Stop Sinister Attacks on Prime Minister Amarasuriya!

Our attention is drawn to a vicious campaign of vilification and personalized attacks against Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister and the Minister of Education.

We note with deep concern and shock that these attacks go beyond the limits of civility and decency in a democratic society. Some of them are motivated by misogynistic jealousy, hatred and animosity, because she is a woman political leader respected nationally and internationally.

We vehemently condemn these vicious attacks against Dr. Amarasuriya. We also appeal to the people of our country not to be misled by the propaganda campaigns of some of the most regressive and backward elements of our society.
We note that most of these criticisms and attacks are prompted by the news reports that there has been a serious, yet avoidable, error in one of the school text books prepared by an institution coming under the Ministry of Education. Our concern is not about the genuine and justified criticisms made about those who should be responsible for such unfortunate errors. In our view, the organized campaign of hatred against Prime Minister Amarasuriya transgresses ethical boundaries of dissent and protest in a democratic society. Some of it even violates her personhood, as well as the sense of dignity and self-respect of the woman who holds the office of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Education. Citizens of this country can only feel outraged by the way in which their female Prime Minister has been subjected to such a sustained media campaign of gender-based insults and humiliation.

We also observe that this hate campaign against Dr. Amarasuriya is motivated by certain narrow political and ideological objectives. Many citizens have expressed their deep disappointment that even some members of the clergy are taking part in this campaign.

We also note with deep regret that the Prime Minister Amarasuriya is being vilified in public because she is a woman political leader. This is continuation of the same homophobic hatred many Sri Lankan women political leaders had to face since the early 1960s in our country. Even Sri Lanka’s and the world’s first woman Prime Minister and Sri Lanka’s first woman President were not spared of such hatred and abuse. It is sad that the malice with which Dr. Amarasuriya is now being attacked reveals how some of the most backward and even dark forces of our society have found an opportunity to resurface. They are a threat to democratic and humanistic values that our citizens cherish.

We accept that in a democratic society, the citizens, political actors and the media have a right and duty to express their concern and even criticize publicly the errors, mistakes and shortcomings in public policy and policy implementation processes. They also have the democratic duty to call the politicians and officials to account. We are pleased to note that many citizens are engaging in such constructive criticisms and expressing their concerns about the harmful media propaganda targeting Prime Minister Amarasuriya. We are confident that she has the maturity and courage to ignore the negative smear campaign and take constructive steps to correct the administrative lapses while taking official responsibility.

We welcome that the government has admitted that a grave error has been committed and that there will be a police inquiry as well. That is a psoitive step. However, we insist that personal and abusive attacks against the Prime Minister and her gender are not acceptable.

Lets us not forget that Prime Minister Amarasuriya’s record as a parliamentarian has been excemplary. Decency, courage, respect for political opponents, contribution to debates with sensible, well-thought out and intelligent speeches and interventions has been the hallmark of her impeccable parliamentary conduct.

We also appeal to those engaged in these unconscionable homophobic attacks against Dr. Amarasuriya to ensure that their campaign does not continue since it goes against the humanist values cherished by all democratic citizens of our country.

1. Prof. Jayadeva Uyangoda
2. Prof. Jagath Weerasinghe
3. Dr. Gamini Wijesuriya
4. Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy
5. M. A. Sumanthiran PC.
6. Prof. Uthpala A. Jayawardena
7. Prof. Anbahan Ariyadurai
8. Prof. Nira Wickramasinghe
9. Prof.Farzana Haniffa
10. Prof. Prince Jeyadevan
11. Prof. Vivemarie Vanderpoortan
12. Prof. Rohan Fernando
13. Prof. Wasantha Senevirathne
14. Prof. Kanchana N Ruwanpura
15. Mr.Charith Gunawardena
16. Mr.Vidura Munasinghe
17. Mr.Sandun Thudugala
18. Ms.Priyanthi Fernando
19. Ms. Bhavani Fonseka
20. Ms. Janaha Selvaras
21. Dr. Mahendran Thiruarangan
22. Dr. Amali Wedagedara
23. Dr. Thiyagaraja Waradas
24. Dr. Athulasiri Samarakoon
25. Dr. S. Jeevasuthan
26. Dr. Kaushalya Kumarasinghe
27. Dr. Dileepa Witharana
28. Dr. Sithumini Rathnamalala
29. Dr. S. Arivalzahan ,
30. Dr. Mariadas Alfred
31. Dr.N.Varathan,
32. Dr. Kaushalya Perera
33. Dr. Crystal Baines
34. Ms.Ermiza Tegal
35. Mr.Vangeesa Sumanasekara
36. Ms.Shreen Abdul Saroor
37. Ms.Sarala Emmanuel
38. Ms.Hiranyada Dewasiri
39. Mr. Wimal Saminathan,
40. Mr.Eng. M. Sooriasegaram
41. Ms.Shiranee Mills
42. Dr. Chulani Kodikara
43. Robert Crusz
44. Ruki Fernando
45. Dr. Pradeep Pieris
46. Prof. Neloufer de Mel
47. Prof. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri
48. Dr. Ramesh Ramasamy
49. Dr. Susantha Basnayake
50. Dr. Shamala Kumar
51. Prof. Pavithra Kailasapathy
52. Dr. Madhubhashini Ratnayake
53. Dr. Mohammed Fazil
54. 54. Dr. K. d. Dushanthi de Silva
55. Ms. Deanne Uyangoda
56. Ms. Nehama Jayawardene
57. Mr. V. Kamalasiri
58. Prof. M.A.F. Ibrahim

END/GONP/MMP/07012026