3 October 2022 10:05 am Views - 2969
A group of New South Wales (NSW) Parliamentarians have assured the Sri Lankan expatriates living in Sydney that they will table Sri Lanka’s Human Rights violation report at their next parliament session.
Members of the Legislative Council Peter Primrose and Anthony D Adams together with the Member of NSW Parliament, Jamie Parker met the Sri Lankan group led by Jagath Bandara on Wednesday, September 21 at the McKell room in NSW Parliament House.
Bandara told the Daily Mirror that their request to the NSW Parliament representatives on the brutal crackdown on peaceful protests in Sri Lanka by the Police and the security forces has led to a rapid increase in Human Rights violations, to which a positive response was received from the NSW Parliamentarians.
“Jamie Parker assured us that the reports we submitted on HR Violations in Sri Lanka will be tabled at the next parliamentary session and the messages will also be informed to their respective parties. He also said that the Sri Lankan ground situation will be informed to the Australian Government for necessary action in order to prevent the country’s deteriorating situation further. They are very concerned about the ongoing situation in Sri Lanka,” Bandara said.
According to Bandara, the Sri Lankan expatriates will be meeting Federal Members of the Australian Federal Parliament soon to discuss how Sri Lankan forces are harassing protestors by detaining them for months under the guise of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and Emergency Regulations.
“Earlier we were to meet the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Federal Parliament on September 15, but with the passing away of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the meeting was postponed. Hopefully, we will be meeting them in early October,” added Bandara.
According to Bandara, their discussion with the NSW Parliamentarians was mainly focused on harassment meted out against protestors, activists and their unlawful detention under the draconian PTA and Emergency Regulations.
“The situation in our motherland is disturbing us. We are lobbying for Australian Government to urge Sri Lanka to respect HR and expression of freedom to air the grievances faced by the people. We are concerned about the ongoing situation in the country. The protestors of these mass protests have so far not engaged in any unlawful activities but only against corrupt politicians and the skyrocketing cost of living that has resulted in malnutrition not only amongst children but also amongst elders. The Parliamentarians whom we met are well aware how the present regime is safeguarding the previous regime’s highly corrupt politicians,” Bandara claimed.
According to Bandara, by imposing Emergency Regulations, the government has given sweeping powers to the police and the security forces to arrest protestors and declare High-Security Zones to prevent the agitators from entering the city limits. “These laws cannot stop the peaceful protest, even though the government security forces continue in harassing and detaining the leaders for months. This is why as the Sri Lankan community in the NSW, we got together to urge the Australian Government to urge the Sri Lankan Government to stop harassing the protestors,” he added.
Bundara further said how they brought to the notice of the NSW Parliamentarians, the Sri Lankan Government has failed to take legal action against those who attacked the peaceful protestors at Galle Face Green on May 9 but taking legal action against the unarmed protestors.
“The Sri Lanka Government should investigate human rights violations committed by politicians and their supporters who were involved in attacking the Galle Face protestors. Also, investigations should be carried out against the security forces for unlawful arrests, excessive use of force on protesters and the brutal crackdown at the protest site at Galle Face in July. All pending charges against those arrested for exercising their rights peacefully should be released,” Bandara claimed. (Nirmala Kannangara in Sydney)