The Campaign for Free and Fair elections (CaFFE) yesterday urged the Sri Lankan government to abolish the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which it describes as ‘one of the most draconian legislations’.

 

CaFFE Executive Director, Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon said that the PTA does not tally with the aspirations of a civilized nation.

 

Tennakoon added that although the PTA was introduced against terrorism, it was also to suppress a significant number of political activists, human rights activists, student, and trade union activists.

 

One of the main reasons that Sri Lanka was plagued with allegations of human rights abuses was the cruel treatment of those detained under PTA laws, Tennakoon argued. The PTA was also used by security forces, paramilitary groups and police to circumvent civilian law, he further pointed out, adding that these incidents were widely circulated in the international arena.

 

Under the PTA a detainee can be held indefinitely and that was used frequently during the conflict.

 

The CaFFE director pointed out that the civil administration is established across the country and therefore, there is no need to retain the PTA.