SPUR   (Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka Inc)

Reg:  A 003 0777 MPO Box 4066, Mulgrave, VIC 3170, AustraliaTele/Fax: (03) 97957143  Fax: (03) 97957142 ranjiths@spur.asn.au

Website: www.spur.asn.au

MEDIA RELEASE – 11 February 2018

The Society for Peace Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka (SPUR) congratulates the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) for its stunning victory at the long awaited Local Government Elections held on 10 February 2108.

The Sri Lankan people have dealt a crushing blow to the Yahapalana regime which, in a short space of three years, has become synonymous with broken promises, economic stagnation, selling of national assets, the Central Bank bond scam, hounding of political opponents, Geneva betrayal of the war winning security forces, appeasement of the LTTE diaspora and the surreptitious agenda for a federal constitution.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, members of the parliamentary Joint Opposition, nationalist organisations and grass-root activists have guided the people to this historic result in spite of the enormous advantages of state power enjoyed the by the parties in government.

SPUR calls on President Maithripala Sirisena to exercise the powers vested in him to reconstitute the Parliament in line with the will of the people and call for a General Election at the earliest opportunity.

We also urge the Speaker, Mr Karu Jayasuriya, to immediately end the current façade and recognise the Joint Opposition as the legitimate holders of the position of Opposition Leader and Chief Opposition Whip.

We are of the view that the election results signify the demand for good governance and would request the SLPP to implement a plan immediately to launch a program locally as well as nationally

to manage the affairs of government to achieve the expectations of the voters.

In conclusion, SPUR appeals to all Sri Lankans to be vigilant in the face of both internal and external forces that seek to weaken the unitary status of the nation and to reject any proposal for constitutional changes that would encourage ethnic separatism or compromise national security.

Ranjith Soysa

(Spokesperson)