The JVP has strongly criticized the government led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa regarding its failure to control the covid epidemic, emphasizing that “no citizen should die due to reckless decisions”.
The party leader, Anura Dissanayake had stated this at a press conference held today (15th) through a live broadcast on the internet. His comments are as follows.
“Our country is facing its worst disaster since the outbreak of the covid epidemic. It has been proven that the rulers do not take decisions and actions with proper assessment of the situation. This media briefing is held to reveal the current situation and the actions to be taken in this regard. As the disaster intensifies, our loved ones are dying every 09 minutes, according to data from Friday (13th). More than 150 daily deaths are reported. It is a condition that exceeds more than 05% of the daily reported infections. This is a hazardous situation compared to the countries where the virus has spread. More than 3,000 cases are reported daily. The government has instructed that half of the hospital system should be deployed to suppress covid. In general, however, their hospital system is inadequate for patients. There is a danger that the entire hospital system will have to be used for covid instead of using 50% only. Tocilizumab, a drug used especially for pneumonia, is in short supply at the Colombo National Hospital. Overall, there is a shortage of drugs. In addition, a large number of health workers have been infected. There is the danger of the whole health system in our country collapsing due to the allocation of 50% of hospital capacity to covid, shortage of drugs and the staff getting infected. A large number Public Health Inspectors have been diagnosed with the disease. As a result, it has been reported from all quarters that the people of our country are in danger.
The World Health Organization (WHO) forecasts more than 220 deaths a day from September, with a minimum of 15,000 and a maximum of 30,000 expected by December. The WHO compiled these forecasts from a combination of our country’s senior medical expert groups, including Paba Palihawadana, and WHO expert groups. The directions shown here are alarming. The government has been informed of the action to be taken by all responsible institutions. Mrs Padma Gunaratne of the Association of Specialist Physicians stated that at least a curfew should be imposed due to the deadly nature of the situation. Lakruwan Fernando, the President of the Association of Specialist Physicians, proposed closing the country. The Government Medical Officers’ Association stated that a large number of deaths could have been prevented if the proposals had been implemented. The President of the Public Health Inspectors Association Upul Rohana had stated that even if the country is closed now, these deaths cannot be prevented for another 10-12 days. However, if the government was not ready to close the country to prevent further deaths, the people should prepare food for two weeks and quarantine themselves, he had said. Deputy Director-General of Health Hemantha Herath had stated that the government had been informed of the action to be taken and advised the government to take such action. State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control Dr Sudarshani Fernandopulle told the media that the government should take the relevant decisions. She has hinted that no one is responsible for the safety of the people as others make decisions. It is said that the President prevented Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi from presenting her case to the Cabinet. Doctors have been instructed to meet the President if necessary. When the Prime Minister met a Thero, he had stated that he wanted to take action beyond the travel restrictions. The Minister of Covid Control , the Minister of Health, all organizations in the health sector, including the Medical Association, and the WHO have all called for the closure of the country, citing the seriousness of the situation. Instead of the opinion of those who have an understanding of this field, the President trusts only the information provided by the state intelligence service. Everyone, including the media, hoped that a decision would be taken to impose strict travel restrictions at a recent Covid Suppression Task Force meeting. But the decision taken would not suppress the pandemic at all.
At a time, the Presidential Task Force imposes a maximum limit of 150 for weddings. Next, it is reduced to 50. Then restrictions are imposed on travel between provinces. However, the epidemic is spreading across the country. Next, those who are not vaccinated are prevented from going to public places after September 15.
This needs to be clarified. People do not refuse vaccination. They are prepared to take drugs prescribed by the government. When Indigenous Medicine Minister Sisira Jayakody introduced Dhammika honey, people gathered around it. People behaved like this because it was advertised with state sponsorship. When a group, including the chairman of the ITN channel, introduced Ravana honey, they went after it. When Minister Channa Jayasumana recommended Sudarshana honey, again, people went after it. When the vaccine was brought in too late, people gathered behind it. However, the government did not provide the vaccine on time. At present, people are queuing for 6-7 hours at places where vaccinations are given. Therefore, the President and the Army Commander should know that the people do not refuse to get vaccinated. According to current reports, more than 75% of deaths are of people over 60. The WHO requested that a national vaccination programme be developed in each country in view of this situation. The WHO provided guidelines for this. Accordingly, our country’s experts came together and prepared the national program of our country and handed it over to the WHO.
According to this guideline, health staff should be prioritized. Next are people with various complications and citizens over 60 years. However, the government rejected this programme and experts’ recommendations and gave the first vaccine to those in their 30s and 60s. We would like to know who made the recommendations for this. Even Minister Sudarshani Fernandopulle was not aware of this change. Even in vaccination today, measures have been taken that cause anomalies.
