Gotabaya’s Emergency declaration sparks wide criticism in Sri Lanka 

Diplomats, rights group and Opposition leaders call the move counterproductive, coming amid peaceful citizens’ protests

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s move declaring a state of emergency late on Friday has sparked wide criticism within Sri Lanka, as well as from the international actors who contended it was unhelpful and counterproductive, coming amid peaceful citizens’ protests.

Government critics and civil society groups fear that the emergency regulations, which give sweeping powers to the police and armed forces, could be used to quell public dissent that has intensified in recent days. Several thousand Sri Lankans are agitating on the streets relentlessly, blaming the ruling Rajapaksa brothers’ “misgovernance” for the island’s unprecedented economic downturn. 

Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa said in a tweet: “Under no circumstances @GotabayaR will you hold this country down with nothing but fear & violence. The state of emergency runs counter to seeking any solution to the crisis. JUST RESIGN.” 

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka, a professional body of lawyers, expressed “grave concern” over the move. “Declaration of a state of emergency is not the answer to the present situation in the country including the spate of public protests and strikes which have occurred. We re-iterate that the state of emergency must not be used to stifle peaceful protests and dissent or to make arbitrary arrests and detentions. The protests in turn must not be violent and must remain peaceful at all times,” it said in a statement. 

Even before the Emergency came into effect from Friday midnight, police unleashed water cannons and tear gas on students protesting outside Parliament on Thursday and Friday, neither of which seems to have deterred demonstrators going by the crowd since.

The Colombo-based NGO Centre for Policy Alternatives said it is “alarmed” by the “violent”, and “intimidatory” tactics used by authorities, with the declaration of state of emergency “being the latest move to crush dissent and other democratic rights”, despite peaceful citizens mobilizing peacefully. 

Canada’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka David McKinnon said in a tweet: “Over the past weeks, the demonstrations across #SriLanka have overwhelmingly involved citizens enjoying their right to peaceful freedom of expression and are a credit to the country’s democracy. It’s hard to understand why it is necessary, then, to declare a state of emergency.”