NPP News

Collective action is needed to rebuild Sri Lanka from the precipice it has been dragged down to, and foreign workers can play a leading role in that collective action, says Anura Dissanayake, the leader of the NPP and the JVP.
He emphasized this in a meeting held on the 10th in Naples, Italy. A large number of Sri Lankans participated in that event and several guests representing Italy’s left-wing parties also participated.
The JVP Leader said, “We know that you in Italy hope that Sri Lanka will be a pleasant country. I know that there are a large number of people here who have worked with us before and who have worked with other political movements. We all know that our country needs to be changed from the path it is on. The future of this path is a destructive end, not a good one. Many people are trying to attribute the current crisis in our country to the economy. But at the bottom of it is the political culture. Therefore, the NPP is ready to accept the challenge of taking together both the political culture and the economy that are being followed and changing them.
I left Sri Lanka after the budget debate was over. Even if this budget wins in the Parliament, it will not win in the country, among the people. Parliament does not represent the true opinion of the people. Instead of such a parliament, a parliament that represents the true opinion and wishes of the people should be appointed. A country’s security depends on how economically strong that country is. Security, pride, and dependence do not exist in an economically collapsed country. The Prime Minister of Bangladesh says that Bangladesh will not be allowed to fall where Sri Lanka fell. The Parliament of Kenya says that it will not allow the calamity of Sri Lanka to happen to Kenya. Sri Lanka is used as an international example of a country going bankrupt. We have no pride in the world. Today, the treasury will not get any income even to pay the loan instalments and interest for the coming year. When the government’s income is 03 trillion, 4.2 trillion is spent to pay the loan premium and interest. The rulers who have ruled this country for a long time have dragged it to a situation where it does not have enough income to pay the loan interest and instalments for a year. When writing about Sri Lanka’s economy, April 12, 2022, will become a black day when it was officially declared to be bankrupt.
We have been dragged into this situation when we have more resources than many countries in the world. There are people in the country who can benefit from these resources. Mannar has the capacity to produce twenty thousand megawatts of electricity from wind power. A hydroelectric unit costs 1.38 rupees to produce. Despite all these things, it has made the country unable to pay its debts. The treasury has not been able to provide the required amount of dollars or rupees. Many pregnant mothers and young children suffer from malnutrition. Small and medium-scale industries have collapsed, and the construction industry has completely collapsed. The garment industry is collapsing in a big way. The number of people leaving the country is increasing rapidly. Doctors, computer engineers, top managers of banks, and all professionals are leaving the country. This situation was not caused by a natural disaster. This situation is created by the rulers of our country. In the Oman, our sisters and daughters are being auctioned into prostitution like a slave auction. Forty thousand people who went on tourist visas in Dubai are homeless. Do we allow this situation to continue? Or do we do something to change it? If we are human beings, we should not allow this situation to advance even an inch like this.
Even though the country is poor, the rulers are rich, and their accounts are overflowing. A very small group has robbed the wealth that could be used for health, education, build factories and creating jobs. Politicians are at the top of this group. There is a group posing as businessmen who engage in deals. There are also a group of media owners. They create cobras in elections. There are about 50 out of 88,000 people in the police force and a very small number of people in the administrative service of 2,500 who enforce the law in this group. We must act to get rid of this small ring and establish a government for the people. This is the vicious ring that robbed Sri Lankans who returned to our country during the covid epidemic.
They ruled our country for a long time. We should all come together and free the country from this tyranny. These parties are not divided into two groups. They are one front. In the last presidential election, there are people who went from Italy to vote for Gotabaya Rajapaksa as a non-traditional politician who contributed to ending the war. Everyone expected optimistic attitudes towards the recovery of the country. They voted for Gotabaya to oust Ranil Wickramasinghe, who sold the Hambantota port and was involved in the central bank robbery. They wanted to punish the culprits for not preventing the Easter attack. But what has happened now is that Ranil Wickramasinghe, who was sent home, has been given control as the saviour of the Rajapaksa. More than enough facts confirm that these two are the same group. In the general election, Ranil Wickramasinghe was driven out, and people voted for Pohottuwa, but the votes of Pohottuwa MPs made Ranil Wickramasinghe the ruler. When anyone is in a difficult situation, they ask for help from the closest people. When the Rajapaksas were in trouble, Ranil Wickramasinghe saved them all. While they remain as one group, the people of our class are divided and fighting. But those guys have never been divided but get our people divided into Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, and religions. But we all have to come together as one team and drive them out.
It is proposed to sell all the country’s resources through the budget like they did in the past as well as. The Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation, which has made a huge profit, and the Litro Gas Company under it, the Lanka Hospitals Company, are to be sold. They are getting ready to sell the telecom company, which made a profit of 13,844 million last year. They are also getting ready to sell power plants. The person buying these power plants can profit from the first moment. We need to change this economic and political culture of selling. We should not be deceived by those who appear with names such as Viharamahadevi, Dutugemunu, country-saving hero, etc. People like Ranil Wickramasinghe, who the people have abandoned, and Sajith, who pretends to know everything, should not be allowed to deceive the people. The introduction of Bar organizations, defence organizations and organizations of real entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka will be made in January. Politics is the gathering of people who have an understanding of the destruction that has happened to the country and align to build the country. The NPP talks with the people about the destruction that has happened to the country, the length and breadth of that destruction, and the way to recover from it. Sri Lankans abroad have been assigned a large part in this work. If you, who live in Italy, raise the flag of the NPP high, it will be the biggest message you will bring to your village. Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s wave was created by Sri Lankans abroad. When you see the people gathered in this city of Naples today, you can understand the direction the wind is blowing now. They have voted for various parties for a long time with the aim of changing the country. But nothing has changed. But we are starting to change several areas. A new constitution will be introduced to replace the executive presidency with the power of the parliament. The executive presidential system that lasted for 44 years from 1978 has proven to be a disaster in our country. Also, clauses to end the political culture of changing parties will be included to the constitution. The MP positions of those who change will be abolished and the constitution itself will limit the cabinet. Secondly, in order to stop fraud and corruption, they are punished and the stolen property is taken back. The people of our country are suffering because the rulers looted the public money. People are not money. Humans have a spiritual life. What has happened to the wishes of mothers going to Middle Eastern countries? To end this situation, the stolen property of the public is repossessed. Fraud and corruption will be completely stopped. For the first time in the history of the Geneva Human Rights Commission, it was declared that economic crimes are a violation of human rights. Internationally, our country is regarded as a country ruled by thieves. Only the NPP will punish the corrupt and take over the stolen wealth to build this country. We have people who sincerely dedicate themselves to building the country and have courage to fight the corrupt. Single people and magicians cannot build a country. Humans have strengths and weaknesses. Leaders are a group of people who work to minimize weaknesses and advance talents. Real leaders cannot be built from media fiction. We will form assemblies to take collective decisions. We are making the change of collective governance instead of individual governance.
It is possible to build the country in a short period of time with a mechanism where the entrepreneur, the fisherman, the small industrialist as well as the Sri Lankans abroad are united. The NPP will make economic changes that provide all the facilities to invest the wealth Sri Lankans living abroad earn to build the country. We expect a large contribution from Sri Lankans abroad to immediately get the dollars we need. We will create a reliable government for that. We will publish on the internet how every dollar you send to the country is. Now our rulers use the best cars in the world with the dollars you send. In our control, every dollar you send is guaranteed to be used to build the country. Only the NPP can build the country by making these basic changes. Let us all join hands for the role assigned to foreign workers in the process of construction.”
– lankatruth

