COLOMBO : The Civil Society Collective comprising 35 civil bodies and 100 individuals is to submit an appeal to nine foreign missions seeking their support to fight against the repression of democratic rights in Sri Lanka.
The petition will be handed over to the foreign missions of countries such as the US, UK, Australia, China Russia,the Netherlands, the European Union, and the United Nations Office in Colombo on April 6.
The full text of the petition includes: “ Sri Lanka is currently going through a sovereign debt crisis that is causing economic devastation in the country. Fall in real income, unemployment, and a shrinking economy is at the root of a humanitarian crisis, resulting in serious challenges to fulfilling the basic human rights of the people. The economic crisis is compounded by a crisis in governance and democracy as Ranil Wickremasinghe’s government continues to clamp down on the most fundamental and basic human rights of the people.
Ranil Wickremasinghe was selected by the Parliament as the President of Sri Lanka after the removal of Gotabaya Rajapakse consequent to mass protests demanding his resignation. However, Ranil Wickremasinghe was selected by Gotabaya Rajapakse’s party Sri Lanka Podu Jana Party which has seen its support base eroding. Therefore, Wickremasinghe’s appointment as the President of Sri Lanka never gained legitimacy among the public. During the Aragalaya protest movement people were demanding accountability to the unprecedented economic devastation caused by the crisis. Wickremasinghe’s appointment was an act of impunity which sought to protect the ruling SLPP dominance. It should be reminded that Wickremasinghe was the former Prime Minister of the country and during 2020 election his party suffered an enormous defeat with Wickremasinghe failing to secure his parliamentary seat on popular votes
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Wickremasinghe and his government are making radical reforms in the economy which have driven the people who were already suffering to the very edge of their survival. The government has weaponized every repressive legislation available against democratic and peaceful dissent. Since his appointment he has arrested about 3000 youth activists, trade union leaders and student leaders. Three student leaders were held under Prevention of Terrorism Act and among them Wasantha Mudgalige, the Convener of Inter University Student’s Federation, was detained for more than 5 months without any cause. Alarmingly, an even more repressive piece of legislation, the Anti-Terrorism Act has been recently gazetted to replace the PTA.
The Wickremasinghe government is using large numbers of police and military personnel, water canon attacks and tear gas on every protest. The right to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly are also curtailed with court orders. During the past month, there are serious suspicions that the death of one protestor and one bystander during police attacks were due to excessive tear gas or the use of expired tear gas, used on peaceful protests. In a dangerous new development, the Wickremasinghe government now seems to be employing para military groups to crush protests as the Army spokesperson himself has failed to recognize some of the units used during violent attacks on protestors.
The President is also resorting to anti trade union actions undermining freedom of association and freedom of assembly for trade unions. Essential service orders are issued against any sector that goes on strike while his party members openly invite violence on trade union leaders and members. Although freedom of association and right to collective bargaining are well established international and national norms, Wickremasinghe government in an attempt to shift the blame of the crisis to the trade unions has been making discriminatory comments about trade unions and their functions. Trade union leaders are constantly under attack and especially targeted for vilification by Ministers and most recently sent on compulsory leave.
It is in this context of a police state that Wickremasinghe government is now trying to suspend local government elections which was due on March 9th 2023. The government has withheld funds for the election (in violation of a Supreme Court order) and has exerted influence on public officials including the police and treasury not to cooperate with the Election Commission. His government is also interfering in the independence of the judiciary attempting to intimidate the Supreme Court Judges using the parliamentary process. Government representatives are openly rebuking the democratic process while using executive powers and parliamentary privilege to obstruct independent commissions and the judiciary.
It is of paramount concern to us that this is done in the guise of economic recovery citing the International Monetary Fund’s Extended Fund Facility and conditions. The President and the Government openly declare that important decisions in relation to the economy are dictated by the IMF and that any democratic movement including protests, strikes and elections will hamper IMF support derailing economic recovery.
Sri Lankan Constitution protects right to freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of association while entrenching the sovereignty of people as the source of power vested in the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary branches of the Government. Therefore, Wickremasinghe’s actions violate the Constitutional rights of the people and sets Sri Lanka on course to transform into a dictatorship. It should be noted that a false dichotomy is created by the government between democracy and economic recovery when the former UN High Commissioner on Human Rights commented last year that economic crimes had been committed against people enabled by a culture of impunity and human rights abuses.
Therefore, we believe economic recovery can only be based on democracy, accountability and human rights and urge the International Community to support the People of Sri Lanka against the repressive measures of the government through following actions,
1. Demand the Government of Sri Lanka to hold elections as prescribed by law and the Constitution without obstructing the functions of the Independent Election Commission.
2. Stop supplying tear gas and other harmful chemical weapons to the Government of Sri Lanka.
3. Hold the Government of Sri Lanka accountable to its commitments to international community on human rights.
4. Conduct a human rights assessment study prior to approving funds to the Sri Lankan government.
5. Demand the government refrains from formulating repressive new laws such as the Anti- Terrorism Act.
6. Demand that the government respect rights of trade unions and desists from targeting trade union leaders.”
