The Lawyers’ Collective, a prominent legal advocacy group in Sri Lanka, has expressed deep concern regarding the increasing authoritarianism under the country's President.
In a recent statement, the Lawyers’ Collective highlighted the growing authoritarian tendencies of the President, noting that he continues to govern without a mandate from the people. The group emphasized that the people's sovereignty, as outlined in the Constitution and upheld in various Supreme Court decisions, cannot be casually dismissed, particularly in light of recent decisions related to the economic crisis.
The Lawyers’ Collective underscored the significance of both the corporate sector and the international community, including the International Monetary Fund, closely monitoring the President's authoritarian actions and their impact on good governance and the rule of law in Sri Lanka.
Expressing concerns about potential political unrest and economic instability, the Lawyers’ Collective warned against the unchecked continuation of the President's authoritarian trajectory.
Additionally, the Lawyers’ Collective strongly condemned President Ranil Wickremesinghe's recent attempt to intimidate the Constitutional Council of Sri Lanka. Describing it as an authoritarian move, the group criticized the President for misrepresenting the constitutional purpose of the Constitutional Council in a parliamentary address on November 23, 2023. The Lawyers’ Collective asserted that the President's comments were a blatant undermining of constitutionally mandated checks and balances in the country's governance.
Moreover, the Lawyers’ Collective raised objections to the President's decision to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate delays by the Constitutional Council. The group argued that this move constitutes a threat to the Constitutional Council members, who are constitutionally mandated to independently decide on the approval of presidential nominees.
The statement was signed by a group of President’s Counsels, including Upul Jayasuriya, Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne, Geoffrey Alagaratnam, M.A. Sumanthiran, Dinal Phillips, Saliya Pieris, and Attorneys-at-law Prof. Savitri Goonesekere, Prof. Deepika Udagama, Lal Wijenayake, Upul Kumarapperuma, and several others, on behalf of the Lawyers’ Collective.
