Sinhalese civilian files FR petition against Thoppigala celebration

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 August 2007, 15:57 GMT]
A Sinhalese resident of Kalutara, predominantly a Sinhala district in the western province Tuesday filed a fundamental rights violation petition in the Sri Lanka's Supreme Court seeking the court to declare that the Thoppigala (Kudumpimalai) victory celebration held by the Government of Sri Lanka on July 19 has violated the fundamental rights of the petitioner and the people Sri Lanka, legal sources said.

Mr.Wijeyapala Handapangoda in his petition stated that the government has brought disgrace to the political independence Sri Lanka obtained sixty years ago promoting national unity among all communities.

Thoppigala celebration had destroyed the national integrity, national harmony and unity of the country. Furthermore it has hurt the feelings of Tamil people and created a division between Tamils and Sinhalese, the petition said.

Thoppigala celebration is a plot to drive away Tamils from the main stream of the politics. Thoppigala celebration has created a notion that Tamil people are not citizens of this country. The Thoppigala celebration was held against the country's constitution. Hence the court should declare that the said celebration has violated not only the fundamental rights of the petitioner but also of all citizens of the country and to order appropriate relief, the petition pleaded.

The petitioner has cited seven personalities including the Prime Minister Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Home Affairs Minister Mr.Karu Jayasuriya, Attorney General as respondents.