Prez expected to rescind disputed gazette soon

SLPP dissidents lambaste HSZs:

President Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to abolish High Security Zones (HSZs) that had been established in Colombo and its suburbs in terms of a controversial gazette issued last Friday.

Authoritative sources told The Island that President Wickremesinghe had advised the Attorney General to adopt necessary measures in this regard. Sources said so in response to The Island queries in the wake of former Foreign Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris lambasting the government over the declaration of HSZs.

Addressing the media yesterday (27) Prof. Peiris, who represents one of the rebel SLPP groups, questioned the legality of the HSZs declared in terms of the outdated Official Secrets Act that was meant for an entirely different purpose. The SLPP National List MP explained how the Wickremesinghe administration sought to suppress rapidly growing public dissent over dictatorial administration.

Referring to a statement issued by Acting Defence Minister Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon, the former law professor said that the public didn’t want to beg for government’s permission to enjoy rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

Sources said that President Wickremesinghe issued the relevant gazette bearing No 2298/53 on Sept 23 before he left on an official visits to Japan and the Philippines.

According to sources, President Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Defence Minister issued the relevant gazette following representations made by a team of officials from the Public Security Ministry. However, others have pointed out that though continuing protest campaign was severely detrimental to the economy, declaration of HSZs in the city could cause other issues.

Sources said that President Wickremesinghe has advised the Public Security Ministry to implement a new security scheme after having abolished the HSZs. President Wickremesinghe would rescind the gazette immediately after returning from the overseas visit, sources said.

Prof. Peiris said that the government was struggling to cope up with rapidly growing dissent. Declaration of HSZs was part of an overall strategy to scare the Opposition, the civil society and those struggling to make ends meet.

The Human Rights Council and the Bar Association strongly condemned the use of Official Secrets Act to issue the relevant gazette in order to suppress growing Opposition-led public protests (SF)