Karu decries repressive action by Govt. over people’s plight Karu decries repressive action by Govt.

UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya has condemned the repressive action on the part of the Government to deal with worsening plight of the people following the unprecedented fuel hike.

Here is the full text of Jayasuriya’s statement.

The present Government came into power promising to dawn a glorious future to the country and its people.  Instead of fulfilling the promise, the Government has started to repress using iron bars and bullets, those people who agitate for the right to live and rise as humans.

The death of a 38 year old person, a father of two children, who participated in the agitation in Chilaw on the 15th against the exorbitant increase in fuel prices, is the latest incident.  Similar incident took place on the same day, when the police fired tear gas and used water cannons against the peaceful demonstration of the JVP at Maligawatte, against the fuel price hike.

The Government using anti riot squads, tear gas and bullets is repressing the larger majority of masses who raise their voice against the Government, since they are unable to bear the burden of the cost of living placed on them, as a result of the corruption, waste, nepotism and the tamashas of the present administration.  The Government is under the false impression that these agitations would not last long.

W e feel that the repressive activities of the Government will continue.  

Agitations by the workers of the Katunayake Free Trade Zone against the private sector pension bill, was suppressed by the Government in the same manner it suppressed the agitation of the fishermen in Chilaw.  A youth by the name of Anthony Fernando sacrificed his life at the agitations in Chilaw.  

In the Free Trade Zone, it was another youth, Roshen Chanaka who sacrificed his life to the bullet of the Government.

Although the places and the names vary there is a common feature in these incidents.  When unarmed people demonstrate against the repressive, anti democratic policies of the Government, the bullets are being used by the Government to repress those demonstrations.

Concurrent to the increase of fuel price, bus fares and prices of essential items have gone up.  Now we find electricity rates too have been increased.  Instead of the promised glorious future the lives of people are getting from bad to worse.

Parallel to this, peoples’ agitations against the Government is being aggravated.  We wish to stress that at least now the Government must stop sacrificing people to cover up its inability.  Government must stop shooting down the peoples’ right to live.  

Also, under these circumstances, it is our duty as the Opposition to wake up from the hibernation, unite and come forward to protect the rights of the people and their right to live.  We will appear and work on behalf of the people.