Ranil’s arrest: Diplomatic community engaged,U.S. India, China already briefed

The opposition sees the arrest of Mr. Wickremesinghe on what it calls ‘trivial charges’ is an action with chilling effect on democracy 

By Kelum Bandara 

The opposition parties have started the engagement of the diplomatic community in Colombo over the arrest of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, an informed source said.   

An opposition delegation that includes United National Party (UNP) General Secretary Talatha Athukorale, former External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L.Peiris and former State Minister Ruwan Wijewardene has already briefed the heads of diplomatic missions of the United States, China and India regarding the arrest of Mr. Wickremesinghe.   

Mr. Wickremesinghe who is now in remand will be produced before the Colombo Fort Magistrate today.   

The opposition sees the arrest of Mr. Wickremesinghe on what it calls ‘trivial charges’ is an action with chilling effect on democracy.   

India’s Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday also expressed concern about the arrest and called on the government to “abjure the politics of vengeance” and treat their former President with dignity.   

In a post on X, Mr Tharoor stated that the alleged charges against Ranil Wickramasinghe “seem trivial” and expressed concern about the health of the former Sri Lankan President, who was admitted to the hospital shortly after the arrest.   

“Concerned about the detention of former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on what, on the face of it, seem trivial charges. His health issues have already seen him taken to the prison hospital. I call on the government of Sri Lanka -- while fully respecting that this is their internal matter -- to abjure the politics of vengeance and treat their former President with the respect and dignity that he deserves, after his decades of service to the nation,” Shashi Tharoor said.   

Former Norwegian peace envoy to Sri Lanka, Erik Solheim, also called for the urgent release of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, citing concerns over his health while in detention.   

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Solheim said he joins “leaders in Sri Lanka, South Asia and around the world” in demanding Wickremesinghe’s immediate release. He described Wickremesinghe as the leader who “stood up to save Sri Lanka” during the 2022 economic and political crisis.   

Solheim dismissed the allegations against Wickremesinghe as “without merit,” adding that even if true, they would not amount to any criminal or unacceptable conduct in Europe.