European Union takes Hard-Line with Sri Lankan Government after attack on peaceful Protestors
The Council of the European Union (EU) in a strongly worded statement on yesterday (July 22) said that the EU expects the new Government of Sri Lanka to work in full compliance with its GSP+ commitments.
Following Sri Lanka’s Parliament swift action to elect Ranil Wickremesinghe as new President of the country in the wake of President Rajapaksa’s resignation, the EU underlined the need of upholding freedom of opinion and expression and individual rights of Sri Lankan citizens in the process of a democratic, peaceful and orderly transition.
In the light of reports of unnecessary violence against protestors, the EU stressed the importance of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association and condemned the unwarranted use of force against peaceful demonstrators.
Full statement by the Council of the European Union:
Sri Lanka: Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on recent developments
Following Sri Lanka’s Parliament swift action to elect Ranil Wickremesinghe as new President of the country in the wake of President Rajapaksa’s resignation, the EU underlines the need of upholding freedom of opinion and expression and individual rights of Sri Lankan citizens in the process of a democratic, peaceful and orderly transition. In the light of reports of unnecessary violence against protestors, the EU stresses the importance of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association and condemns the unwarranted use of force against peaceful demonstrators.
The urgency of the domestic situation requires the swift establishment and implementation of a structured plan of reforms in order to return the country’s economy back onto a sustainable path. In this context, it is essential to safeguard human rights and the rule of law while fostering good and inclusive governance and promoting reconciliation efforts.
The EU will continue to support all efforts in favour of Sri Lankan people, aimed at returning to more stability and economic recovery and advancing reconciliation agenda, in full respect of democratic values.
Over the years, the EU and its member states have provided more than EUR 1billion in assistance to the Sri Lankan people. The re-introduction in 2017 of preferential access to the European Single Market under the GSP+ scheme has been essential for Sri Lanka’s economic development. The EU expects the new Government to work in full compliance with its GSP+ commitments. Current and future cooperation programmes (EUR 70 million) are being aligned with Sri Lanka’s most pressing needs. In addition to delivering medicines through the EU’s Joint Civil Protection Mechanism, member states and the EU are closely monitoring food security on the island in order to fund actions targeting the most vulnerable communities.
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Does GSP+ commitments include hooligans occupying president secretariat for months stopping all the official duties, president’s and Prime minister’s official residences?
Spot on Ms. Indra!!! For SL to have a structured plan of reforms in order to return the country’s economy back onto a sustainable path as citizens of SL we should give the new authorities a breathing space. We asked ‘Gota to Go”. He has gone! Now, let the new Govt to work!!! Why can’t EU ask hooligans to vacate Govt buildings and public places?
Thank you Ranil. I salute you though I never supported you as a politician. Just now saw the Hiru News video clip containing your response to the Whiter than white US, EU, UN and others seriously concerned about the government evicting the squatters from the parliament secretariat building. It was one of the reasons I appreciated in MR, because he had the backbone to stand up to the first class hypocrisy. Ever since Democrats came to power in the US, they have nothing but the obsession of spending billions of national funds to put behind the bars those who participated in the Capitol Hill occupation for few hours only. I hope you did not forget to show the esteemed representatives came to bully you the video clip how the peacefully protesting ‘public’ were chasing unarmed police away from the parliament secretariat premises. If possible, try to come out of the non-align wet dream and try to find the money necessary from the sources other than the IMF id you have any sense of national sovereignty. Just make sure all the contacts with protestors at any time by the police and the army is fully video recorded and shown on the national television and uploaded on the social media to counter endless fabricated torture claims by the hooligans, individuals in yellow robes and black ties.
Very well said Indra. Yes we have to show EU, USA and UK, hearafter they cannot intervene and control country’s politics through financial matters. China has already expressed their willingness to assist Wickramasinghe’s government financially and any other possible means which made a slap to ears of EU, USA and UK.
Excellent comment Indra! I am no fan of the gaudy Rajapakse dynasty, but one thing I grudgingly admired was how MR had the balls to stand up to this ugly hypocrisy from the west, especially when he decided it was critically high time to “take care” of the last extremist/terrorist problem SL faced (for over 27 years) for good!
