Freedom and democratic rights

PRESIDENT Mahinda Rajapaksa has once again allayed fears of the public that the tough new laws promulgated would in no way be used to curb fundamental freedoms and democratic rights of the citizen.

On the contrary, the laws introduced purely to deal with LTTE terrorism has been carefully drafted so that they would not impinge on people's individual rights and day to day life, he said.

Addressing the Human Rights Commemoration ceremony in Tangalle via satellite from Temple Trees, President Rajapaksa said the new anti-terrorism laws were meant for the people's protection and that he had instructed the authorities and agencies to ensure no violation of human rights occur under the guise of implementing the new laws.

"We have strictly advised the officials to discharge their duties with caution and full conviction in the proper manner by which the rights of all citizens are protected irrespective of their race, religion or region".

The President had put things in perspective. The new laws are only to deal more effectively with terrorism. They would in no way encroach into human rights and civil liberties of the people.

Given the antecedents of the President as an ardent human rights activists from his salad days as a politician, one could but rest assured that he would not permit the abuse of the new laws, despite the various rumblings from NGO bodies and likes that these enactments lend themselves to wider interpretation that would lead to curbing of fundamental freedoms like freedom of expression.

These elements tend to overlook the reality that a responsible Government is duty bound to adopt measures that it deems necessary to protect its citizens from acts of terrorism, and as a state actor it can operate under permitted limits, one of the options being enactment of tough laws.

It cannot descend to the level of the LTTE who are free to resort to the most heinous and barbaric methods as seen during the two decade old conflict.

As it is, the Government is operating under severe constraints by playing by the rule book even while trying to feed its own people in the North whom the LTTE are trying to starve by enforcing a food blockade.

Based on the President's record as a champion of Human rights and free expression that formed the main platform of his political ascendency, the public can derive confidence that he means what he says when he asserted that the people's fundamental freedoms would be untouched by these enactments.

The public in their turn should repose their trust in the President and appreciate the compelling reasons that led to his resorting to the new measures and bear with attendant inconveniences and hardships their implementation may entail.

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