- Police request approval of detention extension from Ministry of Defence
- CID takes over investigation
- UN Special Rapporteur urges Prez to not sign detention order
- G.L. Pieris warns of serious repercussions against SL through PTA use
BY P. Waravita
The Police have requested approval from the Ministry of Defence to extend, by 90 days, the detention orders of Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF) Convenor Wasantha Mudalige, Kelaniya University student activist Hashan Jeewantha, and IUSF Bhikkhu Federation Convenor Ven. Galwewa Siridhamma Thera, who are currently being held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act No. 48 of 1979 (PTA).
Speaking to
The Morning yesterday (21), Defence Ministry Spokesman Colonel Nalin Herath confirmed the request for a 90-day detention of Mudalige, Jeewantha, and Ven. Siridhamma Thera had been received by the Ministry of Defence. At the time of printing, approval was yet to be granted for the extension of the detention period.
When contacted yesterday, Police Spokesperson Senior Superintendent of Police and Attorney-at-Law Nihal Thalduwa told
The Morning: “They are currently being held under the 72-hour detention order. The Inspector General of Police C.D. Wickramaratne ordered the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to take over the relevant investigations.”
The three activists were arrested on 18 Thursday evening at a protest held by the IUSF in Colombo which urged the Government to release those who were arrested for being a part of the “aragalaya”.
Meanwhile, United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Defenders (HRD) Mary Lawlor called on President Ranil Wickremasinghe yesterday (21) to not sign the detention order of Mudalige, Jeevantha, and the Thera.
“I am deeply concerned that human rights defenders Mudalige, Jeevantha, and Galwewa Siridamma Himi have been arrested under Sri Lanka’s PTA. I call on President Wickremesinghe not to sign their detention order, as doing so would be a dark day for Sri Lanka,” she posted on Twitter.
Similarly, the North-East Co-ordinating Committee, in an open appeal to the President, requested him to not detain the IUSF activists under the PTA.
“Freedom of assembly and freedom of speech are constitutionally guaranteed rights. IUSF student activists and civil society activists only exercised their rights to express their demands to their fellow countrymen and to the Government. There is no evidence that they engaged in violence. Trade union activism and public protests are not terrorist activities. IUSF student activists have not done any thing related to terrorism,” the Committee said.
The Committee further said that the minority Tamils of the North and East of Sri Lanka are still experiencing “the inhumane treatment of the draconian PTA law”.
“We, the minority people of this country, do not want any one of this country to be tried under the PTA anymore,” they said.
In a media briefing held yesterday, the IUSF condemned the use of the PTA to detain activists, noting that this is a very “decisive moment”, as the activists were arrested at a time when Sri Lanka and the international community is calling for the repeal of the PTA.
A protest was also organised by trade unions and civil society organisations yesterday, calling for the release of the activists who are being detained under the PTA.
In a statement on 20 Saturday, the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) condemned the arbitrary arrest and detention of student protestors and the “blatant and shocking disregard by the police of civil and political rights of students”.
“It is clear from media reports that the students’ actions were peaceful. No form of provocation by the protestors is apparent. The State’s suppression has broader implications. The PTA has been consistently used by successive governments to arbitrarily detain and target political dissidents and minority rights, and activist groups. Today, they are targeting our students with these draconian laws,” said the FUTA.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Chairman Prof. G.L. Pieris, who is currently part of the Dullas Alahapperuma-led faction of the SLPP, said yesterday (21) that the use of the PTA against the student activists would have serious repercussions against the country.
“We did not support the emergency laws either. Now the Government is saying they will not extend the emergency laws but are using the PTA, a harsher law, against Mudalige. What is the terrorism here? We do not see any terrorism. Using the PTA like this is a blow to democracy and human rights in this country,” said Prof. Pieris, while speaking to the media.
Prof. Pieris, the former Foreign Affairs Minister under the Rajapaksa administration, introduced amendments to the PTA earlier this year, which were approved by Parliament.
“At the time, there was a clear consensus to not be too quick to use the PTA until the entire Act is reviewed. However, the Government’s unintelligent actions at this point will harm the country. In two weeks, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) will meet for its 52nd session in Geneva, Switzerland. Sri Lanka is also preparing to start complex talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) is also granted to Sri Lanka by the European Union (EU). All of these things will be affected by the use of the PTA and we are against its use,” said Prof. Pieris.
Anti-Government protests were held around the island since the beginning of the year, demanding the resignation of Rajapaksa. The “GotaGoGama” was established at the Galle Face Green, where thousands of people, including the IUSF, protested for over three months. Largely regarded as a peaceful protest movement, the protest site was attacked by supporters of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on 9 May. At the time, the United National Party, led by the current President, condemned this attack. Following the resignation of Rajapaksa, President Ranil Wickremasinghe was elected President by Parliament.
Last year, the EU Parliament passed a resolution calling on the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the EU Commission to consider the temporary withdrawal of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) from Sri Lanka.
In March 2022, the Special Procedures of the UNHRC called for an immediate moratorium on the use of the anti-terror law. In his address to the UNHRC in June 2022, then-Foreign Minister Prof. Pieris said that the IGP had instructed a de facto moratorium on arrests being made under the PTA and to use the PTA only in instances of “extreme necessity”. In a briefing with Colombo-based diplomats held last week, current Foreign Minister M.U.M. Ali Sabry PC had stated that progress has been initiated towards a comprehensive review of the PTA.
