SL- Singapore Free Trade Agreement faces HR commission inquiry  

A public interest activist Kapila Gamage has filed a complaint at the Human Rights Commission this week against the implementation of Sri Lanka - Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA) as it violates human rights. 

In his petition, Mr Gamage has brought to the notice of the commission six key reasons to prove that the agreement has no legal basis according to findings of the Presidential Committee of Experts citing, five instances of intentional manipulations, ten irregularities and several other findings of the committee.

The  Presidential Committee of experts clearly indicated that the agreement has no legal basis and it has not approved by the cabinet of ministers, the petitioner claimed. Cabinet has only given conditional authorisation to sign SLSFTA.

Attorney General has given conditional approval to the secretary of the ministry of internal trade where the secretary has failed to adhere to those conditions, he revealed. 

He appealed to the commission to declare that SLSFTA has violated his fundamental rights guaranteed by Articles 12 (1), 12(2), 14(1b), (d), and (g) of the Constitution of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.