7th May 2022, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) is deeply concerned by the President’s decision to declare a State of Emergency under section 2 of the Public Security Ordinance (PSO) with effect on the 6th of May 2022 as per Gazette Extraordinary No. 2278/22. This is the second time the President has declared a State of Emergency in the span of five weeks, with no credible justification provided, in a context when Sri Lanka has witnessed weeks-long peaceful protests across the island. Despite the peaceful citizen mobilisation, CPA is alarmed by the violent and intimidatory tactics used by authorities, with the declaration of state of emergency being the latest move to crush dissent and other democratic rights.
Read the statement in English here.