Several opposition parties to work together in areas where they share common ground

SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa Wednesday told a Colombo meeting attended by several opposition parties and groups sharing common ground on forthcoming legislation that the proposed Anti-Terrorist law now moved to the back burner by the government endangered Sri Lanka’s entire 22 million population of being labeled terrorists.

The meeting at the Mandarin Hotel in Colombo on World Media Day was attended, in addition to the SJB by SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem, SLPP dissidents Prof. GL Peiris, Mr. Gevindu Cumaranatunga, Ven. Athureliya Ratana, Chandima Weerakkody, SJBs Lakshman Kiriella, Ranjith Maddumabandara,Imthiyaz Bakeer Markar, Harshana Rajakaruna, Gyanatha Karunathilake and a representative of the Kandurata Janata Party’s leader C Chandrasekran.

Premadasa said that despite some differences among them, they shared a lot of common ground on many matters related to what the government was doing and they would act together to resist such developments.

“Different political parties have their own standpoints on many matters,” Premadasa said. “But today we have to come together on a number of issues that are nationally important. The Broadcasting Authority Act the government is preparing today for media control, is one example. We are all of the view that it will deal a death blow to media freedom. So also the Anti-Terrorism Act to democracy.”

SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem said that there was no need for a new anti-terror law. Emergency law provisions under the Public Security Ordinance are sufficient to counter threats of terrorism. Minority parties in the opposition have a strong position on the Anti-Terrorism Act, he said. It is their position that any act of terrorism could be controlled through laws such as the Penal Code, the Criminal Law Provisions Act and the Evidence Act.”

Prof. GL Peiris raised the X-Pess Pearl issue that had created massive environmental devastation and will come up for discussion in parliament next week. The possibility of obtaining USD 6.4 million damages (not a loan) has been endangered by what the government is doing. This was over double the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility and much worse than the Central Bank bond scam.

Many questions on this issue must be raised and presented to the people to build up massive public opinion.

SLPP dissident MP Gevindu Cumaratunga said that the attention must be paid during parliamentary discussions to the X-Press Pearl matter and the unconstitutional Central Bank Act as determined by the courts.

“Only one day has been reserved for the debate on the Central Bank Act. The court suggested alternatives to all 46 basic clauses. This could be passed subject to those alternative proposals being adopted. The Speaker announced this determination distorting its meaning. After MPs protested about this, it had to be read again,” he said.

SLPP dissident MP Aturaliye Ratana thero said that opposition parties must come together to find common answers to the country’s present problems.

“In today’s world, there is no left-right divides. At this time, there is a major issue on why the Anti-Terrorism Act is being presented when a solution should be sought for the present crisis,” he said.