• To meet with protesting women’s rights activists

A group representing the political sector and civil organisations yesterday (3) engaged in a peaceful protest in front of the Prime Minister's office in Colombo, urging Premier and Minister of Women, Child, and Youth Affairs, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya to investigate and initiate legal action against the defamatory campaigns allegedly being carried out through social media platforms against female politicians including former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.

Following a statement made by Kumaratunga to the effect that a person hailing from an ordinary background such as President Anura Kumara Dissanayake was able to make such an achievement due to what she claimed to be societal changes made by former Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike (Kumaratunga’s late father) in 1956, several posts were made on social media platforms criticising her.

Speaking to the media during the protest, human rights activist and attorney Nimalka Fernando said that everyone including those holding power are aware that females are engaged in politics in the midst of various types of challenges. "This is nothing against the President, the Premier, or the Government, but, there is this trend where females who speak about politics are criticised in an extremely disrespectful manner with comments being made on aspects such as their sexuality and social status. We ourselves have been targeted in such campaigns. These should be brought to an end right at the beginning." Claiming that such campaigns will affect females who are already in politics and those who are planning to enter politics, she said that such moves should be eliminated in order to establish the political reforms that the people are looking for. "We know that Dr. Amarasuriya has done a lot to protect the rights of females. They have even outlined their plans to ensure females’ rights in their manifesto. What we ask them is to put those promises into action. Instead of waiting for the victims to go and lodge complaints with the Police and file cases, the Government should get the Police to act with regard to this type of incident."

During the protest, a letter signed by more than 50 activists including former Ministers Ferial Ashraf and Sumithra Priyangani Abeyweera, and former Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Tara de Mel, was also handed over to the Premier's office. "Kumaratunga, whom you now know as Sri Lanka’s second female Premier, is also the first and only woman to have served as the Executive President to date. Her leadership helped end a violent political culture that took countless innocent lives including the youth and replaced it with a vision of peace and harmony. She paved the way for women like you to take on roles in political, economic, and social fields. You (Premier) can now take a stand not only for Kumaratunga but for all women. It is your responsibility, as well as that of your Government, to address this issue by directing the relevant authorities to initiate appropriate legal action against those who propagate hate and degrade women and the elderly."

Following a meeting with Dr. Amarasuriya's Private Secretary, Abeyweera told The Daily Morning that they were informed by the Premier's office that they would be given an appointment to meet Dr. Amarasuriya to discuss the matter soon, probably after the nomination process for the upcoming General/Parliamentary Election.