Anti Terrorism Bill published without adequate consultation with relevant stakeholders - BASL

5 April 2023 07:41 pm - 7 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Issuing a statement regarding the recently gazetted ‘Anti Terrorism Bill’, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) today announced that it would not hesitate to challenge any bill that would deem to undermine the Rule of Law and the Liberty of the Citizen in the country.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) observed that the Government published an ‘Anti Terrorism Bill’, on the 22nd of March 2023.

This Bill seeks to abolish the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and introduce an Anti-Terrorism Act. The BASL is of the view that no legislation should be introduced to curtail and suppress, directly or indirectly the fundamental rights of citizens, enshrined in the Constitution and that this Bill if passed into law will have far reaching effects.

The BASL stated that the Bill has been published in the Gazette without adequate consultations with the relevant stakeholders including the BASL.

Therefore, the BASL urges the Government to consider to defer the Bill until there is a wider stakeholder consultation and the concerns of stakeholders including the BASL are taken into account. This statement had been issued by BASL President Kaushalya Nawaratne and its Secretary Isuru Balapatabendi. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)

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Comments - 7

Tinpot president and his merry crooks Thursday, 06 April 2023 04:31 AM

The real terrorists are the president and his gang of pohottuwa criminals. The true purpose of this bill is to deny the basic rights of the people and keep on wrecking whats left like a bunch of scavengers fighting over a carcass.

Ranil Idi Amin. Thursday, 06 April 2023 04:40 AM

This bill is there to suppress the citizens of thier basic rights such as voting and when we protest, to treat us mercilessly. We should be very worried that the current president and his criminal gang will set the country back to the dark ages in terms of human rights. They have already done so with the economy. Sri-Lanka will be put in the same basket as Afghanistan and Burma by the international community.

Natalie Nanayakara Thursday, 06 April 2023 04:47 AM

As citizens our only hope is organisation such as BASL to restore our basic rights such as the right to vote and the right to protest when these rights are denied. Better sort these issues out internally before the international community gets involved. If they do our tourism will decline and the much needed aid may stop. The politicians will live in luxury with their offshore accounts and their stolen assets but everyone else will suffer.

L.G.B.T.Q.R. Rajapaksha Thursday, 06 April 2023 06:49 AM

PTA and ovalian humanitarian operations haven't ended terrorism ???? ! When it is a mission impossible to recreate a Naxalite episode like in early 80's, fictional saga in the making around local underworld figures who fled to India, justifying the need of a new act. Though restructuring of loss making govt. and semi govt. sector is necessary; people must oppose this act that brings for the survival of the junta without mandate, by postponing elections.

Jude Thursday, 06 April 2023 06:54 AM

SL have very weak legal system!! Government wants to intimidate trade unionists with ATB yeah!!

Jude Thursday, 06 April 2023 08:12 AM

All successive governments since 1977 can't govern without ATB, yeah!!

Observer Thursday, 06 April 2023 12:02 PM

The BASL is the only saviour to come to defend the democratic rights of the people.They have done this in the past and are doing so now.

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Anti Terrorism Bill published without adequate consultation with relevant stakeholders - BASL

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