22 February, 2012  |
| It is necessary to keep the house informed - Ranil |
Sri Lanka government's unwillingness to discuss the proposed National Action Plan (NAP) to protect and promote the human rights in the parliament is a violation of the constitution says the Opposition Leader.
Making a special statement in the parliament Opposition Leader Ranil Wikramasinghe questioned why the government is presenting the NAP at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva without being presented to the parliament.
“While the government has a right to present whatever the document in Geneva .. it is necessary to keep the house informed” he stated.
The Opposition Leader pointed out that the submission of the document bypassing the parliament is a violation of the constitution.
LLRC vs NAP
“The government is deliberately kept the house in ignorance and in doing so breach the constitution” he added.
 |  The government is deliberately kept the house in ignorance and in doing so breach the constitution |
“This is a breach of parliamentary privileges and it is a serious matter,” UNP Leader stressed.
Accusing the government for having double standards on human rights issues, Mr Wikramasinghe said that the government is secretly trying to distribute the draft national action plan in Human Rights Commission in Geneva.
UNP Leader also questioned whether the NAP is a supplementary to the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission report.
“The president in his independence day speech said that he is willing to implement the LLRC recommendations and I am questioning whether NAP is a supplementary to the LLRC report.”
He said that the government is depicting a confused picture and different parties including government ministers are making conflicting remarks.
Mr Wickramasinghe demanded an explanation from the government why the parliament was not informed on this serious matter.
Responding to the Opposition Leader's statement Acting Media Minister Laxman Yapa Abewardena said that the government will answer the questions on Thursday.
