Former Foreign Affairs Minister and Joint Opposition Convener Prof. G.L. Peiris has warned that the proposed Organised Crime Bill and the Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill could place Sri Lanka’s GSP+ trade concession at risk.
Addressing a press conference in Colombo today (3), Prof. Peiris said the two proposed pieces of legislation were closely linked and could seriously damage Sri Lanka’s international reputation, trade relations and investment prospects.
He said Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva had already raised serious concerns over the two Bills and advised the Government against passing them without fundamental amendments.
“The issue is not merely that these Bills could lead to widespread human rights violations. They also directly contradict the international commitments Sri Lanka has undertaken,” he said.
Prof. Peiris said the GSP+ concession was particularly important to Sri Lanka’s export industries and services, warning that its continuation could come under threat if the Bills were enacted in their present form.
He said criticism from the UN Human Rights Council was especially significant because of the connection between human rights commitments and the continuation of the GSP+ concession.
He warned that the possible loss of the concession could have serious consequences for the country’s economy, particularly its exporters.
Prof. Peiris said the Government should carefully reconsider the proposed legislation, taking into account its possible impact on democratic freedoms, international relations and the economy.
He stressed that the two Bills should not be considered separately, as their combined impact could undermine fundamental rights and freedoms enjoyed by the people.