. S. Gunawardana M. A. M. Maharoof R. Sampanthan K. M. Thowfeek
Northern Province	Jaffna V. Anandasangaree Douglas Devananda T. Maheswaran Nadarasa Matanarasa Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam Nadarajah Raviraj Mavai Senathirajah M. K. Shivajilingam A. Vinayagamoorthy Vanni Selvam Adaikalanathan Sivasakthy Ananthan Rishad Bathiudeen R. Kuhaneswaran Noordeen Mashoor D. Siddarthan
North Central Province	Anuradhapura S. M. Chandrasena Duminda Dissanayake W. B. Ekanayake Lal Dharmapriya Gamage P. Harrison Chandrani Bandara Jayasinghe Tissa Karalliyadda K. D. Lalkantha Polonnaruwa Earl Gunasekara Nelson Paththinige Sydney Jayarathne Maithreepala Sirisena Ananda Sarath Kumara Rathnayake
North Western Province	Kurunegala Dissanayaka Mudiyanselage Bandranayake Indika Bandaranayake Rohitha Bogollagama Salinda Dissanayake T. B. Ekanayake Johnston Fernando Anura Gopallawa Jayarathna Herath S. B. Nawinne Gamini Jayawickrama Perera Upali Piyasena Bimal Rathnayake Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake Soma Kumari Tennakoon Anura Priyadarshana Yapa Puttalam Palitha Range Bandara D. M. Dassanayake Milroy Fernando Neomal Perera Larine Perera Sugath Tissera Dayasritha Tissera
Sabaragamuwa Province	Kegalle Kabir Hashim Maheepala Herath Jayathilaka Podinilame Champika Premadasa Gamini Rathnayake Sirisena Rupasinghe Rukman Senanayake Athauda Seneviratne Ranjith Siyambalapitiya Ratnapura Gamini Atukorale Piyadasa Abeynayake Achala Jagodage Asoka Jayawardena Premalal Jayasekara Susantha Punchinilame Mahinda Rathnatilaka John Seneviratne Pavithra Wanniarachchi A. A. Wijethunga
Southern Province	Galle Vajira Abeywardena Ananda Abeywickrama Baddegama Samitha Thero Amarasiri Dodangoda Piyasena Gamage Jayantha Jayaweera Gayantha Karunathilaka Hemakumara Nanayakkara Richard Pathirana Athula Weerakoon Hambantota Siri Alexander Nihal Galappaththi Ananda Kularathne Sajith Premadasa Mahinda Rajapaksa Chamal Rajapaksa Dilip Wedaarachchi Matara Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena Mallika Lakshmi De Mel Justin Galappathi Jinadasa Kitulagoda Sagala Ratnayaka Mangala Samaraweera Mahinda Wijesekara
Uva Province	Badulla Nimal Siripala de Silva W. J. M. Lokubandara Ravindra Samaraweera Upali Samaraweera Lakshman Senewiratne Madduma Bandara Sethapenage K. Velayudam D. D. W. Wickramarathne Monaragala R. M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara Sumedha G. Jayasena Ananda Kumarasiri A. P. Jagath Pushpakumara Gamini Vijith Vijithamuni Soysa
Western Province	Colombo Tyronne Fernando A. H. M. Fowzie Mano Ganeshan Bandula Gunawardane Dinesh Gunawardena Sunil Handunnetti Ravi Karunanayake Chandana Kathriarachchi Karunasena Kodituwakku Jeewan Kumaranatunga Gamini Lokuge Mohomed Maharoof M. H. Mohamed Milinda Moragoda Jayantha Perera Lilantha Perera Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra Susil Premajayantha Arjuna Ranatunga Wimal Weerawansa Ranil Wickramasinghe Gampaha John Amaratunga Anura Bandaranaike Pandu Bandaranaike Jeyaraj Fernandopulle Sarana Gunawardena Edward Gunasekara Vijitha