Opposition to lodge complaint against Speaker with Int’l Bodies: MP

By Yohan Perera   

The opposition is considering filing formal complaints against Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne with several international parliamentary organizations, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Union (CPU), an opposition MP revealed yesterday.   

“We will submit written complaints to the IPU and CPU regarding the conduct of the Speaker,” said MP Kavinda Jayawardene. He referred specifically to the Speaker’s decision to block a parliamentary debate on a no-confidence motion against Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekera, as well as allegations that microphones are being deliberately switched off whenever opposition MPs attempt to speak in Parliament.    In addition, Jayawardene announced plans to raise concerns with the Apostolic Nunciature (the Vatican’s diplomatic mission in Sri Lanka) and possibly with the Vatican itself. These concerns centre on the conduct of the Deputy Defence Minister and ongoing issues related to the investigation into the Easter Sunday attacks of April 21, 2019. “The Deputy Minister failed in his duty to take action against extremist elements who carried out the Easter Sunday bombings targeting churches and hotels,” the MP alleged. “He was the commanding officer in the Eastern Province at the time and did nothing to prevent the activities of Zahran [Hashim], the ringleader of the attacks.”