The Government is equally bound to protect the freedom of expression, right to peaceful protests as well as the right to live in peace and public and private property.
It is the avowed policy of the Government to uphold democratic rights and promoting them including the freedom of expression, right to peaceful assembly and protest. It has been proven by action during the past period of over two years.

No baton charges, tear-gas canisters and water cannons were allowed on peaceful demonstrations and protest marches after the current President came to power.  On certain occasions, representatives of the protesters were invited into the President’s Office for discussion and to resolve their issues. Even a separate demonstration site has been allocated adjacent to the Presidential Secretariat for protesters.

Certain groups behaved violently during the protest organized at Mirihana last Thursday, March 31, causing damage to public and private property and injury to some people. The property damage has been estimated at Rs.39 million. Emergency Regulations and Curfew were invoked later in compliance with the stipulated legal provisions in order to protect human life, peace and public and private property.

Mohan Samaranayake
Director General of Government Information