- To inform visiting IMF delegation next month on LG polls postponement
The main Parliamentary Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) said that measures are being taken by them to inform foreign diplomats and locally based representatives of international organisations of the alleged undemocratic conduct of the Government led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (5), the National Organiser of the SJB and Parliamentarian Tissa Attanayake said that measures are being taken to inform Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Consul Generals and residential representatives of international organisations about the purported undemocratic conduct of the Government led by President Wickremesinghe. He also said that instead of establishing a healthy relationship with the public and the Opposition parties at this moment, the President and his Government are acting on their own whims, which can be very dangerous to the democracy of Sri Lanka.
“When the International Monetary Fund (IMF) held talks with the SJB, we did not convince them to impose any condition on the Government because we wanted to get this bailout as soon as possible. But, as usual, the IMF is keeping its eyes on the Government’s transparency, democracy, human rights, etc. Anyway, since the day that the Government received the first tranche of the IMF bailout, it seems that the Government is acting in a very undemocratic manner,” he claimed.
He noted that the SJB cannot allow the Government to destroy the rights and freedoms enjoyed by the citizens of this country, even though they have decided to support the progressive steps taken by the Government. “The Government continues to work in such a way as to break public trust. No matter what they do, they say that the IMF asked them to do so. Having said that, they do the complete opposite of what they are asked to. The Government is postponing the Local Government election. A new Anti-Terrorism Bill has been drafted in order to suppress trade union actions. They are trying to summon Supreme Court Justices and journalists to Parliament. I have a question as to whether the IMF accepts this type of conduct from the Government,” he further noted. He said that due to such arbitrary activities, not only public trust but also international trust can be shattered.
Meanwhile, speaking in Parliament on Tuesday (4), the Chief Opposition Whip and SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella said that an IMF delegation is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka next month and that they are planning to make submissions on postponing the election, the alleged harassment of the Judiciary and the media, and exerting pressure on the Election Commission.
Source By themorning.lk