The lawyers of the NPP strongly condemn Ranil Wickramasinghe’s continued repressive statements he makes as the 8th President, and also his threatening the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission.
This was emphasized in a press conference held by the lawyers of the NPP in Battaramulla yesterday (25th). Attorneys at Law Sunil Watagala, Harshana Nanayakkara, Janaka Adhikari and Anuradha Kandanhena took part.

Attorney at Law Sunil Watagala said, “Ranil Wickramasinghe has made a serious statement in Parliament on the 24th that the people of the country should get a license to travel on the road. According to Section 74 of the Police Ordinance Act, it is stated that the nearest police station should be notified in case of a demonstration. But in two cases held in the Supreme Court, the notification has been interpreted. The Supreme Court, which interpreted the notification in the case of Attorney General and Jana Ghosha against Vivian Gunawardena, has clearly mentioned the notification to the nearest police station in writing or verbally. But Ranil Wickramasinghe has made a serious statement in Parliament that a person should get a license to go on the road. Sand mining and the sale of alcohol are cases where a license is required. Without a license, such activities are illegal. The Supreme Court has interpreted in the judgments that the notification is sufficient for a peaceful protest in the democratic sense.
Ranil Wickramasinghe has made a threatening statement against the Human Rights Commission, an independent commission. We condemn his threatening statement, “Don’t touch everything.” The President of the country threatens the members of the commission who are supposed to protect the people’s fundamental rights. This is a threat to the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission and other law and order institutions.
Under the current law, the President can be made a party to a fundamental human rights case. The Attorney General can be named as a respondent and the President as a party. We are attaching the Hansard report of Ranil Wickramasinghe’s statement in the Parliament on basic human rights cases. If Ranil Wickramasinghe’s intention is to suppress fundamental rights outside the law, the Hansard report will be attached and submitted to the Supreme Court. He himself declares that he is like Hitler and Din Diem. Hitler had to shoot himself dead with his own pistol when the Red Army surrounded him. Dinh Diem was assassinated in a conspiracy. We will not be responsible if the president who violates the Constitution does something to himself.
Through these two statements, Ranil Wickramasinghe is saying to let the police do what they want. The Human Rights Commission has decided to investigate the complaint related to the blocking of the women marching from Panadura by the police. Now according to Ranil’s threat, should it be stopped?
Should the same be done about the complaints made by the Socialist Youth Union to the Human Rights Commission? Ranil Wickramasinghe made a statement against the Constitution under the guise of parliamentary privileges. It is emphasized that the lawyers of the NPP will continue to advocate for the fair protests of the country’s people.

Constitution is not for rulers to hide behind – Harshana Nanayakkara

Even if you don’t much care about the various statements made by elderly people, you cannot ignore the statements made by the president of the country though he makes them due to his old age. Struggling, protesting, and if necessary, hooting at the rulers is a part of the freedom of speech that we have. These were not given to us by Ranil Wickramasinghe, but the people fought for them. The constitution is not there for the country’s rulers to hide behind.
People need not be afraid of Ranil Wickremesinghe’s statements he makes in a bid to scare the people. If we are going to walk in Ranil Wickramasinghe’s tea garden or coconut garden, we have to get permission from him. But we don’t have to go to him to protect the rights of our country. And the police are not obliged to act illegally.
If Ranil Wickramasinghe reads a lot of books, we insists that he reads about the fate of Hitler and Dinh Diem in history. People are not struggling for nothing. If the rulers do not solve the unbearable issues, we will always stand on behalf of the struggling people. Ranil Wickramasinghe’s power lies between the pages of the constitution and not from the people.
According to the seventh article of our constitution, this kind of power is given to the president because he is elected by popular vote. But Ranil is the president who was appointed by Pohottu party. By organizing the people, we fight justly. And the rulers who do not have a mandate are driven out. We call upon the people to organize against corruption and struggle to end the corrupt system and protect their rights.

