A Fundamental Rights petition was yesterday filed in the Supreme Court seeking an interim order staying the Attorney General and any member of the Cabinet of Ministers from entering into agreement with Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) or any other agreement with United State of America.
This petition was filed through Attorney-at-law Dharshana Weraduwage naming Attorney General, President, Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Finance as respondents.
The Petitioner states that on or around the 30th of October, 2019, the Petitioner was shocked and dismayed to hear some news reports, which stated that the cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal forwarded by the Finance Minister to sign the Agreement with Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to obtain a USD 480 Million Grant.
The Petitioner states that there was no reference to a cabinet decision which had approved the said proposal.
The Petitioner states that there are serious concerns that the contents of the said Agreement is highly prejudicial to the interests of the National Security, Territorial Integrity and/or the Fundamental rights of the citizenry and the Security of the Region.
The petitioner further said Information officer for the President stated that the President has not entered into an agreement named SOFA between the Government of USA (as at that date).
The petitioner maintained that among other grounds, has the possibility of allowing US government to maintain in Sri Lanka Military Installations, Designated areas which will effectively deprive the free movement of the Petitioner and the citizenry of the Republic.
The petitioner further sought order declaring that one or more of the fundamental rights of all the citizenry of the Republic, duly guaranteed by the Constitution by Articles 10, 12 (1), 14(1) (e), 14(1) (g) and 14(1) (h) are about to be infringed by one or more of the respondents, in violation of the dictates of the Constitution.
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