DICTATORSHIP IN THE MAKING in Sri Lanka.

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DICTATORSHIP IN THE MAKING
2010-09-06

The Executive President of Sri Lanka is the Head of State, Government and the Commander in Chief of Armed Forces. The constitution of Sri Lanka guarantees that the President is above the Law; he/she cannot be brought before any court of law including the Supreme Court in the country. The previous Presidents who came to power misused their powers violating the democratic rights of the people. Since then, the establishment of Presidential system in 1978 replacing the Westminster System has been opposed by all the democratic political parties and organizations. They

demanded the abolition of the dictatorial Executive Presidential system and the return of executive powers back to the parliament.
The present Executive President Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse during the 2005 Presidential election campaign promised the people that he would abolish the presidential system before his first term in office of six years is over. The constitution of Sri Lanka allows its citizens to hold the office of president only for two six year terms.
President Mahinda Rajapakse violating his own election manifesto, held a Presidential election one year prior to the end of his first term in office to avoid a defeat one year later. The election itself was not free and fair and the result is being challenged in the Supreme Court.
On the 8th of September 2010 an urgent and dubious bill to amend the constitution to remove the limit of two terms and to delete the 17th amendment to the constitution that guarantees Free and Fair elections will be submitted to the Parliament. The ulterior motive of the President is to be in power as long as he wishes denying democratic rights of the people of Sri Lanka. The official announcement about this amendment to the present constitution was made on the 30th August 2010, less than 10 days before it will be tabled in the parliament. The President and the Government thus violated the right of the people to engage in any dialogue on the proposed amendment. It is more than clear that a dictatorship is in the making.
The President and the Government failed to achieve economic development, bring back national unity and reconciliation, restore democracy and guarantee good governance after the armed forces of Sri Lanka defeated the separatists. The people of Sri Lanka are thoroughly disillusioned and before long they will oppose the President and the Government.
The urgent amendment to the constitution is for suppression of the democratic rights of the people of Sri Lanka and to deny free and fair elections to them. Therefore, we urge all the Sri Lankans and all other communities living in Canada and the citizens of Canada to condemn Sri Lankan President's undemocratic motives and to support the just struggle of the peaceful people of Sri Lanka to safeguard democracy.
Campaign for Democracy in Sri Lanka (CDSL) - Canada