Will people have to get permission from Ranil to answer a call of nature? – Janaka Adhikari

The first citizen of our country, who is the president, has no right to make outrageous, maddened statements. It is not the president who gives rights to the people. The constitution exists to protect the rights of the people, but a constitution is not made to attack the people, make them afraid, and implement the ideas in one’s head.
If you have to get permission from Ranil Wickramasinghe to walk on the street, there is a doubt whether, in another day, you will have to get permission from him to answer a call of nature. People’s rights cannot be removed by showing a dictator like Hitler. When Ranil Wickramasinghe is unable to solve the problems of the people, protect the public property and win the love of the people, he thinks he can bypass all that by using the constraint of the executive presidential system.
Democracy is something broader than what is in the book. There is only some guiding idea in the constitution. If not, would Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Gongalegoda Banda be guilty? The first thing that Gongalegoda Banda did was to protest against the collection of taxes from Kandy Kachcheri.
What Ranil Wickramasinghe is doing today is leving unbearable taxes. The people have the right to struggle against Ranil Wickramasinghe, who collects taxes, against the exploitation of the people’s property, and against the sale of the people’s property, just as the Gongalegoda Banda took to the streets against the British that day. The basis of law is equity and justice. And there is no law where it is not fulfilled.

We see threats as a behavior of a cowardly and impotent person – Anuradha Kandanhena

The ‘Aragalaya’ started with the people who took to the streets due to the economic crisis. The people who had never taken to the streets and protested joined the ‘Aragalaya’. The situation became serious when the candidate nominated by Pohottu became the president with the people’s vote and did not answer the people’s questions. The current president should have a vision and plan to free the people from this situation. Examples should be given. Without any of that, various cowardly statements are made in the parliament against democracy, basic rights and the constitution. We see in this nothing but the last-minute behavior of a cowardly and impotent person. Because of this, as lawyers of the National People’s Power, we continue to advocate for the peaceful, democratic people who are struggling for the rights of the people.

