Imposing high-security zones in the absence of terrorism is very disadvantageous

Addressing the burning issues of the country and calling on the government to immediately release the convener of the Inter-University Student’s Federation Wasantha Mudalige, the convener of the Inter-University Monks’s Federation Siridhamma Thero and the university student activist Heshan Jeevantha, and to withdraw the Prevention of Terrorism Act. President Ranil Wickremesinghe issued a gazette order on the night of the 23rd naming high-security zones in several places and roads within the city of Colombo, while the Socialist Students Union had recently (September 24) planned to hold a massive protest.

As a result of this, 85 university students and adults were arrested during the protest held on Sep 24. Among them, there were a 17-year-old child and a person who came to the eye hospital. Some of them were subjected to severe police attacks.

Vasantha Mudalige, Siridhamma Thero and Heshan Jeevantha, who were arrested while returning from a demonstration organized by the university student unions in Colombo, have been in jail for 42 days today (Sep 28) for the entire country and people. The three were arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

However, Dr. Pratibha Mahanama, the former director of Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Commission, says that suddenly issuing a gazette about high-security zones at a time when they are describing how to develop human rights in Sri Lanka does not bode well for Sri Lanka.

“Such unexamined efforts affect Sri Lanka in a very prejudicial way. Countries will question this emergency situation in Sri Lanka the day after tomorrow,” he emphasized.

There are gazettes that bring high security zones. They should have been patient at least until October 7th, because then the polls are over. But in this situation, there is one important thing that all international non-governmental organizations and local organizations inform the Human Rights Council.” Dr. Mahanama warned.

Dr. Mahanama stated that they will inform the Human Rights Council that by declaring high security zones in Sri Lanka, the freedom of speech and expression of the people will be further violated, thus asking how to request votes from 47 countries that are going to vote for Sri Lanka.

Those countries are asking us why high security zones have been used when there is no terrorism in the country. The creation of these high security zones has a strong impact on the votes we receive. Therefore, the government should be very wise in such matters, he emphasized.

Recalling that Sri Lanka was able to get 11 votes during this period, Dr. Mahanama pointed out that China and Russia always voted for us out of the need to oppose America and not out of love for Sri Lanka.

Dr. Mahanama raised the question of why our own domestic mechanism regarding human rights is not taken forward and said that Sri Lanka will be in a very disadvantageous situation (until 2024) if human rights are not dealt with in a proper manner.