Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam says the party decided not to participate in the protest against the 22nd Amendment after remarks by a Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP indicating that other opposition parties should not join.
Kariyawasam said the SLPP had been prepared to participate in the protest, but reconsidered its decision following the SJB MP’s public statement.
He claimed that neither Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa nor other responsible SJB representatives had publicly rejected or corrected the remarks.
“We cannot go there while maintaining our self-respect under such circumstances,” Kariyawasam said.
However, he said the SLPP supported opposition to the proposed 22nd Amendment and wished the protest success.
“This should not be an SJB protest. It should be a protest by the entire country,” he said.
Kariyawasam described the proposed amendment as a serious threat to democracy and accused the government of misusing the two-thirds parliamentary majority it had received.
Responding to questions about opposition unity, Kariyawasam said the SLPP would demonstrate its political strength when an election is held. (Newswire)
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