Wickremesinghe calls for opposition unity to stem ‘constitutional dictatorship’ in Sri Lanka

Colombo, Sep 20 (PTI) Former Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe on Saturday called for opposition unity against what he claimed were attempts by the incumbent Anura Kumara Dissanayake government to establish a “constitutional dictatorship”.

Making his first public appearance since being arrested last month, the 76-year-old leader of the United National Party (UNP) said, “Forgetting all policy differences we must unite to protect multi-party democracy.” “Let us organise 1,000 joint rallies. Let us also hold satyagrahas. I know some of you are experienced in leading Paada Yatras. So let us unite and stand together against this constitutional dictatorship," he said while addressing the crowd at the UNP convention.

Wickremesinghe also spoke about his recent arrest, which he attributed to his official overseas travel.

“I was arrested last month simply for undertaking an official tour to several countries,” he said.

“I attended the G77 Summit in Havana, then went to the US for the UN sessions, where I also met with the heads of the World Bank and IMF. My stop in the UK was only a transit. I did not use public funds for this trip,” he added.

The former president was arrested on August 22 and released on bail four days later.

He was accused of misappropriating 16.6 million Sri Lankan rupees for a private visit to the UK to attend a university convocation of his academic wife Maithree Wickremesinghe.

He said he was arrested despite submitting proof of an official invitation.

Wickremesinghe said the current National People’s Power (NPP) government was misusing the anti-corruption laws of his dispensation to harass the opposition.

“We must stand by all who would be arrested in future,” he said, adding that he was thankful for all the opposition leaders who realised the importance of fighting together to preserve multi-party democracy.

The UNP said all opposition parties had honoured the invitation to attend the party convention in a show of unity. PTI CORR GSP GSP