Foreign missions stress need to safeguard people’s right to peaceful protest

Monday, 4 April 2022 03:56 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

US Ambassador says right to protest peacefully essential for democratic expression
EU Mission urges Govt. to safeguard democratic rights of citizens
German Ambassador says people demonstrating for their rights is no emergency
Canadian High Commissioner opines that freedom of expression, right to peaceful protest fundamental to success of any democracy

US Ambassador Julie Chang joined several other heads of missions in Colombo to call on the Government to respect the people’s right to peaceful protests.

“Sri Lankans have a right to protest peacefully – essentially for democratic expression. I am watching the situation closely, and hope the coming days bring restraint from all sides, as well as much-needed economic stability and relief for those suffering,” Ambassador Chang said on Twitter.

The Office of the European Union expressed concern over the state of emergency and strongly urged Sri Lankan authorities to safeguard democratic rights of all citizens, including the right to free assembly and dissent, which has to be peaceful. “Challenging times for Sri Lankan people – EU continues to follow situation closely,” the EU office in Colombo said.

The German Ambassador in Colombo Holger Seubert associated himself with the sentiments of the EU and added that people demonstrating for their rights is no emergency. “It’s the emergency that brings them to the streets,” he said.

The Canadian High Commissioner in Colombo David McKinnon said that the freedom of expression and the right to peaceful protest are fundamental to the success of any democracy, including Sri Lanka’s. “The free exchange of ideas is also how solutions to challenges will be found,” he said on Twitter.

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