The Presidential poll verdict in Sri Lanka has come as a relief to everyone, irrespective of ethnic background, said advocate and human rights activist Henri Tiphagne of People’s Watch here on Friday.
Reacting to the defeat of Mahinda Rajapaksa, he hoped that from now on independent institutions of Sri Lanka, including the judiciary and the media, which had been throttled, would play the role expected of them. The new government should restore democracy and work for the development and justice for the thousands of people who were fighting in the past. Though there might not be any change, it was hoped that there would be freedom of assembly and freedom of expression, Mr. Tiphagne said.
V. Suresh of People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) said the minorities, especially Tamils and Muslims, should feel confident that no action would be taken against them by the government agencies. The PUCL hoped that the new President would pay serious attention to pulling out the Army and removing military control over local administration.
“The new government should restore democracy and work for the development and justice for the thousands of people.”
