Opposition, Civil Society launch Samagi Balavegaya * Warn of massive protests

Leaders of political parties, religious and civil rights organisations place their signatures to an agreement on the launching of Samagi Balavegaya aimed at forcing the Rajapaksa government to restore democracy, the rule of law, respect people’s basic rights and end the rampant corruption and abuse of power, which has resulted in the cost of living spiralling to unprecedented levels.


The UNP yesterday entered into a 10-point agreement, with many political parties and civil society organisations to force the Rajapaksa government to restore democracy, implement the rule of law and ensure the basic rights of its citizens.

Among the signatories to the agreement titled Samagi Balavegaya are the NSSP, DPF, USA, DUA, NSU, representatives of all religions and a large number of civil society and human rights organisations.

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, addressing a large gathering at the New Town Hall, in Colombo, said that even before their ten-point plan had been finalised, President Mahinda Rajapaksa claimed that he was not a dictator, since people were free to call him a dictator.

Under Hitler and the Old American political system, a government which had a majority in the legislature, was considered democratic, regardless of how such power was obtained, he noted.

Wickremesinghe pointed out that, Rajapaksa, having rushed the 18th Amendment to the Constitution through Parliament, against the voters’ wishes and in the most unethical manner, was now behaving in a Hitlerite manner by claiming that he was a democrat merely because the masses were able to refer to him as a dictator.

The President, he said, did not mind being called a dictator, as long as his dictatorial polices were implemented.

Unless the democratic rights of the people including religious freedom was restored the rule of law implemented, an end to the rampant corruption, measures taken to control the unprecedented increase in killings, rape and robberies, the cost of living brought down and proper education and health facilities provided, the UNP-led Opposition and civil society would take to the streets, Wickremesinghe warned.

"Enough is enough," the UNP leaders said adding that over four years after the conclusion of the war the country had been transformed into a military state. He observed that when villagers asked for clean water and workers agitated for their labour rights, they were fired at and killed. But, the President, still claimed that he was heading a democratic and transparent regime.

It was imperative that the rights of all communities be restored, in keeping with the multi-ethnic and multi-religious character of the country, Wickremesinghe stressed.