China accused of negligence

Consumer rights group obtains legal advice

8 April 2020 11:42 am - 38 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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With individuals and groups in the US and the UK initiating legal action against the Chinese Government over the spread of the coronavirus, local groups in Sri Lanka are now preparing to do the same. The National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection said that it has already sought legal advice on the steps to be taken against China both locally and in the international arena. Ranjith Vithanage, Chairman of the National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection told Daily Mirror that China must take full responsibility for the spread of the virus in Sri Lanka and other countries. Vithanage said that their legal advisor, Prof. Prathiba Mahanamahewa and others are in the process of studying the legal aspects of steps to be taken against China. “We have found that there are legal grounds under which action can be taken against China. We are studying this further,” he said. He accused China of negligence in allowing the virus to spread to other countries and cause serios loss of lives and damage to the economy. Vithanage said that while China took steps to control the virus from spreading around their country, they did little to ensure it did not spread to other countries. “They ensured it did not spread from Wuhan to Beijing. But they did not take steps to prevent it from spreading to the world,” he said. Vithanage said that if the Sri Lankan Government fails to ensure China at least drops all outstanding payments as a compensation for what has happened, the National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection will join hands with foreign groups and demand justice. A prominent lawyer based in the United States had recently filed a US$20 trillion lawsuit against China and, in an interview with Daily Mirror, he called on countries like Sri Lanka to do the same. Vithanage said that South Asian countries must collectively push China for some sort of relief for its failure to prevent the virus from reaching our shores. (Easwaran Rutnam and Indika Sri Aravinda)

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Comments - 38

HBK Manjula Wednesday, 08 April 2020 12:27 PM

Pls don't waste your time and energy on these useless stuffs. If you really don't have anything to do at all pls stay at home. That is the best thing you can do to people of SL at this time.

M R NAZIM Wednesday, 08 April 2020 12:31 PM

This is sheer Bullshit!!! If a proper investigation is carried out the instrumental of spreading this COVID-19 would falls under US. This is a biological warfare to STOP china

Philip Samarasinghe Wednesday, 08 April 2020 12:31 PM

The Chinese have proved to be a curse. It is time recognize their despicable behaviour. Yes, by all means sue them. That 20 Trillion US Dollars that the leading US lawyer is proposing as compensation is a good sign that at least some people are aware of just how badly China has treated other countries. It is time for Sri Lanka to realize this.

Haramanis Wednesday, 08 April 2020 12:35 PM

Stop these Bulls from doing foolish things

Ravi Wikramasimghe Wednesday, 08 April 2020 12:36 PM

Very simple strategy to delay the change of world order. If you can’t stop 5G, you need use all UN and other possibilities to sue China. The guy in SL will also handsomely be benefited whether he files any cases or not.

Tudor Wednesday, 08 April 2020 12:39 PM

Good move,this type nasty acts must stop.

Rajeewa Jayaweera Wednesday, 08 April 2020 12:42 PM

Any country including Sri Lanka that did not ban flights and arrivals from China when COVID-19 broke out in that country in January 2020 has no right to sue China. It is their own fault.

Clowns Wednesday, 08 April 2020 12:51 PM

This has got be a joke

Roger Haĺliday Wednesday, 08 April 2020 12:51 PM

We salute you for the plan to initiate legal action but will you have the support of our leaders? Some said the chinese need not undergo checks.. what more could you ask from this government?

Sokrates Wednesday, 08 April 2020 12:56 PM

Correct and justifiable

Perea Wednesday, 08 April 2020 12:56 PM

Sri Lankan shall know who is friend who is enemy. USA never help SL, but encourage hatred. USA shall pay for all the other world, because USA brings the virus to China, and now USA loss the control of the virus. The world become worse due to the stupid comments. China is really helping, Sri Lanka shall united with China, so as to better developing.

Pissu Simon Wednesday, 08 April 2020 12:59 PM

You better watch out, you better not shout. You better not cry, cos I'm telling you why. Covid-25 is coming back to town!

S.P.Ramkumar Wednesday, 08 April 2020 01:06 PM

Even China won't allow others to Called this Virus as Chinese Virus. This is Global Social and humanity responsible of Chinese Government to give compensation to each avery deceased and. Affected Persons in this world.

Shirani Perera Wednesday, 08 April 2020 01:06 PM

Certain politicians may not like it but let us move on to get justice.

Sambo Wednesday, 08 April 2020 01:13 PM

China created this virus on purpose to gain power in the world. They should be held responsible for man slaughter and isolated from the world.

