Draft bills being introduced daily in parliament ‘to silence voices of people before upcoming elections,’ says activist

(UCAN) Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has urged the government not to introduce bills and laws one after another ahead of the polls scheduled later this year.

“Bills and regulations are being introduced every day. It is not possible to change society by imposing more laws,” Ranjith said on Jan. 21 during the feast Mass at St. John the Baptist’s Church in the capital Colombo.

The interim government of President Ranil Wickremesinghe is preparing to introduce several bills in parliament disregarding the objections raised by civil society organizations.

“They [proposed laws] place a heavy burden on the people and that is what is happening today in the country,” said the 76-year-old cardinal.

Ranjith has been emphasizing the importance of protecting the rule of law in the country.

“Adopt realistic and locally-tailored strategies to tackle the problems facing the country,” urged the cardinal.

The prelate said many people do not know the details of the bills being introduced in parliament.

Over 50 civil society organizations have urged the interim government to stop the attempts to suppress democratic rights by introducing new laws.In a statement released on Jan. 21, they opposed the proposed online safety bill. “At least 45 petitions are pending in the Supreme Court against it,” they claimed.

They warned that the main objective of the bill is to institute an online safety commission with sweeping powers to suppress free speech and expression.

“An unelected president and parliament have no moral right to pass such oppressive bills,” the statement said.

Ruwini Thalathugoda, a rights activist based in Colombo, said that the government must withdraw all draft bills till the elections are held in the nation of 22 million people.

“The government is trying to pass these bills to silence the voices of the people before the upcoming elections,” she said.

Sri Lanka is expected to hold national polls later this year.The import-oriented nation plunged into a deep financial crisis in 2022, leading to defaulting on its foreign debt.

Nonetheless, its economy showed signs of stabilization in 2023 after an aid package from the International Monetary Fund, prompting the World Bank to revise its growth forecast to 1.7 percent in 2024 against the 1 percent predicted earlier.