Karu warns of ‘dreadful suppression’ due to Executive Presidency

The concentration of power in the hands of a single individual and a group of cronies is creating a climate of ‘dreadful suppression’ and resulting in Sri Lanka becoming a country that is ‘democratic’ in title only, senior UNP Parliamentarian Karu Jayasuriya said.

He said that the fundamental reason for the decline of all levels of social and political life was the fact that all State institutions are being politicised due to the unlimited powers acquired through the 18th Amendment.  

“The Legislature is controlled by the Executive. The Attorney General’s Department and the Judiciary are subjected to the control of the Executive. Appointments and promotions are done by the Head of State. Independent commissions established through the 17th Amendment are defunct. Recognition is given not to those who are capable but to those who praise the Government,” Jayasuriya said.

Decrying the state of democracy in a country in which the Leader of the Opposition is attacked while visiting funeral homes of tragic victims of a natural disaster, Jayasuriya said the Government was perpetrating ‘state terror’ to which the citizenry in Idi Amin’s Uganda and North Korea were subjected.

“The Member of Parliament of the area and the goons who are responsible for the assault were of the view that the visit of the delegation was for political gain. No one can wrest the democratic right of the representatives of the people to travel to any place in the country. As individuals who respect democracy, we condemn this thuggery,” Jayasuriya told a media conference recently.

Jayasuriya said there are two sets of laws in the country. “One for the henchmen of the Government and the other for those who are in the Opposition.  This is why we repeatedly say that the country is heading towards a dictatorship,” he said.

The UNP MP said that after the defeat of the most ruthless terrorist group in the world, people of this country were still unable to enjoy their democratic rights. Jayasuriya said that the only way to save the country from disaster was to call for the reinstatement of the 17th Amendment and the abolishment of the Executive Presidency.