Under MR's Stewardship, Democracy Hangs By The Barest Of ThreadsUnder MR's Stewardship, Democracy Hangs By The Barest Of Threads
Mangala Samaraweera MP
His Excellency Kamalesh Sharma
Secretary General of the Commonwealth
Marlborough House,
Pall Mall,
London SW1Y 5HX,
United Kingdom
Your Excellency,
It is as a matter of great urgency that we are compelled to bring to your attention the continuous violation of Commonwealth values by the current Chair of your esteemed organisation and the failure of the Commonwealth to take meaningful steps to rectify this dire situation.
The most recent incident of State-orchestrated violence occurred in the home district of the Commonwealth's present Chairman in office Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, when five parliamentarians of the main opposition, United National Party (UNP) were brutally assaulted by goons affiliated with the regime .
These elected representatives were on a fact finding visit to the controversial Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) and the Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port, both pet projects of the ruling regime, both costing at least US $ 1.5 billion, both shrouded in allegations of corruption and wastage and by all indications sprawling white elephants that have gobbled colossal sums of Sri Lankan tax payer money.
According to independent media reports, the five MPs were first harassed and intimidated when they were coming out of the MRIA. Live television pictures showed the Mayor of President Rajapaksa's hometown carrying a pistol while a large crowd manhandled the MPs. The Mayor has claimed he was acting on the direction of the President's powerful son and Hambantota District Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa. As has become the norm, Police personnel watched while the regime backed goons assaulted the MPs and attacked the vehicle they were travelling in. Complaints have been lodged with the police officially, yet the opposition does not dare hope for justice from a judiciary that has been beaten into submission after the Government illegally sacked the country's most senior judge and appointed an administration puppet in her place. Read More
Mangala Samaraweera MP
