• SLPP Chairman says present emergency law ‘against SLPP principles’
• Dullas says 41 from his faction skipped vote
• FR petition by ex-HRCSL Commissioner against emergency

A faction of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) led by SLPP Chairman MP Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday (28) condemned the proclamation of a state of emergency, stating that the emergency law in the current environment goes against the “core principles of the SLPP”.  “The emergency law in this current environment completely goes against the core principles of the SLPP. The serious consequences of this will be that the fundamental rights (FR) of the citizens will be seriously harmed. Human rights are protected by the law, but those are overruled by the emergency regulations,” Prof. Peiris said at a media briefing.  He was joined by SLPP MP and recent candidate for the Presidential run in Parliament Dullas Alahapperuma, and other SLPP MPs Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, Prof. Channa Jayasumana, Dilan Perera, Wasantha Yapabandara, Udayana Kirindigoda, Lalith Ellawala, K.P.S. Kumarasiri, Dr. Upul Galappaththi, and Dr. Thilak Rajapakshe.  Speaking further, Prof. Peiris said that although there are instances when an emergency law is needed for a country, it should be brought in after much thought and consideration.  “As the Chairman of the SLPP and a legal academic, I cannot justify the emergency law today in any way. That is why I cast my vote against it yesterday in Parliament,” Prof. Peiris added.  The emergency regulations were Gazetted by then-Acting President and incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe on 18 July. Four days later, on 22 July, the Security Forces attacked the protestors occupying the Presidential Secretariat, despite the protestors having informed that they would move out of the Secretariat the following day. Victims of the attacks included Lawyer Nuwan Bopage and journalists.  “No law in a civil society can justify what happened on that day,” said Prof. Peiris about the incident.  Parliament debated the proclamation of emergency on Wednesday (27), and it was passed with 120 votes in favour of it while 63 Members voted against it.  “MPs who supported me during my candidacy to be the President earlier this month agreed to vote against the emergency law. It is notable that 41 Members did not come to vote on Wednesday,” said Alahapperuma.  Alahapperuma claimed that when discussions about the emergency laws took place with other governing party members, it was understood that many seemed to think that the current emergency law is a “retaliation” against the public.  “It is necessary that the Government respects the rights of the people. The Government and the Constitution are committed to protecting these rights. Protestors are also committed to being disciplined, protecting public property and respecting civil rights.” Furthermore, Alahapperuma said that when they supported former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2019, they expected a new kind of rule, with a system change in the country, with hopes for a new society.  “It was the same youth who drew art on walls when Rajapaksa won in 2019 that stepped out against him this year. That is because they realised that they would not be able to achieve their hopes. Within the Party too, we did an aragalaya (struggle). When we realised that we were failing, when the country’s foreign exchange reserves dropped to zero, we started discussions with the Opposition.  “We believed that the country and the economy were expecting a united response, as one party could not resolve it. That is why we wanted to build an all party Government. Even now, we believe that we cannot come out of this crisis individually. We also realise that all 225 of us are defendants in this crisis.” Meanwhile, human rights activist Ambika Satkunanathan filed a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition at the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday, challenging the state of emergency and the emergency regulations. “The petition alleges the violation of several Articles of the Constitution,” stated Satkunanathan on her official Twitter handle.  Key members of the Opposition including National People’s Power MP Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Tamil National Alliance MP M.A. Sumanthiran PC have termed Wickremesinghe’s emergency regulations as “the most repressive” in history, whilst the Centre for Policy Alternatives has highlighted that they are “more draconian” than former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s emergency regulations of May, 2022. The Frontline Socialist Party too condemned the emergency regulations this week, stating that these are harsher than any that have been seen in Sri Lanka’s history.