Author: Branita

The UN human rights office (OHCHR) on Tuesday (5) urged authorities in Sri Lanka to defuse tensions peacefully, after a state of emergency was declared in response to protests over the country’s deepening economic crisis.

OHCHR said that the situation has worsened and that there have been shortages of food and fuel, along with power cuts, prompting new protests by desperate Sri Lankans.

Following the state of emergency and other restrictions, Liz Throssell, Spokesperson for OHCHR said her office was “concerned that such measures are aimed at preventing or discouraging people from legitimately expressing their grievances through peaceful protests, and that they frustrate the exchange of views on matters of public interest”.

Deteriorating situation

Public frustration has been rising in recent months with largely peaceful demonstrations taking place across the country.

However, amid sudden shortages in fuel, cooking gas and essential food items; worsening inflation, currency devaluation and rolling power cuts over the past two weeks, the situation has worsened.

“This led to further protests by Sri Lankans left desperate by the rising cost of living and difficulties to obtain basic items,” Ms. Throssell added, speaking to journalists in Geneva.

‘Unwarranted’ violence

After a demonstration outside the president’s residence on 31 March, the Government declared a state of emergency on 1 April, announced a 36-hour curfew from 6pm on 2 April and shut down social media networks for 15 hours the following day. 

There have also been reports of excessive and unwarranted police violence against protesters.  

OHCHR reminded the Sri Lankan authorities that measures related to states of emergency “must comply with international human rights law”, should be limited to the extent strictly required by the situation and be proportionate to it, and “should not be used to stifle dissent or hinder peaceful protest”.

“The UN human rights office will continue to closely watch developments,” said the agency’s spokesperson.

Drift towards militarization

As UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet noted in her recent report to the Human Rights Council in February, the drift towards militarization and the weakening of institutional checks and balances in Sri Lanka have affected the State’s ability to effectively tackle the economic crisis and ensure the realization of the economic, social and cultural rights of all citizens.

The High Commissioner had also previously voiced her concern over how the Government responds to criticism and dissent in ways that undermine civic space.

“We reiterate these concerns today,” said the UN official.

“We urge the Government, political parties and civil society to engage in immediate, inclusive and meaningful dialogue to find a solution for the pressing economic and political challenges that Sri Lanka faces and to avoid further polarization of the situation”. 

Call for restraint

Meanwhile, in New York, Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, told journalists at a regular media briefing that the UN’s team in Sri Lanka is “closely following the situation.”

He said the UN Resident Coordinator in the country, Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, had reminded the Government that the rights to peaceful assembly, association and expression are universal fundamental rights which help foster dialogue between citizens and the State. 

On Friday, the top UN official in the country also called for restraint from all sides, and for the de-escalation of tensions, away from violent confrontation. 

“Our UN team encourages all citizens to engage in dialogue for peaceful solutions,” said Mr. Haq.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has revoked the proclamation on Public Emergency with effect from midnight on 5th April 2022.

Opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegeya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday (5) called for the abolition of the Executive Presidency, urging the process of abolition to be commenced within this week.

“This deal-making brand of politics has been rejected by the country. The country is asking for a new start. The people are telling this Government to go home. That is the truth. There is nothing outside of that that we can do here. These 150 members of the Government approved the 20th Amendment to the Constitution. Now, the time has come to change the Executive Presidency. Let us make this an opportunity to do so. Start the process to abolish the Executive Presidency this week itself,” said Premadasa while speaking in Parliament.

Addressing Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Premadasa reminded Rajapaksa that even his own people were against Rajapaksa retaining even a little bit of power as the Premier through the 20th Amendment to the Constitution.

“Remember during the debate on the 20th Amendment to the Constitution Bill where we said that we do not need a Constitution to make the Prime Minister a scarecrow and the President all-powerful or vice versa. We spoke about checks and balances. It is clear that we need to change the Executive Presidency, but we also do not need an all-powerful Prime Minister. There need to be checks and balances.”

Premadasa called on the House to begin the mechanism to abolish the Executive Presidency within this week.

“Let us have a backbone, and within this week, bring the mechanism to abolish the Executive Presidency. Let us stop playing opportunistic politics and agree to one policy.”

The 19th Amendment to the Constitution, passed in 2015, diluted the powers of the Executive Presidency, while the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, passed in 2019, enhanced them and simultaneously weakened the powers of the Prime Minister.

Furthermore, Premadasa spoke about the wave of islandwide public protests that have intensified over the past week, mostly centred around the “Go Home Gota” slogan.

“The Parliament must reflect the voice and heartbeat of the people on the roads. There need not be another voice here since we represent the public. Today, the public has stepped onto the roads with no fear despite the curfew, the state of emergency, and the brief social media ban. The entire country is telling in one voice that we cannot continue on this path; that this group of people cannot do this. If we cannot represent their struggle here, is it any surprise then that they are saying that all 225 of us are not needed?” he questioned.

He stressed that nobody from the SJB will be an “opportunist at this moment to become temporary ministers and play musical chairs”.

“If we are coming to power, we will come with the blessings of the people, and not in any other way,” he added.

On Sunday (3), the 11 constituent parties of the governing alliance, led by Government Parliamentarians Udaya Gammanpila, Wimal Weerawansa, and Vasudeva Nanayakkara, proposed that an all-party Interim Government be formed as a solution to the current political crisis gripping the country. Following the resignations of the Cabinet of Ministers on Sunday, four Cabinet portfolios (Finance, Foreign, Education, and Highways) were appointed to maintain stability in the country until a full Cabinet is appointed. However, newly appointed Finance Minister, President’s Counsel (PC) M.U.M. Ali Sabry resigned overnight. The Government lost its two-thirds majority in the Parliament yesterday as 40 members of Parliament (MPs) announced that they will function independently. Although President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has called on the Opposition to show a 113 majority to hand over power, the SJB, the National People’s Power (NPP), and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) have stressed that they will not accept any solution that does not include the resignation of the President.

The parliamentary group of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) that quit the government called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa this evening (April 05).

According to reports, the meeting lasted for nearly four hours.

Speaking to the media afterwards, SLFP general secretary MP Dayasiri Jayasekara said the party’s parliamentary group will continue to sit independently in the House despite the discussions.

Sri Lanka’s new finance minister quit after one day in office as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa faced more calls from lawmakers to step down for mismanaging the economy, with soaring living costs triggering street protests that spiraled into a political storm.

Ali Sabry, who was sworn in on Monday and replaced the younger Rajapaksa brother Basil, would have been part of a team to oversee the nation’s debt recast — key to obtaining support from the International Monetary Fund. No official reasons were immediately given for his resignation.

His departure is in keeping with the trend of government officials and politicians distancing themselves from the powerful Rajapaksa family in the face of growing public anger over a surge in inflation that is now Asia’s fastest.

Eleven parties within the ruling coalition said in parliament Tuesday that they would function as independent lawmakers, bringing the total to 30 members. Another 12 lawmakers from Rajapaksa’s SLPP party will also distance themselves from the government, putting a simple majority in the 225-seat legislature for the president’s coalition in doubt.