Emergency may cost SL GSP Plus, warns GL

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Emergency regulations were against the Constitution of the Sri Lanka SLPP founding Chairman Prof. G.L Peiris told the media yesterday. That would boomerang on Sri Lanka in the United nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in Geneva soon, he warned.

Prof. Peiris said that due to the Emergency regulations approved by Parliament on Wednesday, the government could now ignore any laws that are inconsistent with them, Prof. Peiris said, adding that only the Constitution could not be overruled. Emergency regulations took precedence over all other laws that guaranteed the freedoms and rights of the people. People did not realise the gravity of it. Sometimes a country had to declare a state of emergency but that had to be done after careful deliberation,” he said.

Prof. Peiris added that there was no need to declare a state of emergency given that the normal laws are more than enough to protect the lives of the people and property.

“This is probably a ruse to accomplish ulterior motives. That’s why I voted against it,” Prof. Peiris said, noting that within 24-hours of Ranil Wickremesinghe becoming President, the protesters at Galle face had been attacked and the attack had been condemned by more than 100 medical specialists.

“They have said that there were people who were seriously injured but acess to medical aid had been delayed. The Police Spokesman said they didn’t use powers given to them under Emergency laws. I would like to tell him that what was done could not be justified in a civilised country,” he said.

Prof. Peiris added that Sri Lanka needed the support of the international community. The developments in Sri Lanka had been condemned by many countries and international organisations.

“As a former Foreign Minister, I know that we will have to go to Geneva in a month. Emergency laws are always a big issue. This can also lead to the country losing the GSP + concession,” Prof. Peiris said.

If this happens, this will have a devastating impact on foreign earnings. Remittances, tourism and imports have been our lifelines, he said.

Meanwhile, MP Dullas Alahapperuma said that if he had become the 8th executive president of Sri Lanka, he would have taken steps to abolish the executive presidency.

“I would have been the 8th and last executive president. We were clamouring for an all-party government, not a government comprising of crossovers.”