DUO voices judicial reform, Negombo prison concerns to UN

Representatives of the Democratic United Opposition (DUO) on Wednesday (15) met UN Resident Coordinator Marc-André Franche to raise what they described as key concerns over the government's proposed judicial reforms and the handling of the recent Negombo Prison riot.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, DUO member Prof. G.L. Peiris said the delegation had strongly objected to the proposed judicial reforms, claiming they lacked public support and transparency.

"Nobody in Sri Lanka has asked for these reforms. The legal fraternity, civil society, magistrates and parliamentarians are opposed to them. Whose interests are these reforms intended to serve?" he asked.

Peiris said the government had failed to explain either the content or the rationale of the reforms. He contrasted the process with judicial reforms undertaken in the United Kingdom in 2021, which, he said, involved extensive public consultation and more than 1,200 submissions before decisions were made.

He further argued that extending the retirement age of judges without affording similar treatment to other professionals, including specialist doctors, amounted to discrimination and violated Article 12(1) of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law.

"Instead of addressing the country's urgent problems, the government is creating unnecessary complications," he said.

Former Minister Suren Raghavan said the opposition had also expressed concern over the Negombo Prison riot, which claimed 33 lives, including 10 prison officials.

He noted that although a three-member committee headed by former Supreme Court Justice Priyantha Jayawardena had been appointed to investigate the incident, no interim findings or official statement had been released more than 10 days after the violence.

Raghavan questioned the authorities' use of live ammunition during the incident, arguing that internationally accepted crowd-control practices required the use of minimum force, including non-lethal measures such as rubber bullets or tear gas.

"International standards require minimum force. Why was that principle not followed?" he asked.

He also criticised the government's response to the incident as inadequate, saying it had failed to provide clear answers despite strong public concern.

Commenting on the broader political situation, Raghavan said many government MPs lacked grassroots political experience, which, he claimed, limited their understanding of the country's social and cultural realities.

Referring to the prison deaths, he stressed that the protection of the right to life remained a fundamental principle recognised under international law and by the United Nations.

"If even one innocent person is punished, it is far more dangerous than allowing a thousand guilty persons to go free," he said.

Peiris and Raghavan said the public had expected the government to deliver systemic reforms that would strengthen the rule of law while addressing economic challenges, food security, public transport and education.

They rejected violence and strikes as means of political engagement, maintaining that democratic governance should be based on consultation, public participation and dialogue.

Raghavan urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the government to adopt a more consultative approach to governance.

"Democracy today is about consultation and participation. I urge the country's leadership to embrace that democratic framework in the national interest," he said.