Herath Karu Jayasuriya Jayalath Jayawardena Felix Perera Joseph Michael Perera Olitha Premathiratna Sarathchandra Rajakaruna Suranimala Rajapaksha Ravindra Randeniya Reggie Ranatunga Neil Rupasinghe A. R. Anjan Umma Kalutara Rohitha Abeygunawardena Pathirage Don Abeyratne Tudor Dayaratne Nandana Gunathilake Imthiaz Bakeer Markar Mahinda Samarasinghe Rajitha Senaratne Kumara Welgama Ananda Lakshman Wijemanna Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
National List (29)	JVP Ramalingam Chandrasekar Anura Kumara Dissanayaka S. K. Subasinghe PA Mahinda Amaraweera Raja Collure Ronnie de Mel Ajantha de Soyza M. H. Cegu Isadean D. M. Jayaratne Athula Nimalasiri Jayasinghe Lakshman Kadirgamar Dilan Perera V. Puththirasigamoney S. Sathasivam TNA M. Sivasithamparam (K. Thurairetnasingam) UNF/UNP A. H. M. Azwer A. A. M. Bawa A. R. M. Abdul Cader K. N. Choksy Basheer Segu Dawood S. B. Dissanayake A. L. M. Hajrath Tilak Marapana Mohamed Musthaffa G. L. Peiris P. Radhakrishnan M. S. Thowfeek Jayasundera Wijekoon R. Yogarajan

← Members of the 15th Parliament of Sri Lanka (2015 (2015)–Present) →
Speaker: Karu Jayasuriya Prime Minister: Ranil Wickremesinghe Leader of the Opposition: R. Sampanthan
Central Province (25)	Kandy Ananda Aluthgamage Mahindananda Aluthgamage Dilum Amunugama Mayantha Dissanayake Rauff Hakeem M. H. A. Haleem Anuradha Jayaratne Lucky Jayawardena Lakshman Kiriella Keheliya Rambukwella Lohan Ratwatte M. Velu Kumar Matale Ranjith Aluwihare Wasantha Aluwihare Lakshman Wasantha Perera Janaka Bandara Tennakoon R. Wijerathne Nuwara Eliya Palani Digambaran Navin Dissanayake K. K. Piyadhasa Velusami Radhakrishnan C. B. Rathnayake Muthu Sivalingam M. Thilakarajah Arumugam Thondaman
Eastern Province (16)	Ampara Wimalaweera Dissanayake Cassim Faizal Daya Gamage H. M. M. Harees K. Kodeeswaran Mansoor Ibrahim Sriyani Wijewickrama Batticaloa Ali Ameer Seyed Ali Zahir Moulana G. Sirinesan S. Viyalendiran S. Yogeswaran Trincomalee Imran Maharoof M. A. M. Maharoof Susantha Punchinilame R. Sampanthan
Northern Province (13)	Jaffna Douglas Devananda Vijayakala Maheswaran E. Saravanapavan Mavai Senathirajah D. Siddarthan S. Sritharan M. A. Sumanthiran Vanni Selvam Adaikalanathan Sivasakthy Ananthan Rishad Bathiudeen Cader Cader Masthan Charles Nirmalanathan S. Sivamohan
North Central Province (14)	Anuradhapura S. M. Chandrasena Duminda Dissanayake Weerakumara Dissanayake Chandima Gamage P. Harrison Abdul Rahuman Izak Chandrani Bandara Jayasinghe Sarath Chandrasiri Muthukumarana Asanka Shehan Semasinghe Polonnaruwa Siripala Gamalath Sidney Jayarathna Nalaka Kolonne Roshan Ranasinghe Wasantha Senanayake
North Western Province (23)	Kurunegala Ashoka Abeysinghe J. C. Alawathuwala Indika Bandaranayake Tharanath Basnayaka Salinda Dissanayake T. B. Ekanayake Johnston Fernando Thushara Indunil Nalin Bandara Dayasiri Jayasekara Akila Viraj Kariyawasam S. B. Nawinne Gamini Jayawickrama Perera Mahinda Rajapaksa Anura Priyadharshana Yapa Puttalam Shantha Abeysekara Hector Appuhamy Palitha Range Bandara Arundika Fernando Piyankara Jayaratne Sanath Nishantha Niroshan Perera Ashoka Priyantha
