Protest threatened on 18th if Mudalige’s detention extended

The Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF), the Inter-University Bhikkhus’ Federation (IUBF), the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU), and several other civil organisations, are demanding that President and Minister of Defence Ranil Wickremesinghe not extend the 90-day detention orders imposed on IUSF and IUBF Convenors Wasantha Mudalige and Ven. Galwewa Siridhamma Thera, respectively. They have warned that if the detention order is extended, they would surround Colombo, and hold a series of protests across the country on 18 November, which is when the relevant detention orders are set to expire.

Speaking to the media, former IUSF Convenor and Youth for Change Organisation National Organiser Lahiru Weerasekara said that the detention orders on Mudalige and Siridhamma Thera will have reached 90 days on 18 November. Therefore, he said, all progressive parties in the country are determined not to allow them to be detained for even one day further, adding that if they are not released, thousands of people will take to the streets and launch protests. 

“We are not afraid of the ‘jungle law’ of Wickremesinghe. He is the one who signed these detention orders. We would like to tell him that we will get Mudalige and Siridhamma Thera released. We will continue this struggle until every Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (PTA) detainee is released. The PTA should not be implemented in the country again. We request everyone who can, to come to Colombo on 18 November, and everyone else to protest from wherever they can. We have no requests to make from Wickremesinghe; instead we have a demand. That is to release Mudalige and Siridhamma Thera, and to repeal the PTA immediately.”

IUSF Acting Convenor Terrance Rodrigo, speaking to the media, claimed that Wickremesinghe, Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence General (Retd.) Kamal Gunaratne, Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon, and the “Rajapaksa gang” (a reference to supporters of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and current MP Mahinda Rajapaksa) are using various tactics to further detain Mudalige and Siridhamma Thera. Against such plans, he said, the IUSF, the IUBF, trade unions, all parties involved in the “aragalaya”, and other progressive forces will surround Colombo on 18 November.

Meanwhile, IUBF Acting Convenor Ven. Udenigama Gunarathana Thera stated: “The Government is trying to further detain Mudalige and Siridhamma Thera by using various tactics. Therefore, we want to say that together with the progressive people of this country, we will defeat all these repressive laws. We are intervening to get Mudalige and Siridhamma Thera as well as all others who are being detained under the PTA, released. Even if the Government deploys 5,000 to 6,000 Police officers, there is no way that they can stop us. We ask Wickremesinghe to stop this cowardly and shameless repression. The people are ready to respond to all these repressive actions. Towards that, we have organised a massive programme on 18 November.”

CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin, who also attended a joint media briefing with the aforesaid parties, said that if Mudalige and Siridhamma Thera are not released on 18 November, the CTU will unconditionally support any action taken by the IUSF and the IUBF against such a move. He said that Mudalige and Siridhamma Thera are being detained under the PTA without any basis, and said that it is a serious violation of human rights. 

“To date, there are no charges against them. Why are university students detained under this Act? Through this Act, the Government hopes to intimidate others. The repression is being implemented in this way to stop the people from coming forward for the people’s struggle. These detention orders have been signed by Wickremesinghe. If they are to be extended, it is he who should do it. Therefore, we are asking if he is going to detain them further? There was no terrorism in this struggle. This is completely an uprising of the people. Currently, people who are engaged in protests are being arrested continuously. International organisations are also concerned about this situation,” added Stalin.

The IUSF had organised a massive protest in Colombo on 18 August against President Wickremesinghe and the Government. A total of 16 university students who were arrested during that protest were released on bail after being produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on 19 August, while Mudalige, Siridhamma Thera, and IUSF member Hashan Jeewantha were placed under detention. Jeewantha was later released on bail after being produced before the relevant Magistrate; however, Mudalige and Siridhamma Thera are still being interrogated by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) on a 90-day detention order signed by Wickremesinghe in his capacity as the Defence Minister.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court (SC) last week issued an interim order directing the TID to produce Mudalige before a Magistrate. This order was issued when a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition for allegedly violating the FRs guaranteed under Articles 12(1) (equality before the law and equal protection of the law), 13(1) (freedom from arbitrary arrest) and 13(2) (freedom from arbitrary detention) of the Constitution, filed on behalf of Mudalige was taken up for consideration. The SC two-judge-bench comprising Justices President’s Counsel (PC) Vijith Kumara Malalgoda and S. Thurairaja PC decided to grant leave to proceed with the said petition.

After a few days of the issuance of the SC order, Mudalige was produced before the Tangalle Magistrate on Monday (14). The IUSF activists said that he had been covered when he was produced in court. The counsels who appeared on behalf of him had queried as to why he had been covered and had demanded an explanation, to which the TID officers had then said that he was covered as he was to be produced for an identification parade in another case.