The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, please allow me a brief time to clarify. We would not be bringing Privilege Questions if a solution had been given. We met you many times; we discussed with the Leader of the House many times; we met the President with all party leaders. We also requested by phone. Today’s situation arises because there is no solution.

¶ 02 You spoke of Standing Orders, convention and process. You yourself know that conventions have been shattered. Please have Members read Erskine May and M.N. Kaul & S.L. Shakdher regarding rules and practices. I will state what happened before you: attempts to hold elections in friendship associations in front of foreign ambassadors; that is not convention or procedure. I ask the Leader of the House to be magnanimous and grant the Opposition adequate representation in Committees. Then there will be no Privilege Questions and no issues.

¶ 03 But today, even for cooperative elections there is intimidation; in Gampaha, intimidation; in Kamburupitiya, peaceful protests face intimidation; at the University of Peradeniya, when students attempt to express views against the IMF program, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor writes not to hold such meetings contrary to Section 111. What is being done is anti-democratic. We are not trying to waste time; please take steps.