The Bar Association of Sri Lanka called upon the President, the Government as well as all other political parties and actors to understand the sheer gravity of the present situation and the grave consequences which may threaten the social and economic stability in Sri Lanka.
The BASIL calls upon them to immediately take every step necessary to restore national and international confidence in the Government of Sri Lanka.
The BASL also called upon the Government to immediately provide timely and adequate information to the public as to its plans in respect of ensuring the continuous supply of fuel in the short term; to present to the public a road map on its plans to extricate the country from the fuel crisis, and to immediately devise after proper consultation with relevant stakeholders an effective plan to ensure the fair and equitable distribution of fuel to the people taking into account the need to ensure that public transportation and essential services are not hindered.
Day in and day out thousands of people are compelled to queue up at fuel stations across the country for petrol, diesel, and kerosene oil. They have had to stay in queues for more than 24 hours for fuel resulting in a massive waste of time and productivity. The fuel queues have resulted in unrest and violence and led to mistrust among different sections of the community. There have been chaotic scenes at fuel stations and clashes between the people and the law enforcement authorities. The number of people who have died whilst staying in queues continues to rise. There are reports of a thriving black market in the sale of fuel at excessive prices with very little effort by law enforcement authorities to crack down on such activity. Long lines of empty gas cylinders can be seen on roadsides in anticipation of a shipment of gas which is said to arrive in the first week of July.
Fuel shortages are threatening every aspect of the economy including food production and distribution; adversely impacting Sri Lanka’s exports which are vital at this time, and even having a negative impact on the administration of justice. Furthermore, the Government has failed to put in place a proper mechanism to ensure the fair and equitable distribution of fuel to the people.
Attached is the full statement issued by the BASL
