By: Isuru Parakrama
Colombo (LNW): The Chief Prelates of all three Chapters of Buddhism in Sri Lanka urged President Ranil Wickremesinghe to remove ‘unsuitable clauses’ in the proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill, a joint statement dated 21.04.2023.
These clauses restrict people’s right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, and therefore, should be removed through a panel of experts after a broad dialogue with society focusing on the existing problems and public needs of the country, the Chief Prelates emphasised.
They warned that the adopting of such a bill at a time when there is hope in the minds of the people for a regime with proper political accountability may lead to serious doubts about the democracy of the island nation, in the eyes of both national and international audiences.
