Joint committee of opposition parties to fight political victimisation

By Yohan Perera   

Some members of opposition parties which met for a discussion at the Opposition Leader’s Office yesterday decided to form a joint committee to engage in legal battles against political victimisation.   

This committee which comprises politicians who are legal officers by profession will help political parties to fight political victimization as per a statement issued by the opposition leaders’ office.   

It was decided to appoint Former MP Chandima Weerakody to be in charge of coordinating the committee.   

Former MPs Lasantha Alagiyawanna and Saman Ratnapriya were appointed to coordinate a collective body of all political parties and to keep them together. .   

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Professor G. L. Peiris, Chamara Samapth Dassanayake, Nimal Lanza, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Vajira Abeywardene, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Sagala Ratnayake, Venerable Thiyawala Palitha Thera, Nizam Kariaparar , Saman Ratnapriya, Lasantha Alagiyawanna were among those who participated in the discussion. A group of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MPs were also present.   

Meanwhile, asked about forming a joint opposition alliance, two representatives of political parties said the parties will only focus on political victimisation for now.  “We can think about forming a political alliance later,”.Abeywardee said at a media conference. SJB MP Mujibur Rahman also expressed the same sentiment when a question was asked at a separate media briefing.