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Opposition bigwigs vow united action against Govt.
View(s):See Ranil’s arrest as suppression of political opponents
By the Sunday Times Political Desk
Galvanised by the arrest and subsequent remanding of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, leaders of leading opposition political parties are vowing collective action against what they call the JVP-NPP government’s attempts to suppress political opponents.
Opposition heavyweights including former presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena were joined by former ministers and MPs and a group of lawyers who met at the Sir Ernest de Silva Mawatha (formerly Flower Road) office of Mr.Wickremesinghe in Colombo yesterday to discuss a plan of action till Tuesday when the next court hearing of the former President is due.
Among others present at yesterday’s meeting were former MPs Wimal Weerawansa,
Mano Ganeshan, Kavinda Jayewardene, Ali Sabry, Hector Appuhamy and Mahinda Amaraweera along with a group of lawyers. They discussed the legal process to obtain bail for Mr.Wickremesinghe along with other matters.
They will meet again this morning following which the group is expected to hold a media briefing to announce their plans for the next two days.
Colombo based diplomats have been invited for a meeting by the opposition group to Mr. Wickremesinghe’s Colombo office on Monday to brief them on government moves to suppress opposition political forces, those familiar with the discussions said.
U.S. Ambassador to Colombo Julie Chung had called on Dr. Maithree Wickramasinghe yesterday to inquire about her wellbeing.
Ms. Wickramasinghe had also received calls from former British Prime Minister David Cameron and the former President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed.
Soon after Mr.Wickremesinghe’s arrest on Friday, Mr.Nasheed took to his X (formerly twitter) account to write that he was ‘very much looking forward to President Ranil Wickremesinghe returning home shortly.”
SLFP MP Dayasiri Jayasekara who attended yeserday’s meeting said the opposition parties would collectively stand together in certain matters especially in matters concerning political revenge.
“There is no need of making alliances, the parties would gather together in certain matters. The parties would work according to the law and stand together,” he said adding that they would take collective action and stand against “political revenge”.
SLPP Chairman Sagara Kariyawasam said a party leaders meeting was held yesterday which was attended by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
“The government is taking political revenge, they appoint people to positions not according to seniority, they even bring back retired officers to the TID through cabinet papers. They appoint their people to get what they want done,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, a series of religious activities have been organised for today with the main event at the Gangaramaya temple in Colombo with Bodhi Poojas planned across the country to invoke blessings on the former President.
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