NJS: Proposed broadcasting regulatory laws and IMF policies disastrous

By Upali de Seram

The government is pushing forth the controversial Broadcasting Regulatory Commission Act to curb anti-government media and when people oppose such moves, they can be arrested under the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act, Nidahasa Janatha Sabawa (NJS) MP, Wasantha Yapa Bandara said addressing a media conference in Colombo on Thursday.

“These are not IMF conditions. However, many unpopular governments across the world use the agreements with IMF to formulate policies to suppress the people. During recent months, the government has introduced a number of laws that would shrink the democratic space in the country,” he said.

The MP said privatisation and imposing draconian rules are things that Ranil Wickremesinghe has always wanted to do but never had the power to carry forth.

“This is not to say IMF policies are good. Many of the recommendations will have devastating impacts on the people. The IMF’s insistence that domestic debt has to be restructured will have terrible impacts on the ETF and EPF funds. There will be a lot of resistance to IMF programmes in the coming months and the government will try to pass many draconian laws to crush the public resistance,” he said.