Politics

Parliamentarian Dilith Jayaweera, leader of the Sarvajana Balaya, expressed concern that the government's comments about eliminating racism in Sri Lanka could harm the country's reputation. He stated in Parliament on the 17th that most Sri Lankans are not racist. Jayaweera called on the President and the government to clarify who they consider racists and their plan to address the issue. He pointed out that such statements could negatively impact Sri Lanka's efforts to attract more tourists. The MP emphasized that Sri Lankans care for each other, regardless of their differences in religion or caste, and urged the government not to use racism to create divisions among people. Additionally, Jayaweera mentioned that lawyers throughout Sri Lanka feel anxious about representing clients in court after the recent Akuregoda shooting. He argued that attorneys should not be labeled as connected to criminal activities simply for doing their job. Jayaweera reminded that it is an attorney’s responsibility to defend clients under the assumption of their innocence when a case is brought to court.