SJB wants law to be applied equally to all accused of economic crimes 

SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva gestures during the media briefing yesterday along with SJB member Niroshan Padukka

• Says SL will not be able to secure enough votes in Geneva
• Warns socio-political explosion will be inevitable if Govt. continues to repress people

Main Opposition Sam-agi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Dr. Harsha de Silva yesterday stressed that the law must be applied equally to all those responsible for economic crimes.

However, noting the Government is yet to commence any investigation on the matter, it is now preparing to refute the ‘Economic Crimes’ allegations put forward at the 51st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

“The international community is discussing this situation. They have expressed their willingness to support Sri Lanka to take action against former politicians and officials responsible for causing the economic crisis through the 51/1 proposal.

But instead, the Government is attempting to refute these allegations and oppose the proposal to take action against those responsible,” de Silva told journalists yesterday.

“Former Finance Minister Ali Sabry expressed his views in Parliament previously as to who is responsible for the economic situation. But now as Minister of Foreign Affairs, he is preparing to oppose these moves against the individuals responsible,” he added.

According to him, Sri Lanka has failed to even commence an investigation on the matter. The SJB MP however also opined it is evident Sri Lanka will fail to muster enough votes to win against the proposal on the country put forward in Geneva.

Highlighting the many issues faced by the common man on a daily basis, de Silva accused former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa of being responsible for the current crisis.

“But he has now been allowed to return to Sri Lanka and live luxuriously in Colombo. He is living a cushy life on Malalasekara Mawatha with CCTV cameras and air conditioning. Other vehicles are not even allowed to park near the house,” he pointed out. “He along with the other Rajapaksa stooges in Parliament are responsible for this situation,” the SJB MP alleged.

Commenting on the Government’s attempts to repress the people, de Silva accused Ministry of Defence Secretary Gen. (Retd.) Kamal Gunaratne of unleashing various forms of oppression against the people such as the declaration of high security zones in Colombo.

Expressing his views on the proposed Rehabilitation Bureau bill, de Silva accused the Government of attempting to bring in a retrospective law to rehabilitate youth involved in the ‘Aragalaya’ – citizen protests. He said this is being done on the advice of the Rajapaksa clan.

“Those who protested were not drug addicts. These were youth from towns, villages and universities. President Ranil Wickremesinghe, do not think that after your appointment you can deny them the right to protest and oppose the Government. Do not change your stance on the human rights of the people. Introduce economic reforms but the people must have their rights. Do not change this due to those like Kamal Gunaratne,” he said.

The SJB MP warned that attempting to detain chosen persons under such an act to suppress the people would lead to a serious disaster. “The situation will violently explode. There is a possibility that an inevitable disaster, a socio-political explosion is coming,” he added.