Amnesty International condemned the infringement of the freedom of expression and assembly and accused the police of using excessive force. Amnesty urged the Sri Lankan government to observe the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms which provide that lethal use of firearms may only be made in strictly unavoidable circumstances in order to save life.
The opposition parties had arranged the protest march after President Chandrika prorogued Parliament on 10 July and announced a national referendum for 21 August on the proposed constitution. The President took the action after the government lost its majority in Parliament when Sri Lanka Muslim Congress joined opposition ranks. The prorogation was apparently to avoid an opposition no-confidence motion (see Sri Lanka Monitor Briefing July 2001). Opposition parties have also demanded the appointment of independent commissions on Public Administration, Media, Elections, Finance and Police.
In early July, Foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar revealed that Norway has appointed a four-member team - Deputy Foreign minister Raymond Johanssen, Oslo’s Colombo ambassador Jon Westborg, parliamentarian Erik Solheim and Foreign Ministry Executive Officer Kjersti Tromsdal - to revive peace efforts.
But progress is unlikely in the present deteriorating climate of political turmoil in the island. The peace process has been given another stinging blow by the LTTE attack on the Katunayake airport on 24 July. Observers say that the Sri Lankan government is now likely to look for ways and means to further strengthen its political position and the armed forces rather than concentrate on a peaceful solution to the ethnic conflict.