HRC seeks clarification over Emergency as protesting trade unions complain

IUSF vows to lay siege on Parliament

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission, Justice Rohini Marasinghe, has sought an explanation from Defence Secretary, General Kamal Gunaratne, IGP C. D. Wickremaratne and Secretary to the President, Gamini Senarath, against the backdrop of trade unions affiliated to political parties and civil society groups, challenging the government over the declaration of emergency with effect from midnight May 07,

The HRC consists of Justice Marasinghe, Venerable Kalupahana Piyarathana Thera, Dr. M.H. Nimal Karunasiri, Dr. Vijitha Nanayakkara and Ms. Anusuya Shanmuganathan.

Justice Marasinghe yesterday (08) told The Island that the HRC had felt the urgent need to seek a clarification on behalf of the public, of the reasons for the controversial proclamation as protests have been largely peaceful and within the domain of normal police operations. “We sincerely hope that freedom of speech and assembly, the rights associated with arrest and detention as well as other fundamental rights and freedoms, will not be affected or diminished during the period of the emergency.

Addressing a hastily-arranged media briefing on Saturday, trade union activist Ravi Kumudesh declared their intention to lay siege to Parliament when sittings resumed on May 17.

Kumudesh warned lawmakers would be allowed to enter the Parliament without hindrance but wouldn’t be permitted to leave until public grievances were addressed.

Former JVP lawmaker Wasantha Samarasinghe, former UNP MP Saman Ratnapriya and JVP trade union activists, Mahinda Jayasinghe (education) and Ranjan Jayalal (electricity) joined Kumudesh in declaring what they called a national protest week.

Top Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) spokesperson Duminda Nagamuwa told a separate media briefing President Gotabaya Rajapaksa would soon regret not leaving the executive presidency when he could.

Recalling how the President recently regretted his disastrous sudden decision to change the agriculture policy and the inordinate delay in seeking the assistance of the International Monetary Fund (OMF), the breakaway JVP faction said that the government had lost its bearings. Similarly, the President would soon regret him hanging onto executive power regardless of public demands for him to resign.

Justice Marasinghe emphasised that the HRC was seriously concerned about further deterioration of the situation.

Convenor of the Inter-University Students Federation (IUSF) Wasantha Mudalige last Friday (06) declared that they would surround Parliament on 17 May. The IUSF affiliated to the FSP involved in the ongoing Galle Face protest campaign issued the warning following two tear gas attacks on them and the public blocking the main entrance to the Parliament.

FSP’s Pubudu Jagoda said that they were quite surprised by the government’s response to the growing public discontent over the shortage of essential items and services as well as political instability. The declaration of emergency only strengthened our resolve to chase the corrupt lot out whatever the consequences be, Jagoda said, frequent disruption of traffic on major roads in Colombo and its suburbs and the provinces reflected the collapse of law and order.

Jagoda pointed out the emergency wouldn’t be a deterrent at all as the public were out on the streets in large numbers. Law enforcement authorities couldn’t cope with such a large-scale public protest campaign by declaring emergency, Jagoda said, drawing the government’s attention to the public response to imposition of the countrywide curfew on April 03 to thwart the protest campaign. People simply moved into streets, violated curfew and simply ignored the presence of the police.

By declaring an emergency, the government has now set the stage for an unprecedented showdown between the public and the police, Jagoda said. “We are in a critical stage that may influence public disobedience campaigns. There is no turning back now. The confrontation outside the Parliament on 17 May  cannot be tackled by political jugglery,” Jagoda said.