At a meeting in Kundasale
Ranil pledges to rise against suppression of human rights and freedom of speech
by Cyril Wimalasurendre
KANDY - United National Party and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, at a 61st Independence Day meeting in Kundasale, pledged to rise against any suppression of human rights and freedom of speech.
The freedom of the press was lost during the present administration. Media institutions are attacked and media men are harassed, he said, at the meeting, at Kolongahwatte playground, yesterday.
The National Independence obtained by leaders of the calibre of D. S. Senanayake, S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, N. M. Perera, Philip Gunawardena, G. G. Ponnambalam, Sir John Kotalawala, T. B. Jaya, S. A. Wickremasinghe, to name a few has now been robbed by the government. The sovereignty granted to the people by the Constitution is lost, he lamented.
Those leaders who pioneered independence restored democratic rights of the people. Those rights are now withdrawn, Ranil Wickremesinghe said.
He pledged that the UNP would lead the campaign if the government continue to suppress the freedom of the people.
He said, the people are anxiously waiting to enjoy the defeat of terrorism and live in a free state. But they are deprived of this privilege since the government is gradually withdrawing the freedom that they should enjoy.
We must decide whether we forego our right of franchise or lose if. We all must unitedly, rise to safeguard these rights.
The UNP, the SLMC the JVP must unitedly rise up discarding differences to safeguard the rights and the sovereignty assured by the Constitution.
SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem accused the government of violating the Constitution with the war as an excuse.
"We are ready to face any challenges against the people’s freedom," Hakeem said.
Dr. Wickremabahu Karunaratne, said that freedom of the people were hampered under the present administration.
General Secretary UNP, Tissa Attanayake, Party representatives, Siritunge Jayasuriya, Dharmasiri Lankapeli and several others were present.
Ranil Wickremesinghe paid homage to the sacred Tooth Relic earlier in the day.
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