Established multiparty interim Govt. immediately – OPA

The Organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka (“OPA Sri Lanka”) expresses its grave concern over the situation in the country consequent to the protest by people on July 9, 2022, until such time a proper governance structure is reestablished.

OPA Sri Lanka condemns brutal attack on media personnel, setting fire and causing damage to properties at the private residence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and requests that these incidents and other connected incidents be fully investigated and those perpetrators be brought before justice. OPA Sri Lanka also calls upon those in power to ensure aspirations of people to be fulfilled, failing which recovery from the current crisis situation would only prolong. As a consensual arrangement, the constitution of a multiparty interim Government must be immediately established as called for by the people in accordance with the legal framework in the interest of regaining the confidence of the international community and the potential investors to help resolve the Socio-Economic crisis.

We wish to reiterate our stance that the Cabinet appointments should comprise people with subject matter knowledge based on meritocracy. To this effect, it is OPA Sri Lanka’s recommendation that all political parties make effective use of its positions of Member of Parliament (“MP”) through the National List via appointment of Subject Matter Experts as their nominees with which such Subject Matter Experts could potentially take up Cabinet appointments. It is of paramount importance that the new governance structure would ensure its activities are carried out in an open, transparent and in an exemplary manner during its period of operation which could be continued by a subsequently established Government.

OPA Sri Lanka is concerned about the damage to the public property including President’s Official Residence, Presidential Secretariat and Temple Trees currently occupied by people and we call upon those who are occupying them to ensure a peaceful handover of the same to relevant authorities.

As citizens of this country may continue to resort to expressing dissent through peaceful means, we also wish to appeal to law enforcement agencies to uphold law and order protecting the rights of people of the country for the betterment.