Meanwhile, the President has restricted the number of employees calling for daily duty at his secretariat. Putting aside the recommendations of the WHO or other experts, the government led by the President is playing a deadly game. They are distorting accurate data and information that can predict the future. No citizen of this country trusts the data on deaths and infections given by the government. The most serious thing is that the predictions made on this data are wrong. That is why more than 150 people die every day at present. Even the Government Medical Officers’ Association, a member of the Presidential Task Force to Eradicate COVID-19 , reports that the daily death toll has exceeded 250. A piece of very dangerous information was revealed at the Gampaha District Development Committee meeting. From August 1 to 9, 12,555 cases were reported. However, official government documents reveal only 3,529 infected people. 8,326 patients have not been taken for final reports. It is three times as many as the official record. This situation was also reported from the Badulla district and the eastern areas. We would like to know whether the President intends to escape the disaster by hiding data and information. A ruling party MP himself had stated that there was a deadly data distortion. Due to this, the attention of the people is lost on the risk. It is clear that none of the citizens of this country, health organizations, specialist organizations agree with the actions of the President.
It is clear that sometimes even the Prime Minister and the Cabinet do not agree. An individual with the Army Commander is playing a deadly game endangering the lives of our country’s citizens. The citizens of this country have elected the President as the ruler. The President should not think that the people’s lives have been signed on paper and given to him.
How much does death or an event caused by the plague affect their families, relatives, and loved ones? Even a normal death can be devastating. To get rid of it, we regularly seek help through activities, including religious observances. However, for many, the crematorium where the mother who cared for them for 30-40 years was cremated cannot be found. The same is true of children, wives, and others. They say that 80% of these people could have been saved if the proposals put forward by the Government Medical Officers’ Association had been implemented. If so, 80% of these deaths are due to murders. The President is responsible for those killings. There are several ways in which the President has acted in the face of this catastrophe. The right decision was not made at the right time.
There are a number of actions such as keeping the country open for the passing of the 20th Amendment, keeping the country open until the Port City Act was passed, and not taking the right decisions when the danger of deadly Delta variant was entering the country in April. Even if action is taken today on the recommendations of expert groups at this particular moment, the results will be gained in about 10 days. So far, hundreds of people are dying due to poor decision making. Aren’t these murders? Isn’t the President responsible for that? The President cannot absolve himself of responsibility for these massacres. This is not a collective decision of the government. It is a result of the President’s arrogant decisions. You are not humble. Not ready to listen to the other. Hitler’s mind was not ready to listen to the commanders’ reports in charge of the troops during Hitler’s final defeat. Hitler only wanted to listen to the statements he liked. Those who express dislike were expelled. That is how Pavithra was silenced in the Cabinet. No official is presenting information before the President today. That is the ignorance of the ignorant. The President cannot be absolved of responsibility for this disaster. The ruler of the country at this particular moment is President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. With the passage of the 20th Amendment, a monopoly power structure was achieved. Today they are not used to save people from death. All those powers have been used to push the people towards death. The President doesn’t take responsibility for the lives of the citizens of this country. He has his own ways and lives in a dream world. He does not hear the catastrophe happening in the country.
As a result, the citizens of this country are experiencing the consequences. We as a party ask the citizens of this country not to expect their protection from this ruler or this regime. How idiotic and pitiless ruler he would be if he could live like this when hundreds are dying every day? We now urge citizens to take all necessary steps to ensure their safety. Several cities, including Ambalantota, have been closed voluntarily in recent days. The Public Health Inspectors’ Association similarly called for the people to find their protection. Minister Sudarshani Fernandopulle also made this request. They have asked the people to protect themselves, their family members, neighbours, relatives and the citizens of the country. We request public servants not to go even if they are called to work. You indeed have to work for a living. But your life is more valuable than a job. We urge every citizen to take action to voluntarily lock up. We ask that no one be allowed to fall victim to this catastrophe. We are a nation that lost about 45,000 people in the tsunami disaster. We want to know whether citizens should die because of the foolish actions of the ruler of this country.
We further emphasize that you work for your own safety. You put your safety first. If there is any inconvenience, we as a political party are ready to contribute to any relief. People in this country have shed enough tears. This earth is soaked with blood. The people of our generation should not fall prey to the foolish decisions of this President. So follow the maximum steps you can take for your safety. Tell this message to others. Let us as a people come to a collective decision to come out of this catastrophe. Let us take individual protection measures to the maximum.”<\/p>\n