Public Security Minister stands his ground on those violating ban on protests and rallies

By Saman Indrajith

Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (Retd) Sarath Weerasekera told Parliament yesterday (09) that anyone who violated health guidelines to hold demonstrations and rallies would be arrested and produced before courts.

The Minister said so following various remarks made by government and Opposition MPs on police arresting protestors, including the General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers’ Union, for agitating near the Parliament roundabout on Thursday against the Kotelawala National Defence University Bill.

Minister Weerasekera: We will enforce law against any law breakers without considering their position or status. The Director General of Health Services has issued orders to the IGP not to allow any demonstrations, rallies and protests.

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe: People have a right to stage protests. It is wrong to arrest them. Those taken into custody including Joseph Stalin have been taken to Mullaithivu. There are no provisions for that in the Quarantine Act. The quarantine laws cannot take precedence over human rights. Such laws have to be prepared in line with protection of human rights. They have not been tested for coronavirus.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa: These laws can be enforced only by a Competent Authority. In this issue the competent authority is the Director General of Health Services. There are guidelines on how to behave in public places. Police have no role here. Suppose there is a violation of quarantine law, then the police cannot nab the people; only health officials can deal with them. This is a clear violation of human rights. Police have also violated health regulations by arrogating the duties of the health officers to themselves. We demand to know on what basis those including Joseph Stalin were sent for quarantine without testing them. What prevails today is the law of the jungle.

JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake: After Basil Rajapaksa took oaths, many gathered at public places to celebrate his appointment. We saw there were many public gatherings. Nobody was arrested.

Minister Weerasekera: We will arrest anyone who breaks the law. It is the health officers who prescribed banning of protests and rallies. They have been taken to Mullaithivu on the orders of health officials. I have not transported dresses for any women. When I heard a complaint that a group of people being taken to quarantine could not take their personal belongings, I referred the matter to the IGP. If I did the same in this case, you would accuse me of taking clothes to Stalin. We would not stop the quarantine process because there are statements. We will not stop arresting anyone staging protests breaking health regulations.

The Leader of the Opposition: There wasn’t a single health official in or outside the court. That is the bitter truth. Do not those health regulations apply to the parties that were held after swearing in of Basil Rajapaksa? Everybody saw how people got together to light firecrackers.

State Minister of Rural Roads and Other Infrastructure Nimal Lanza: I want to know whether we are following the items of today’s order paper. The Opposition tries to disrupt House proceedings by raising various irrelevant issues. They have turned the House business into a mockery. We demand that attention should be paid to the items mentioned in the order paper and they be implemented.

(Opposition MPs shout at State Minister Lanza. Some SJB MPs raise points of order)

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena: What is the point of order? Do not disturb the parliament process. This is ugly. Your leaders have agreed to conduct the business of the House in an orderly manner.

(SJB MPs shout slogans)

JVP Leader Dissanayake: Laws have been written down. Laws are not what is being created inside the head of the minister.

The Speaker: Time is for presenting public petitions. Present the petition.

JVP leader Dissanayake: This is the petition of the entire nation. We hope to go before the law against this act.

Kuruengala District SJB MP Nalin Bandara: Minister Weerasekera sent Stalin to Mullaitivu and Piyumi Hansamali to Bandarawela.