“We emphasize that the power of the people is greater than the presidency of Ranil Wickremesinghe. We emphasize that Ranil Wickramasinghe should learn from what happened to Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Next year’s budget has allocated the most money to the security forces and the police. A meagre amount has been allocated to other sectors and to develop the country’s national product. But Ranil attempts to save his temporary presidency by bringing more tear gas, batons, and water cannons to suppress the people’s struggles. At a time when people are in a battle with death due to the pressure they have to bear, they take to the streets to struggle, not to cry. The people taking to the streets against the rapacious rule of Ranil Wickramasingha’s and Rajapaksas are not protesting with tickets like going to a carnival,” emphasized General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva.
He emphasized this in a press conference held at the JVP head office at Pelawatta yesterday (24th).
He said, “The JVP position on a statement made by President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Parliament on the 23rd needs to be clarified. Even now, the country’s people are facing a shortage of essential food and medicine, their sources of income are collapsing, and they have to bear a huge tax burden. The main topic that needs to be discussed at this time is rebuilding the destroyed economy. However, the presented budget is a continuation of the old system of borrowing and taxing, there is nothing new. Ranil Wickramasinghe made a speech in Parliament where he tried to show himself as a hero when the primary attention should have been given to these basic problems. Ranil Wickremesinghe became president by accident. A large vote of the people elected Gotabaya Rajapaksa, but there was a huge public protest against him, and he was chased out. Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed to the vacant post of President for the protection of the Rajapaksas, not by the votes of the people of this country. At least the people have not voted for Ranil Wickramasinghe to become an MP. As a result, Ranil came to parliament from the position of MP that was given to the UNP from the national list after losing the Colombo district in the last general election. He should understand the extent of the presidency gained by that MP.
No matter who takes Ranil Wickramasinghe’s stories seriously, JVP does not care about them. We are not at all afraid of his threat to the people and the suppression he intends after getting drunk with the inconsistent power he has got, just like the gatekeeper becoming the king. We know that Ranil Wickramasinghe has a hatred for the recent public uprising. We know that that uprising has challenged their class. That struggle is not a single struggle of any political party or group of people. Ranil Wickramasinghe tries to define the struggle as a struggle of a single person and a single party. But a massive public uprising took place, participated by a combination of organizations of farmers, fishermen, students, youth, women, trade unions, professionals, etc. Because of that enormity, Gotabaya Rajapaksa had to leave the executive presidency and run away. Mahinda Rajapaksa had to give up the Prime Ministership. Other Rajapaksas had to give up their ministerial positions, and Basil Rajapaksa also had to give up his membership. Now, Ranil Wickremesinghe, grabbing the presidency he got from the Rajapaksas as a benefaction, always threatens the struggle. Also, Ranil Wickramasinghe thinks that if Gotabaya Rajapaksa could be chased away by the same people who elected him to power by a big majority, he, who has no mandate at all, too would face the same fate. That is why Ranil always comes out with words of fear instead of talking about bravery.
Ranil Wickramasinghe says that he will not allow any struggle after this, he will not allow the government to be changed through struggle, and he will use the emergency law and use the army to suppress. Should the people struggle by taking licenses from the oppressor who oppresses them? People who took to the streets worldwide to expel oppressors did not take permission from the oppressors to do so.
Also, the oppressors never gave permission for public protests. Like Ranil, Gotabaya Rajapaksa tried to deploy various measures to stop agitations. 6.9 million voted for Gotabaya, he was an army officer and secretary of the defence ministry. He had a government with a two-thirds majority to help him. When compared with Gotabaya, Ranil Wickramasinghe has nothing. How can he, who the people did not elect, stop people’s protests?
We emphasize that the power of the people is greater than the presidency of Ranil Wickremesinghe. We emphasize that Ranil Wickramasinghe should learn from what happened to Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Next year’s budget has allocated the most money to the security forces and the police. A meagre amount has been allocated to other sectors and to develop the country’s national product. But Ranil attempts to save his temporary presidency by bringing more tear gas, batons, and water cannons to suppress the people’s struggles. At a time when people are in a battle with death due to the pressure they have to bear, they take to the streets to struggle, not to cry. The people taking to the streets against the rapacious rule of Ranil Wickramasinghas and Rajapaksas are not protesting with tickets like going to a carnival.
