EU urges Lanka to ensure peaceful protest and religious freedom
Wednesday, 14 August 2013 00:00
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The delegation of the European Union in Sri Lanka yesterday lent its voice to growing concerns about the violence against peaceful protestors in Weliweriya and the attack on the mosque in Grandpass, Colombo, raising concerns about the right to peaceful protest and the freedom of religion in Sri Lanka.
“The European Union Delegation in Colombo is concerned by recent incidents in Sri Lanka including the deaths of three civilians following protests in Weliweriya on 1 August and the attack on the Grandpass mosque on 10 August, which followed a number of other attacks on mosques and churches,” the EU said in a statement released yesterday.
The statement by the delegation added that the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and the right to freedom of worship are fundamental to democratic societies and should be protected by the State.
“The European Union looks to the Sri Lankan authorities to ensure justice through speedy, impartial investigations and to enable all Sri Lankans to exercise their human rights freely,” the brief statement said.
