People starve but to suppress their cry Emergency declared island wide !

A state of public emergency has been declared in Sri Lanka with effect from today (July 18).

The state of emergency has been declared in a proclamation by Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe in terms of Article 40(1)(C) of the Constitution, by virtue of the powers vested in him by Section 2 of the Public Security Ordinance (Chapter 40), as amended by Act No. 8 of 1959, Law No. 6 of 1978 and Act No. 28 of 1988.

The Extraordinary Gazette notification issued by the Secretary to the President, Gamini Senarath states the provisions of Part II of the Public Security Ordinance (Chapter 40), will come into operation throughout Sri Lanka with effect from today.

It states the public emergency in Sri Lanka has been declared in the interests of public security, the protection of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community.

The relevant Gazette notification is shown below.