President Ranil Wickremesinghe is currently imprisoning student activists and social activists who are ‘the pilots’ of the people’s struggle in a move to weaken the anti-government protests, said the Inter-University Students Federation (IUSF) calling in a briefing in Colombo today (20).
Vehemently condemning the arbitrary arrests, IUSF representative Udenigama Gunaratne Thero pledged that the IUSF would be ready to free the student activists who are currently in custody.
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It is clear from media reports that the student’s actions were peaceful. No form of provocation by the protestors is apparent. Even at the point when students confronted the police human-chain, protestors were seen to stop advancing and disperse.
The actions of state actors are, however, troubling. According to lawyers appearing on behalf of students, there was no court order that deemed the march to be unlawful, and as such the protest was well within the law. Video images indicate a perplexing preponderance of police, STF, and the military armed with tear gas, water cannons, and batons. Students were chased along the streets and arrests were made of even those waiting at bus stands. Multiple accounts suggest arrests were made without reasons being declared, as required by law. Further, police officers falsely denied the presence of detainees in their police stations, a serious criminal offense violating the Enforced Disappearances Act (2018) and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED). Although the President chooses to identify protestors as terrorists and fascists, criminality seems to reside mainly in the acts of the state.
The State’s suppression, however, has broader implications. Three students are apparently held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, which has been consistently used by successive governments to arbitrarily detain and target political dissidents and minority rights, and activist groups. Today they are targeting our students with these draconian laws. Under the PTA provisions, the state can hold these students without producing them in court for up to twelve months. This suppression selectively targets specific people and groups, revealing a classist character. It appears to have the broad aim of criminalizing dissent and legitimate democratic action, all of which is totally unacceptable.
FUTA is concerned that these actions target the very people, our students, that we are mandated to protect and support. We wish to make clear that the idea that education is somehow incongruous from activities encompassing democratic action and that students’ activism is inimical or antithetical to their role as students is ridiculous. As university teachers attached to public educational institutions and universities serving the public, we recognize that there can be no education without democracy. Any action by the state suppressing the rights of people to demand justice is against the principles of education and prevents us from fulfilling our mandate as university teachers.
FUTA has consistently demanded that the state end the use of flagrantly anti-democratic mechanisms to suppress the people of this country. We call upon all people to recognize and condemn the repression that is being carried out in their name.
The National People’s Power (NPP) today (20) has organised a protest march and a rally demanding the dissolution of Parliament and a new mandate.
The march walked from the Wijerama Junction to the Ananda Samarakoon Open Theatre in Nugegoda and the rally is currently being held.
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Commissioner General of Agricultural Development A.H.M.L. Abeyratne revealed that the registration of farmers who cultivate corn in 2022 and 2023 Maha Seasons under the Chemical Fertiliser Distribution Programme has now commenced.
All corn farmers seeking chemical fertiliser have to register by entering their information to www.agrarian.lk in a mandatory step given that the registration process is undertaken online only.
The registrations are accepted from 15.08.2022 to 31.08.2022.
Should anyone find the online registration process problematic, assistance can be obtained from the Agricultural Research and Production Assistant or an Agricultural Service Centre Officer in their area, Abeyratne added.
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The Centre for Society and Religion (CSR) today (20) has launched a website containing all the information available to date about the Easter Sunday Massacre that took place three years ago.
Named Easter Attack Info, the website provides committee reports, commission reports and court cases pertaining to the genocide.
The CSR has opened this website in protecting and promoting the interests of survivors and victims’ families in pursuing justice for Easter Sunday Attacks.
The launching event was held with a press conference, and several loved ones of the victims of the attack shared their ideas.
Visit the website here: http://easterattack.info/
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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) revealed that a group of its staff members plans to visit Sri Lanka during August 24 – 31 to continue talks with the Sri Lankan authorities on economic and financial reforms to be taken place.
The IMF, led by Peter Breur and Masahiro Nozaki, is expected to reach a staff-level agreement on a prospective IMF extended fund facility arrangement with the government of Sri Lanka in the near term.
“Because Sri Lanka’s public debt is assessed as unsustainable, approval by the IMF Executive Board of the EFF program would require adequate assurances by Sri Lanka’s creditors that debt sustainability will be restored,” the IMF said in a statement.
The IMF team may also continue the engagement with other stakeholders during the visit, it added.
Read the full statement here: https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2022/08/19/pr22287-imf-staff-statement-on-sri-lanka
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has issued an extraordinary gazette summoning the tri-forces to all 25 districts of Sri Lanka to maintain public order, effective from August 22.
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Transport Minister Bandula Gunawardena who attended the initiation of a pilot project on a card payment system for bus fares faced with severe backlash from the public yesterday (19).
This was inside a luxury bus running from Makumbura to Galle and a footage revealing the incident was released to media.
The passengers raised their objection to the Minister as the government officials accompanying him removed a group of passengers who were having their seats during the ceremonial arrival of Gunawardena. When the Minister and the officials were about to respond to the objection, the passengers amplified their voice against the act.
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Despite the brief silence among the people after the struggle that ousted ex President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the people would be rising against the repressive regime at any given time and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) would be ready to lead them, said Party Chief Secretary Tilvin Silva, speaking to a press conference yesterday (19).
“Tens of thousands of people took to the streets and said no to this regime. Although the people ousted the President, the government remains in power using the Constitution. This group, which failed to solve the problems of the people and was rejected by the people, no longer has the right to rule the country. Therefore, Parliament must be dissolved immediately. The people should be given the opportunity to form a government of their choice,” Silva said.
The JVP Chief Secretary added: “There is no point of demanding rights from this government. The evil regime that responds to the people asking for relief with repression must be removed. Having them resigned, we have to raise voice for an election to establish a government that the people like. There is silence after the protests that ousted the President. At some point the people will rise again. All the problems that the people are suffering from remain unchanged. Therefore, the people have the right to stand up democratically and remove this rule. It should be done precisely and by aiming a target.”
Silva revealed that the JVP together with the National People’s Power (NPP) would be ready to lead the struggle against the repressive regime, saying “The beginning of a massive series of protests demanding the resignation of this parliament that oppresses and represses the people will be taken place on the 20th with a demonstration and a protest rally. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna together with the National People’s Power would be ready to lead the struggle of the people. The government should be forced to witness the strength of the people dissolve Parliament. The people need the opportunity to form their own government. We urge the people to revive the struggle to make the march and the rally a success, showing the people’s power in the ‘Aragalaya.’ We also insist to stop the repression and on the unconditional release of those arrested.”
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Colombo Additional Magistrate T.N. Ilangasinghe yesterday (19) issued an overseas travel ban to Jehan Appuhami, a veteran Sri Lankan actor and a front-line activist of the Galleface protest, based on the Police’s presenting of facts before the Court that he escaped from police custody upon being arrested during a student protest two days ago.
The Police requested the Court that Appuhami, who according to them escaped from custody, be barred from leaving the country.
However, the lawyer appearing for Appuhami told the Court that his client visited the Maradana Police Station and left as he was informed by the Maradana Police that an arrest was not necessary. He pointed out that his client was never a fugitive from police custody and that he is ready to appear before Court at any time.
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