UK High Commissioner Sarah Hulton in a Twitter message stated that, “A democratic and peaceful approach is essential to resolving the current challenges. Rights to peaceful protest and freedom of expression must be respected alongside all fundamental rights. Emergency laws restricting those rights work against democratic dialogue & solutions”.
Swiss Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Dominik Furgler says it is hard to see how a State of Emergency could help in any way.
“For weeks the Sri Lankans have been peacefully demonstrating because they are desperate and suffering. To avoid an escalation the causes have to be seriously and credibly addressed now. It’s hard to see how a state of emergency could help in any way,” he said in a tweet.
A democratic and peaceful approach is essential to resolving the current challenges. Rights to peaceful protest and freedom of expression must be respected alongside all fundamental rights. Emergency laws restricting those rights work against democratic dialogue & solutions.
— Sarah Hulton OBE (@SarahHultonFCDO) May 7, 2022