‘Lawyers for Democracy’ has today condemned the physical attack on Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri, the former President of the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations, when he was at the May day rally at Kirulapane organized by the group of parties supporting the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.

DR. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri

“This attack which is a blatant attack on democracy and the mandate given by the people in no uncertain terms at the last presidential election. The people voted against the fascist and racist politics of the last government and expressed the desire to be governed under a democratic system where rule of law and human rights are respected.” the LfD said in a statement.

LfD said; “This attack on Dr. Nirmal is an attack on the movement that brought about this change as Dr. Nirmal and FUTA led by him was in the forefront of the struggle for restoration of democratic rule. The attack by this fascist and racist group shows that though the white van has disappeared, but this group has not given up the white van culture which prevailed during the last few years and used by them to suppress the people by bringing fear into them.

“While we condemn this dastardly act it is an eye opener to civil society that the threat to democracy still exist as seen from the behavior of this group in Parliament to obstruct the passage of the 19th Amendment. It is the demonstration in Colombo on the 28th organized by the forces led by Rev. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero that forced this group to retract from obstructing the passage of the 19th Amendment. Civil Society has to be vigilant to protect the peoples’ victory of 8th January 2015.”