Meeting with the Speaker

The Forum on Disarmament & Development (FDD) met the Speaker Karu Jayasuriya on the 18th of February 2019 at the Parliament and handed over an appeal requesting the following;

1. Ban the use of plastic & polythene at Parliament
2. Make Parliament premises accessible for the disabled
3. Having an accessible bus for Parliament (Hydraulic bus) 
4. Employment opportunities for the disabled in Parliament
5. Renew the discussion on Parliament's switch to solar power

Discussions were held on the importance of reforming the public transport sector, if the city of Colombo is to become an accessible city. Furthermore the possibility to have recycling plants, a permanent solution for stray dogs, eradication of illicit guns, amending the Firearms Act, re-establishment of the Commission Against Small Illicit Arms, re-engaging Sri Lanka with the UN Programme of Action on Illicit Arms, acceding to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), Nuclear Ban Treaty (NBT) and ratifying the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) were discussed. FDD believes that carrying out such acts will increase the nation's human security, concern about natural environment and climate change, and its engagement with international community on peaceful means, which will improve Sri Lanka's image internationally.

FDD also presented its recent 3 publications to the Speaker on "The CITES & Sri Lanka," "The CCW Autonomous Weapons & Sri Lanka" and "Sri Lanka - Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor 2018" and a biodegradable souvenir cloth bag of the Sri Lanka Campaign to Stop Killer Robots.

The newspaper article by Daily News on the meeting can be accessed through this link-http://www.dailynews.lk/…/fdd-wants-disability-rights-uphel…