Whilst highlighting that cruel and intolerable suppression is exercised by the government, and expressing his surprise over the alleged attempts to hide evidence and save those who are responsible for the Easter Sunday attack, Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith yesterday said he hopes UNHRC takes notice of the situation and get Sri Lankan rulers to work according to international norms.
“We hope that in the light of what our leaders are doing to those who are struggling to achieve a true sense of democracy and justice to the Easter Sunday victims even at the risk of being persecuted, the United Nations Human Rights Commission takes due notice if this and takes steps to get those responsible to follow internationally accepted norms and procedures in order to ensure a true sense of freedom and justice in this country,” Cardinal Ranjith said in a special statement.
“We wish to express our surprise at the lackadaisical manner in which people arrested and detained under various allegations with reference to the Easter Sunday attack are being recommended for release by the Attorney General’s Department without any seriousness, making the whole exercise appear to be a drama enacted to mislead people. It is surprising that Attorney General’s Department without carrying out recommendations made by the Presidential Commission appears to be carrying out the terms of the agenda proposed to it by political forces ruling the country. We condemn this biasness of that department,” the cardinal said.
“Indeed, the government continues to suppress with arrogance the freedom of speech, expression, and holding of such peaceful protests, a right guaranteed by the constitution.” We wish to condemn the government for this abusive use, in an unjustified manner of the Prevention of Terrorism Act and alienating social leaders and those engaged in peaceful resistance to such policies. We cannot accept the arrest of the Convenor of the Inter-University Students’ Federation Wasantha Mudalige and Convenor of the Inter-University Bhikkhu Students’ Federation, Venerable Galwewa Siridhamma Thera,” he added.
( curtesy Daily Mirror)