NPC’s District Inter Religious Committees (DIRCS) conducted several seminars and awareness raising activities around the country in the wake of the Constitutional crisis triggered by President Maithripala Sirisena’s sacking of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe.
In Matara, the DIRC organized a seminar on the citizen’s role to protect democracy for 50 DIRC members and journalists while in Monaragala over 200 people, including local politicians and religious leaders, attended a similar seminar. Participants felt the removal of the Prime Minister was unconstitutional. After the seminar a leaflet distribution campaign was carried out in the Monaragala and Buttala towns.
In Anuradhapura, 60 civil society leaders and government officials attended a seminar where NPC’s Project Manager Saman Seneviratne made a presentation on the political crisis and the role of citizens to protect democracy.
At the Batticaloa seminar, consultant S. Balakhrishnan spoke about good governance, democracy and the Constitution. Over 150 people attended, including civil society groups and religious leaders. Participants were told about the court verdict against dissolving the parliament and provisions of the Constitution. They learnt the principles of democracy and good governance.
In Polonnaruwa and Hinguragoda, DIRC members distributed 2,000 information leaflets on the current political crisis at the Sunday fairs. People said the leaflets were important to understand the legal provisions that were violated by President Sirisena.
In Nuwara Eliya, over 70 people representing different civil society groups came to a public seminar in the town. After the seminar, 2,000 leaflets providing the details of how the actions of the president undermined the provisions of the Constitution and the effects of the current political crisis were distributed among the people.
In Colombo the Sathyagraha organized by National Civil Society Forum and Trade Union Collective at Viharamaha Devi Park concluded. Religious leaders, politicians, civil activists and trade union members had participated. NPC invited 16 religious leaders to attend the final meeting representing Batticaloa, Galle and Kurunegala DIRCs.