| A Statement
issued by the Tamil Information Centre
( October 18,
2012, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) We are deeply concerned about the appearance
of Sinhala posters against Dr Pakiasothy Saravanamuttu, Executive Director of
the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) in many parts of the Colombo city on
15 October 2012.
The intimidating
poster campaign is linked to Dr Saravanamuttu’s legal challenge of the
Divineguma Bill in the Supreme Court. The proposed law intends to create a new
Divineguma Department that will consume the Samurdhi poverty alleviation
programme and the Southern and Hill Country Development authorities. The Bill
encroaches into the functions of the Provincial Councils. The Constitution
provides that a Bill in respect of any matter included in the Provincial
Council List must be submitted by the President to every Provincial Council for
the expression of its views before it is tabled in Parliament.
The Bill also
includes shady provisions and omits provisions relating to accountability. The
Bill specifically provides that the Banking Act and the Finance Business Act
would not apply to banks established under the Divineguma Act. This means that
banks established under the Divineguma Act will not come under the rules and
supervision of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. These Divineguma banks will
handle an estimated 80 billion rupees without supervision or accountability.
The provision in the Samurdhi Act that the ‘Authority shall be deemed to be a
scheduled institution within the meaning of the Bribery Act’ is not included in
the Divineguma Bill.
In his capacity
as Executive Director of the CPA, Dr Saravanamuttu petitioned the Supreme Court
in the public interest and in accordance with the provisions of the Sri Lanka
Constitution. In his petition, Dr Saravanamuttu pointed out that the Divineguma
Bill is inconsistent with the Constitution and listed a number of substantive
and procedural grounds. The Supreme Court determined that the Bill should be
approved by each Provincial Council before it is brought to Parliament.
Dr Saravanamuttu
has been subjected to a relentless campaign of intimidation and abuse by
government supporters in the past for carrying out his duties in the public
interest as a responsible citizen of Sri Lanka. We condemn the hate campaigns
and threats of violence against advocates of democratic governance.
Hate campaigns
have done nothing but poison the country and turn people against one another.
By targeting people committed to human rights and peace, such campaigns can
only stifle progress, divide the nation and push Sri Lanka further into the
abyss of mayhem. Past experience has shown that this kind of prejudiced,
intolerant and paranoid action can lead the dangerous levels. This virulent
hate campaign must stop immediately. The Tamil Information Centre calls upon
all persons and organizations with interest in Sri Lanka to condemn the hate
campaign and take every appropriate and possible action to bring pressure and
to ensure this is not repeated.
