The Retired Members of Parliament Association has announced it will begin a massive protest next week opposing the government’s decision to abolish parliamentary pensions, its secretary former JVP MP Pemasiri Manage said.
Last week, the association submitted complaints about the pension abolition to three international organisations — the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, the International Commission of Jurists, and the European Parliamentary Assembly — as well as to the neighbouring Indian government.
The group also sent a letter expressing their grievances directly to the President.
Meanwhile, if the pensions are officially revoked, former MPs from the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) have decided to take legal action to reclaim their parliamentary salaries, according to Manage.
He said the abolition of pensions is a fatal blow to democracy. He warned that after targeting privileges of former presidents and MPs, the government would next come after public servants.
Manage also revealed that he will challenge the decision in court, focusing on unresolved legal issues regarding the retrospective application of the law.
