United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Mary Lawlor has requested President Ranil Wickremesinghe to refrain from signing the detention order on IUSF convenors Wasantha Mudalige, Hashan Jeevantha, and Galwewa Siridamma Thera.
She tweeted that she was deeply concerned that Wasantha Mudalige and two others had been arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
“I’m deeply concerned that Human Rights Defenders Wasantha Mudalige, Hashan Jeevantha, and Galwewa Siridamma Thero have been arrested under Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act. “I call on President Ranil Wickremesinghe not to sign their detention order. Doing so would be a dark day for Sri Lanka,” she tweeted.
Ranil says “work or depart.”
President Ranil Wickremesinghe told state officials to work or depart.
Addressing the Anuradhapura Development Council meeting, he said there are a large number of state officials working at the village level and said that the development should begin there. I can pay them for nothing. He said village-level officials should get involved in paddy cultivation and development work and district secretaries should monitor them.
“There is a large band of state officials working at the grass-root level and I think there are around nine officials for each GS Division. I urge them to divide their sections so that each one is assigned a specific section. If you want to work, then work. If not, go home. We can pay you for nothing. The District Secretaries must take on this responsibility. Even I can get to eat for doing nothing. If I don’t develop this country, I will also have to go home. Therefore, let us start from the village, “he said.
