By Saman Indrajith

A group of artistes and activists gathered at the Centre for Society and Religion in Colombo yesterday to decide on a campaign to secure the release of leader of the JVP splinter group Frontline Socialist Party, Kumar Gunaratnam, who is currently in remand.

Addressing a press conference after their meeting, Vidarshana Kannangara of the Activists for Political Freedom said: “We campaigned hard to send the previous regime home in the hope that a government under President Maithripala Sirisena would not suppress the political rights of the people. We have made a mistake. We never expected the new government to adopt the same dictatorial methods as its predecessor. Unfortunately, we are now compelled to oppose the government we helped form.”

Kannangara said the arrest of Gunaratnam spoke volumes for the new dispensation’s dictatorial tendencies. “We saw how the government cracked down on a protest by students. Then came the arrest of Gunaratnam. All citizens of this country accept the fact that Gunaratnam is a fellow citizen and has a right to engage in politics. We ask the government not to renege on its promise to restor democracy. Unless it effect a course correction and honours its pledges, we won’t hesitate to campaign to topple it too.”

Ajantha Alahakoon, an artiste of the Activists for Political Freedom, said: “We as artistes condemn the arrest. We mobilised artistes against the previous regime and asked people to vote for Maithripala Sirisena and the UNP, which promised political freedom. Now we do not see any political freedom in this country. We call upon other artistes also to join us to secure the release of Comrade Gunaratnam.

Dramatist Mahesh Kumara, actor Jehan SriKanth, cinema artists Prabhath Hemanth Kumara also addressed the media.

Courtesy:The Island