Ranil Wickramasinghe should remove the conditions under which the people are oppressed, not talk about repression. Ranil Wickramasinghe has now started talking about Dinh Diem. Dinh Diem is the pro-American oppressive ruler of South Vietnam in the 1960s. In 1963, he was kidnapped and killed in a conspiracy. During his reign, severe repression was launched, Buddhist monks were killed, a band of thieves formed a government, and the regime ruled with the support of the United States. A massive struggle, even in the face of repression, was carried out with the strength of the monks and the people, Dinh Diem’s army made a conspiracy and killed him. We ask Ranil Wickramasinghe to learn from history before he tries to adorn Dinh Diem’s garb.
If you can’t learn from Dinh Diem, we ask you to study the fate of dictators all over the world, from Marcos in the Philippines, to the Shah of Iran or from Batista in Cuba. Ranil further says that the economy will be built, and elections will be held. Because they will never build the country, the election he is talking about will never come. If they think they can stop the youth who ask for change using the Prevention of Terrorism Act, it is a pipe dream. If the government of the Rajapaksas, with a huge mandate, had to leave, the government of Ranil Wickramasinghe, which has no support from the people, would have no chance to rule.
Recently, a public opinion survey conducted by a certain organization revealed that only 10% of the population is in favour of this government, and only 3% are satisfied with the government. Because of this, a vote should be held to establish the government that the people want. But this parliament is trying to continue to carry on as much as possible the presidency that Ranil Wickramasinghe has got.
The existing ruling party needs Ranil, and Ranil also needs the composition of this parliament. Therefore, they are trying not to have even the local government election. We are sure that if they do not have an election and the people have no other option, they will come forward to win an election.
We can see that Ranil Wickramasinghe has some memory problems. He says he brought the pro-democracy 17th amendment, 19th amendment and 21st amendment. The 17th amendment was brought during the government of Mrs Chandrika Kumaratunga as one of the conditions for the JVP to intervene and implement a probation programme. Thinking that people don’t remember, he is making fraudulent statements like this. That is why he tries to forget history. Hundreds and thousands of people who are hoping for change will no longer allow Ranil Wickramasinghe’s tomfoolery. His knavish moves must be defeated. The struggle for that should be led to victory with a goal, programme and political leadership. If not, there will be repressions like what is happening now. Therefore, we are building a massive mass movement with a very reliable and responsible political leadership. Ranil Wickramasinghe said that the army would be used to suppress. The children of this country’s mothers and fathers are in the army. Tear gas, baton charges and bullets cannot stop these struggles. We saw that the army and the police looked at the last struggle with an affable eye. We know that at some point, the army and the police will bless the people’s struggle. They will take the initiative to establish governance free of fraud and corruption that preserves their professional dignity. Ranil Wickramasinghe is trying to divide the people of our class by saying he would deploy the army and the police to suppress any uprising. Even though Ranil Wickramasinghe make threats, he does not have the power to implement them. The people have rejected him, and he and his party have been limited to one member in Parliament.
A country cannot be governed by a small group of MPs who the people have opposed. We emphasize to the president, who has got a temporary chance to rule, that a country cannot be governed only by MPs who vote for Ranil Wickramasinghe’s proposals. What Ranil Wickramasinghe should do is give the mandate a chance and try and form a government or step down. We assure you that we will end this anti-people regime of Ranil Wickramasinghe very soon and then build a country that will strengthen the people’s economy so that the people can live happily in a democratic state. We are not afraid of Ranil’s threats, we will take to the streets and struggle to build this country. We need not get Ranil’s permit to carry out our programmes and struggles. We use the right given to us by the constitution. We invite all the country’s people to join us in creating a people’s government that can build a better future for the people.”

