The usual police at the usual protest
Sri Lanka has been under Emergency Law on and off for what seems like my entire lifetime (I was born in 1982). The Prevention Of Terrorism Act (readable 1981 version) is our functional Emergency Law. It basically makes warrantless search and seizure OK and detention possible because the government says so.
For most of my lifetime, the country did have the most serious terrorism problem in the world and these proscriptions did serve a purpose (though they were abused). Terrorism, however, was pretty permanently prevented when the war ended two years ago. Emergency Law continued which a lot of people have been complaining about
With most elections firmly out of the way, however, the government has been signalling that we might return to basic rule of law kinda soon. Which is nice.
The Hindu has reported that Emergency Law will be lifted by Mahinda Rajapaksa in Parliament, today. I hope it’s true.
UPDATE: Emergency Regulations have been lifted. The PTA has not.
This won’t make much of a difference because the PTA – which provides identical powers of seizure, detention without trial for up to 18 months, draconian punishments etc remains in place. Unless and until the PTA is repealed, the value of the end of Emergency is pretty limited. Of course, it will hopefully prevent the government from delaying elections for over a year using ER powers.
http://cpalanka.org/press-release-emergency-regulations-and-local-government-elections/