Of course Nishan, some of us think calling hypocrisy is hypocrisy is better than staying quite and taking threats without a base. Others like you taking it as a slap of somebody’s ears. What you need to think is what was done qualify a slap on years or not, if you are going to slap. which is another issue At least SL police and army did not shot dead anybody like in the Capitol Hill.
All the buggers age above 65 should not have voting rights. This is our future not theirs. Including you ………..yes
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What a pity your brilliant mind did not realise you won’t be anywhere around if the 65 had not been there before you!! Most age 65 and over have worked full time for their living. What have the Kupadiyas intoxicated with narcotics and alcohol squatting in different ‘Gama’s have done for the country more than those people have done? Of course the Aragalaya is a wake up call for the people in SL hose who can think. Give them and the insurgents hiding inside the Aragalaya and directing it the power. Sri lankans can experience a Pol Pot era in the 22nd centaury. Perhaps buggers age above 65 is a waste of food as well. Get rid of them. By the way, how many years before your will it be before your turn? Ane PaXo!
Having an Id called “Seafarer” and “buggers” in the comment is amusing and needs a bit of caution – well unless you appear to be an addict for you-know-what, which by the rest of your comment, sure appears to confirm so. Ha ha…
This reminds of the JVP diktat in the 70’s where all reaching ‘retirement age’ of 55 years be lined up and shot !!
EU should not biased to Tamil Diaspora who behind this well planned civil protests in Sri Lanka. The Tamil Diaspora has chosen an offshore politician, Kumar Gunaratnan who leads a country’s new political party “Peratugamee Socialist Party” and Inter-University Students Union to implement their hidden agenda of ruining the country’s civil administration. Since LTTE terrorism era, the EU is working closely with the Tamil Diaspora. Sri Lankans in the world must understand this political game clearly.
Here we go again! This same GSP+ (or whatever form of it) was what they used to BLACKMAIL Sri Lanka with, to go wooly-soft on the then heinous LTTE terrorists, to stick to one one peace talk after another with the LTTE for over 27 years just so Sri Lanka could eventually bleed to death. However, as many faults as he may have had, MR told these hypocritical meddler where to get off and made a resolute decision to wipe out the scum and bring back SL from the hell it had fallen into. So now that the LTTE are no more, well it looks like there is a new extremists/radicals/terrorists ‘aragalayas’ have been picked on to take that baton and run. Thus it is not surprising that this type of pressure would now once again come from EU, UK, US, Canada, UN etc. – essentially the same cabal that acts like a Mafia family to look after its interests! What they know and don’t appear to care about is that these are the same tactics they have applied world over to many a poorer country to drive it into the arms of China and Russia when such a country never had that inclination, ideologically or otherwise, prior to that hypocritical pressure being applied on it! Sri Lanka during the horrific LTTE terror campaign and Mahinda Rajapakse as Prez is only one such example!
Did someone say it’s time for a “special operation” to clean up Sri Lanka of fascists/insurgents and how wonderfully your extremist+idiotic statement provides a great use-case for it! Keep them coming Dumbo as the current regime is looking for exactly your type of ammo!
Look like ( who ever he or she is ) Indra and backers have been bought over by Ranil RAJAPAKSA.
Or have they been identified and brought under control by the Admin?
SAD.
Can you be more specific instead of being so vague to let us on this forum know (1) fabricated, exaggerated, part of my posts? (2) What to be controlled and why? I can assure you admin is controlling and moderating with my experience here.
Oh dear aragalaya, this is not your GalleFace “GO” gama and you are not going to win any “GO” this or “GO” that (I lost count now) campaign here by attacking commentators here as here we respect DEMOCRACY here where all are encouraged to contribute without fear of being assaulted or their houses being burnt. Btwy, it looks like SL forces smashed your A/C’d toilet there and you are now cranky….dear viplawakara poootha (I love Spanish! :)), well the Indian Ocean after all is just feet away and you could always go there for a super-relieving drop without coming here and acting nasty due to constipation.