At a press conference held on 22^nd Nov, the lawyers of the National People’s Power accused the police and the Attorney General’s Department of using the Prevention of Terrorism Act to lead the political process of the government.

Akalanka Ukwatta, Attorney-at-Law who participated in the press conference, pointed out this with facts, and his views are as follows.

Sovereign power cannot be relinquished from the people.  People took to the streets to protect that power. It was named as the “Aragalaya”. J.R Jayawardena came to implement righteous policies, by accomplishing the 1978 Constitution. From Mahinda Rajapaksa to this government, the same policies are being implemented.  Is the mistake made by Wasantha Mudalige and Siridhamma Thero to oppose the creation of a righteous government in this country?  Is that why he committed an act of terrorism by breaking the constitution and was detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and now remanded in custody?  Was the Prevention of Terrorism Act of 1979 brought to curb those who work against creating a righteous society?  If Wasantha Mudalige and Siridhamma Thero have done such an act, it has also been done by the majority of people in this country.  There is no clear definition of terrorism in the Prevention of Terrorism Act, which is used to suppress people’s voices on burning issues.  It is used to trap innocent people. Was the Prevention of Terrorism Act used against people like Karuna Amman, who was in charge of the Eastern region of the LTTE, and Pilleyan?  Ranil Wickremesinghe had great criticism about KP from the opposition then.  Was the Prevention of Terrorism Act used against KP?  But during the period of the protest, did anyone see Wasantha Mudalige and Siridhamma Thero even holding a stone in their hands?  Can’t we question the fact that the government have stolen and exploited the things that we should get? A fundamental rights case was filed against these two who were under 90-day detention orders issued under the hand of the minister of Defence.  Ranil Rajapaksa has been remanded them for 14 days to 14 days without extending those detention orders.  Now, under the Attorney General, there is the ability to take actions on these two.  Although they were detained for 90 days, they were interrogated only for five hours in 03 days.  On all three occasions, Wasantha Mudalige questioned that what act of terrorism which he had committed.  There is no answer to that question.

