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Our voices have to be heard in Parliament — Dr. Perera
View(s):For the past 20 years politicians have failed to address the needs of the country’s biggest minority- people with restricted abilities- even though they had the power to make a change and it is time that people who have first hand experience change the fate of this group for a better future, said Dr. Ajith C. S. Perera the national campaigner of the Independent Group for people with restricted abilities.
Addressing a media gathering at the Galadari Hotel on Thursday Dr. Perera added that their group will fight for the rights of the people with limited abilities who make about 20 per cent of the population. “The way a country treats its biggest minority is a true reflection of the government and rulers’ attitude towards its people. It is a sure test and a far more telling indicator of the society’s development than GDP. Measures to empower and make them live as equal citizens is not an act of charity but an act of justice- justice that enriches us all,” he said.
Dr. Perera added that a person’s abilities are only temporary and an illness, accident and ageing can rob one of this ability at any time. Still regardless of this degree of ability one has to live a life with dignity as equal citizen and the only people who can bring a change in the system to ensure the rights of people with restricted abilities for a secure future is not another political party but a group who understands what it is like to be in their situation.
Under the banner of ‘Raising our voices for us’ two independent groups with a total of 22 members will contest under No. 12 at the upcoming elections in Colombo with a desktop computer as the symbol while in Gampaha they will contest under No.15 with horn (nalawa) as the symbol.
Dr. Perera said that they decided to form a group because the government and politicians turned a deaf ear to their continuous appeals. People with restricted abilities are overlooked despite their abilities by the President, Prime Minister and groups fighting for justice, he said.
“We need to send representatives to the parliament to make our voices heard to win our rights,” he said appealing to every household in Colombo and Gampaha Districts to consider voting for the group to make their own future productive and dignified.
Meanwhile, he said the problem of accessibility and approachability to polling stations by the country’s biggest minority group was brought to the notice of the Elections Commission eight months ago but nothing has been done.