The US embassy in a statement said it remains deeply concerned by the Impeachment Proceedings against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake.

The full statement is as follows:

“The United States Embassy remains deeply concerned by the impeachment proceedings against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake, which were conducted in defiance of a Supreme Court order.  This impeachment calls into question issues about the separation of powers in Sri Lanka and the impact of its absence on democratic institutions.

“The Embassy is also concerned about accounts of violence during several of the protests.  The Embassy calls on all sides to respect the right of peaceful protest and calls on the government to ensure that non-violent protesters are protected.”

“The United States, along with our partners in the international community, continue to urge the Government of Sri Lanka to uphold the rule of law and respect the principles of democratic governance”

Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)