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SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa and members of the party at the media briefing yesterday
By Asiri Fernando
The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will rally the support of all political groups to stand against attempts by the Government to suppress the opposition, SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa said yesterday.
The Opposition Leader made the comments at a press conference where he was joined by a number of members of the SJB and leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Rauff Hakeem.
Premadasa charged that the Government has launched a witch hunt against a number of opposition members using the recently completed Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into political victimisation.
“This is a clear attempt at suppressing the voice of members of the opposition. The Government is trying to silence the critiques who are exposing their corruption and misuse of power. The Government is trying to violate the civil and political rights of their political opponents. We will not allow this to continue, the SJB will form a front with like-minded groups against this oppression and take legal action against it,” Premadasa stated.
The opposition leader questioned why the Government has failed to table the report of the first PCoI into political victimisation in Parliament, in spite of repeated requests to do so by members of the Parliament.
Premadasa also pointed out that requests to hold a Parliamentary debate on the matter have been turned down. “I have repeatedly asked for a debate in Parliament on this issue. We were not given that opportunity. The Government says they will agree to a debate after the report is tabled in Parliament. However, they are delaying the release of the report, and now, they have launched a ‘special presidential commission’ to look into the report of the first one and submit a report to the President again in three months,” Premadasa said, inquiring as to why the Government was afraid to release the first PCoI report.
“Why don’t they table the report? What are they trying to hide from the public? What are they afraid of? I urge the Government to table the report the next day that the Parliament is called and agree to a debate on the matter the following week.”
Premadasa also pointed out that attempts to hold back the report and suppress the opposition were the sign of a weak Government.
“We will not let the country descend into a dictatorship. We need to uphold democratic values.”
The Opposition Leader also accused the Government of trying to undermine the judiciary and reverse decisions made by the courts. “By trying to turn back decisions of the court and undermine the independence of the judiciary, the Government is acting against the constitution and the law. We will not allow this to continue.”
Premadasa also called on all parties who value democracy to unite against the Government’s moves to suppress the opposition and undermine the judiciary.
SJB General Secretary, Ranjith Madduma Bandara argued that the special PCoI has been set in motion to punish political opponents who had exposed Government corruption.
“These are dangerous times where the independence of the judiciary and the constitution is under threat. Normally, independent commissions are appointed to investigate and punish those who are guilty. However, what’s happening now is the opposite – those who investigated and exposed corruption are being targeted for revenge. This is political victimisation. We will not allow this to happen,” Madduma Bandara said.
