The Sri Lankan government has turned the CHOGM into an extravaganza to showcase the Rajapaksa regime, the main opposition UNP claimed today.
While the government purports to host a summit on behalf of Commonwealth that is committed to the values of democracy, human rights and good governance, it was opposed by many nations and organisations, the United National Party said in a statement.
The party charged that the government has devalued parliament, restricted freedom of expression, suppressed media, including disappearances and murders of media personnel and illegally removed the lady chief justice through impeachment.
The government has turned the CHOGM into an extravaganza to showcase the Rajapaksa regime, the statement said.
The opposition party has also slammed the Commonwealth Secretariat.
"The UNP is also surprised by the Commonwealth Secretariat's ostrich-like attitude towards some of the fundamental issues raised about Sri Lanka such as the impeachment of the lady top judge," the statement said.
However, the UNP says its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will attend the CHOGM summit as the opposition wants to seize the opportunity to force the government to uphold Commonwealth values during Sri Lanka's chair of the 54 nation movement.
