The Commonwealth and Sri Lanka’s disintegrating democracy
While the nation is all set to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) later this year, Sri Lankan democracy is disintegrating, with systematic torture and arbitrary detention increasingly becoming a ‘way of life’.
Colombo's Municipal Council, as Sri Lanka fumigates to contain Dengue Fever. Demotix/Tharaka Ruwansiri. All rights reserved.
In November this year, Sri Lanka will host the 23rd Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister of Canada has announced that he will not attend the meeting, citing the country’s dismal human rights record, and Nick Clegg, the British Deputy Prime Minister, has warned of “consequences” if the Sri Lankan authorities did not change their conduct.
As the nation is thrust into the global spotlight once again, hope that the conduct will change remains faint among its people.
