Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has accused the government of undermining Sri Lanka’s democratic system and people’s sovereignty, while also condemning the arrest and remand of SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa.
Speaking as the United National Party marked 80 years since its founding on September 6, 1946, Wickremesinghe said the party’s latest programme would focus on protecting “sovereignty” and safeguarding the constitutional rights of the people.
He recalled that the UNP was founded under the leadership of D.S. Senanayake, with S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike proposing Senanayake’s name for the party leadership. Wickremesinghe also noted that D.A. Rajapaksa was among the party’s founding members and that two of his sons later served as presidents of Sri Lanka.
Wickremesinghe said the UNP would begin a series of activities this month, including commemorations connected to former President J.R. Jayewardene, before holding a party convention in December.
“At that convention, we will present a modern United National Party, with ideas and policies suited to the present and with new faces, to build Sri Lanka for the 21st century,” he said.
Turning to constitutional issues, Wickremesinghe said Article 3 of the Constitution clearly establishes that sovereignty belongs to the people and is inalienable. He said the UNP opposed the proposed 22nd Amendment because, in the party’s view, it required approval through a referendum.
He alleged that restrictions targeting political parties, arrests of politicians and attacks on independent professional organisations were threatening the country’s democratic system and weakening the opposition.
Wickremesinghe also criticised what he described as attacks against the Bar Association, medical professionals and Buddhist clergy.
“We do not know whether this country is being governed from Parliament or from Pelawatte,” Wickremesinghe said, calling on political and civil society groups to unite to protect people’s sovereignty.
Referring to Rajapaksa, Wickremesinghe noted that D.A. Rajapaksa was a founding member of the UNP and described Namal Rajapaksa as his grandson.
“Namal Rajapaksa is under arrest and is now in Welikada. We express our opposition to that as well,” Wickremesinghe said. (Newswire)