Karu condemns Damitha’s arrest

The arrest of actress Damitha Abeyratne is a public display of the government’s imprudent policies, Karu Jayasuriya, Chairman of the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ), said yesterday, issuing a statement.

“The arrest of Damitha Abeyratne, a popular Sri Lankan actress and an activist of the citizen’s struggle (Aragalaya) for democracy, is yet another instance where the current government has quite publicly demonstrated its many imprudent and anti-democratic policies. It reveals to the world that one can easily become a victim of state-sponsored harassment in Sri Lanka by merely engaging in peaceful protest,” he said.

Jayasuriya said that the right to expression and peaceful protest are key factors that ensure one’s freedom in public life and the democratic practice of a country. He said the government’s attempt to curtail these rights displays a form of governance that is only focused on power as opposed to the wishes of the people.

“As a country that fell victim to nepotism in recent times, the vast majority of the Sri Lankan people took to the streets in protest. These voices of dissent clearly expressed the people’s unwillingness to tolerate a rule that was oppressive. Damitha Abeyratne merely voiced the same objections expressed by the people of this country. The government must re-examine its actions prior to making such imprudent decisions,” he said.

Therefore, the National Movement for Social Justice calls on the government to immediately stop all acts of repression against the peaceful youth activists who represent the collective aspirations of the Sri Lankan people and heed the voices of the public who are undoubtedly the great power behind them, the former Speaker said.