Reprehensible statements closed the door for Int’l bailout - SJB

● President Wickremesinghe vividly explained how he was going to violate the basic tenets of democracy, rule of law and aspirations of 22 million Sri Lankans

● The UN, the UNHRC, Human Rights Watch, and Sri Lanka’s donor countries have repeatedly urged the Ranilrajapaksa regime to refrain from violating human rights, and protect democratic rights of the people

President Ranil Wickremesinghe closed the door for ever for the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of US$ 2.9 billion from the IMF or any significant financial support from other global financial agencies and also from donor countries to bailout Sri Lanka from the current precarious situation by making a reprehensible and egoistic statement in Parliament last Wednesday (23), the main opposition SJB said yesterday.

President Wickremesinghe vividly explained how he was going to violate the basic tenets of democracy, rule of law and aspirations of 22 million Sri Lankans by saying that he would deploy the armed forces and impose emergency regulations to crush peaceful protests, dissents and peaceful gathering and even stop walking on the road without approval by the police, the General Secretary of the SJB, former Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara said.

“The message of the disdainful rhetoric of President-wickremesinghe is that Sri Lanka is not a democracy anymore. His utterances clearly reflect that this is a failed state or a pariah state as its rulers are ready to stoop to any low to remain in power. This is not what 22 million Sri Lankans living in and out of the country, the international community, global financial agencies like the IMF, the World Bank, the ADB and our donor countries expect from Sri Lanka,” Madduma Bandara stressed.