Defeat the new terror Bill to protect democracy

SJB calls on all Parliamentarians

• ATB has not been drafted by the Legal Draftsman

By Sandun A Jayasekera

The main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) said yesterday that it is a national responsibility for all lawmakers to vote against the proposed Ant-Terrorism Bill (ATB) in parliament and prevent it becoming law in the country as the consequences of it will be extremely, Inhuman, regrettable and irreversible.   

The Chief Whip of the opposition and the senior vice president of the SJB, Lakshman Kiriella while calling the the proposed Bill an ‘Annihilation of Democracy and Promotion of State Terrorism Bill’ charged that the Bill has not been drafted by the Legal Draftsman or the draft has not been seen by the Attorney General.  

Kiriella told the media at the party office that the ATB has been drafted by a few lawyers subservient to the government for their personal gains.   

If it has been drafted by the Legal Draftsman, the ATB cannot contain provisions that destroy democracy, promote state terrorism and violate all rights of the people, Kiriella emphasized.   
“The proposed Bill will be challenged in the Supreme Court as it is a threat to Sri Lanka, because it will be the end of democracy, human rights, fundamental rights, press freedom, labour rights and all other rights guaranteed under the Constitution. That is why rights advocates say that if passed this Bill, Hitler, Mussolini, Dinh Diem and Pol Pot will cower in shame in their grave,’ Kiriella said.  

Leave alone the huge outcry against the ATB, the respected global agencies like the UNHRC, the EU, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Human Rights Watch (HRW) etc. have already expressed their protest and rejection of the ATB. As such the possibility is extremely high for the global community to further sideline Sri Lanka and consolidate the disgraceful branding of Sri Lanka as a failed state or a pariah state, Kiriella stressed. 

• If it has been drafted by the Legal Draftsman, the ATB cannot contain provisions that destroy democracy, promote state terrorism and violate all rights of the people