All that time, the police have been questioning about the murder of the Member of Parliament in Nittambuwa, people entering the Presidential Palace, Temple trees, and Presidential Secretariat. Already there is a case related to murder charges in the Attanagalla court regarding the killing of the MP.  Cases have been filed separately in the Fort Magistrate’s Court regarding other charges. Why are these two being detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act when cases have already been filed in the courts of Attanagalla and Fort under the relevant charges of the Penal Code? Cases have been filed in the courts regarding matters not related to the Prevention of Terrorism Act.  All those charges are under the Penal Code.  If so, what will happen to the cases filed at Attanagalla and Fort courts under the Attorney General?  The Attorney General advises the police.  The Attorney General should be conscious about conducting police investigations for 90 days.  After 90 days, the investigations are not completed, which means that there is no other purpose other than harassment.  Now the Attorney General should submit the reasons for not granting bail to these two to the Magistrate Court.  The Attorney General is responsible to the Republic and the people of this country but not to the governments that are appointed from time to time.

Gotabaya Rajapakse came to power after taking the Easter attack in hand and the first thing he did was to arrest the lawyer Hizbullah and hold him under detention orders.  Has Mr. Hizbullah been made a respondent in the High Court case regarding Saharan?  No.  In that case, it is clear that a lie was made using the Prevention of Terrorism Act at that time as well.  Investigations that have been held for more than 90 days, has no results.  The Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General should be held responsible for that.  If history is like this regarding the issue of Saharan, the Attorney General has the scope to release Wasantha Mudalige and Siridhamma Thero.  We emphasize to the Attorney General to exercise his practice in this regard.

Jathika Jana Balawegaya (JJB) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake demanded the Finance Ministry to reveal Sri Lanka’s actual outstanding debt.

Speaking during the second reading debate of Budget 2023, Dissanayake said according to the information they have, the total debt of the country is close to Rs 25 trillion.

“From this Budget, the President has proposed to borrow another Rs 3 trillion next year. In 2021, the total government income was Rs 1.464 trillion. However, to pay pensions and salaries and debt interest the country needed money exceeding this total income. We had to pay Rs 1.048 trillion as debt interest. This is 72 per cent of the total income. How can a country bear this type of burden?” he queried.

“Although both the President and the Central Bank Governor claim that the economy has stabilised to a certain extent, this isn’t entirely true. There was a severe fuel and essential commodity shortage in the first months of the year. Now it seems that the shortages have been resolved to a certain extent. But, what has actually happened is the authorities are using USD 3.2 million which was supposed to be used to pay off debts to import these essential items. We are still in a huge crisis,” he said. 

By Methmalie Dissanayake (Ceylon Today)

After Ranil Wickremesinghe became the eighth President, the National People’s Power (NPP) lawyers emphasize that the suppression of political opponents by using the Prevention of Terrorism Act should be defeated.

They emphasized this in a press conference held yesterday (22). The following is an excerpt of the views that the Colombo District Secretary of the organization, Dhanushki Liyanapatbandi, Attorney-at-Law, expressed at the meeting.

This press conference is being held as the lawyers of the NPP to present facts about repressive activities including arrests using the Prevention of Terrorism Act. The government continues to propagate that the country cannot be developed due to the struggle and that it is the cause of the existing problems. But in March 2020, the rulers did not take proper measures regarding the spread of the covid epidemic. They did not accept the advice of health experts. Necessary financial provisions were not deployed. The army was deployed and the repression started. Farmers’ uprising against the organic fertilizer policy, shortage of food, fuel and gas, shortage of milk powder and unlimited rise in commodity prices continued. Amidst all this, the Act regarding the Kotalawala Defense Faculty was passed. University students, lecturers and civil activists started protesting with all this. As another step, the protests that started in Mirihan on March 31 are still going on without a solution.

The Article 27 of the Constitution states as to how the public should be protected from state policies. Freedom to enjoy basic rights, equal opportunities for all citizens, development of the country, creation of a righteous system in the form of distribution of economic products to the entire population, and special attention to children and youth are mentioned. The government is entrusted with the full responsibility of taking care of children’s physical and mental development. But school students faint and fall. There is a state of decline in physical and mental development. University education is also not done properly. Industries are closing, and people are losing their jobs. The only solution in this situation is to take to the streets and fight fairly. We must defeat the attempt to launch repression against it.