Sabaragamuwa Province (20)	Kegalle Tharaka Balasuriya Kabir Hashim Kanaka Herath Dushmantha Mithrapala Sujith Sanjaya Perera Champika Premadasa Sandith Samarasinghe Ranjith Siyambalapitiya Thusitha Wijemanne Ratnapura Thalatha Atukorale Thirimadura Ranjith de Soysa Dunesh Gankanda Premalal Jayasekara Vasudeva Nanayakkara Karu Paranawithana John Seneviratne Janaka Wakkumbura Pavithra Devi Wanniarachchi A. A. Wijethunga Ankumbura Withanage
Southern Province (25)	Galle Vajira Abeywardena Bandula Lal Bandarigoda Mohan de Silva Wijepala Hettiarachchi Gayantha Karunathilaka Geetha Kumarasinghe Nishantha Muthuhettigamage Manusha Nanayakkara Ramesh Pathirana Chandima Weerakkody Hambantota Mahinda Amaraweera D. V. Chanaka Nihal Galappaththi Sajith Premadasa Chamal Rajapaksa Namal Rajapaksa Dilip Wedaarachchi Matara Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena Dullas Alahapperuma Chandrasiri Gajadeera Buddhika Pathirana Niroshan Premaratne Sagala Ratnayaka Mangala Samaraweera Kanchana Wijesekera
Uva Province (13)	Badulla A. Aravind Kumar Chamara Sampath Dassanayake Lakshman Senewiratne Nimal Siripala de Silva Harin Fernando Ravindra Samaraweera Vadivel Suresh Amith Thenuka Vidanagamage Chaminda Wijesiri Monaragala R. M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara Vijitha Berugoda Padma Udayashnatha Gunasekara Sumedha G. Jayasena Ananda Kumarasiri
Western Province (47)	Colombo Harsha de Silva Anura Kumara Dissanayaka Udaya Gammanpila Mano Ganesan Mohan Lal Grero Bandula Gunawardane Dinesh Gunawardena Ravi Karunanayake Gamini Lokuge Saidulla Marikkar Hirunika Premachandra Susil Premajayantha Mujibur Rahman Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe Champika Ranawaka Sujeewa Senasinghe Wimal Weerawansa Eran Wickramaratne Ranil Wickremesinghe Gampaha Lasantha Alagiyawanna John Amaratunga Indika Anuruddha Sudarshani Fernandopulle Edward Gunasekara Vijitha Herath Sisira Jayakody Kavinda Jayawardena Nimal Lanza Ajith Mannapperuma Harshana Rajakaruna Ranjan Ramanayake Arjuna Ranatunga Prasanna Ranatunga Prasanna Ranaweera Chathura Senarathne Duleep Wijesekera Ruwan Wijewardene Kalutara Rohitha Abeygunawardena H. M. Piyal Nishantha de Silva Ajith Perera S. A. Jayantha Samaraweera Nalinda Jayatissa Rajitha Senaratne Palitha Thewarapperuma Kumara Welgama Vidura Wickremenayake L. A. Wijemanne
National List (29)	JVP Sunil Handunnetti Sarath Chandrasiri Mayadunne Bimal Rathnayaka TNA Shanthi Sriskantharajah K. Thurairetnasingam UNFGG Sirinal de Mel Anoma Gamage M. K. A. D. S. Gunawardana Sarath Fonseka A. R. A. Hafeez M. S. Thowfeek Karu Jayasuriya Tilak Marapana C. A. Marasinghe M. H. M. Navavi Athuraliye Rathana Thero M. H. M. Salman Malik Samarawickrama D. M. Swaminathan Jayampathy Wickramaratne UPFA Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena Sarath Amunugama S. B. Dissanayake A. H. M. Fowzie M. L. A. M. Hizbullah Malith Jayathilake Faiszer Musthapha Dilan Perera Angajan Ramanathan Mahinda Samarasinghe Gamini Vijith Vijithamuni Soysa Thilanga Sumathipala