Ruling party sees conspiracy behind wave of protests, strikes
COLOMBO – The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) sees a conspiracy in the wave of protests and trade union campaigns that seem to have engulfed the country, according to a government MP.
SLPP general secretary MP Sagara Kariyawasam told reporters Monday (26) the same forces that he claimed had attempted to sabotage the Sri Lankan military’s victory against the separatist Tamil Tigers in 2009 are behind the ongoing protests, 12 years after the war.
“The same groups who tried to prevent the war victory have come out today to create a wave of protests and strikes in the country,” Kariyawasam said.
Sri Lanka has seen a number of protests held island-wide over the past couple of months organized by the political opposition, trade unions and others over a number of issues including a ban on chemical fertilizer and anomalies in school teacher salaries. School teachers are on strike, refusing to engage in online classes, for the 16th day running.
The recent arrest and alleged forced quarantining of protestors – who had already been bailed out drew much criticism, with opposition parties and civil society activists complaining of government overreach.
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) said on July 10 that authorities should not use quarantine rules to suppress peaceful protest, violating the constitutional rights of the people.
“We respectfully ask the people to take decisions with the country in mind and refrain from supporting these moves that are planned out with ulterior motives,” said Kariyawasam.
-economynext.com