Best Wednesday, 08 April 2020 01:13 PM

Wow, what were other countries doing regarding border control and immigration during this period. It is the shear cooprate greed of these countries led them in to this situation.

Pick Pocket Wednesday, 08 April 2020 01:14 PM

Drops all payments to China? Who will give us the money to fill all the pockets in the country?

Sarath Kumara Wednesday, 08 April 2020 01:27 PM

It is not China's fault. Did anyone blame Spain for Spanish flu?

BE FAIR Wednesday, 08 April 2020 01:27 PM

I wish I was jobless to join this Legal Battle

Rayan Wednesday, 08 April 2020 01:32 PM

I know a few China communist lovers and rear admirals who will be really upset with this.

Bushel Wednesday, 08 April 2020 01:48 PM

Gosh.... Litigation? First lets raise iyr heads out of the virus before the nation get perished

Wer Wednesday, 08 April 2020 01:53 PM

Stop the China dependency

Raman Wednesday, 08 April 2020 02:03 PM

Is this news? Ants fart expecting the elephant to run !

roobarbie Wednesday, 08 April 2020 02:12 PM

Load of old nonsense this is. Lawyers will win as usual. US mud slinging and some idiots in SLk falling for it, or if not using NGO money to fill their own chests

Tuan Wednesday, 08 April 2020 02:19 PM

MR

Liberal One Wednesday, 08 April 2020 02:27 PM

Falling to the trap of USA like pawns.

haris wijayasiri Wednesday, 08 April 2020 07:53 PM

While you are at it, how about bringing in claim for inventing gun powder, which has caused millions of deaths in the world besides hundreds of thousands in Sri Lanka

vince Wednesday, 08 April 2020 08:22 PM

Sarath Kumara The Spanish Flu did not originate in Spain. Guess what the origin was KANSAS USA. That is where the first known case was detected. The rest is history. Can we bring a historical case against the USA?

Zhu Wednesday, 08 April 2020 09:05 PM

Sri Lankan shall know who is friend who is enemy. USA never help SL, but encourage hatred. USA shall pay for all the other world, because USA brings the virus to China, and now USA loss the control of the virus. The world become worse due to the stupid comments. China is really helping, Sri Lanka shall united with China, so as to better developing.

Professor Sri Kandiah Wednesday, 08 April 2020 09:48 PM

Certainly not the time to be having this sort of conversation. Globally, everyone should rally around to ensure lives are saved, by aggressive testing, isolating and preventing death. When this pandemic is brought to an end (it will at some stage) then may be have a constructive analysis and learn lessons. But is man prepared to learn lessons?

Hari Wednesday, 08 April 2020 10:22 PM

This is utter bullshit. How many Sri Lankan COVID-19 patients can be traced back to getting the virus from China? If at all people should file litigation against EU and US. That's where all SL cases can be traced back to. It is very clear that US and UK is now trying to shift the blame from their leaders who failed to act in a timely manner to curb the issue to somebody else.

ram Thursday, 09 April 2020 12:31 AM

Chinese government suppresses its own citizens who criticizes the government. China arrested the doctor who first informed about the virus. There are other government behave exactly the same way in the world.

Thimal Samarajeewa Thursday, 09 April 2020 12:15 PM

Sri Lanka has done well, India with a huge population of 1.3bn done fairly well, also Nepal etc; Generally it shows south asians are fairly resilient to this virus so far. Some experts thing BCG injection given to newborn babies in our region to prevent lung affected diseases such as tuberculosis may be the cause for this resilience.

Shihan Thursday, 09 April 2020 03:12 PM

Idiotic move .. nothing else to be said

Woke citizen Thursday, 09 April 2020 03:17 PM

Stopping flights from China would have done nothing. First case reported was from Italian tourists. We should be sueing them.

Andrew Silva Friday, 10 April 2020 09:25 AM

Is this a new suecide squadron at play? Country of origin to be determined.

Mary SS Sunday, 12 April 2020 09:31 AM

The incompetent always put blame on others, so is this chairman.

Bertrum S. Jayatilleke Wednesday, 15 April 2020 09:45 PM

Lots of fart and no shit ! A law suit will not get anyone anywhere. Sri Lanka will soon be re-named as Lanka (ROC) or Republic of China take it or leave it, this will be a reality during tenure. I know Sri Lankans are dreaming of coming to USA by Hook or by Crook. Please check your facts before making an ass of yourself A US citizen

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China accused of negligence

Consumer rights group obtains legal advice

Comments - 38

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