The Sri Lankan Supreme Court rejected the Rehabilitation Bill, saying that it cannot include ex-militants and violent elements, and that it should be restricted to drug-dependents. The Court also firmly negated the involvement of the armed forces in rehabilitation programmes. The Court determined that the “Bureau of Rehabilitation” Bill presented to Parliament on 23 September violated the Constitution and that some of the key clauses will require a two-thirds majority. A referendum was enjoined in one case. This is a result of Sri Lankan citizens raising their voice against this dangerous bill, and extending support to activists to file petitions against it. We looked out for one another as the citizens of Sri Lanka, stood up for authoritarian moves that would hurt us all, and made our voice heard. It's so important to keep doing this, raising public voice, watching out for what could hurt the future of our country, and being active citizens involved in the shaping of Sri Lanka. Let's always remember that a system designed to hurt one of us is a system desgined to hurt all of us. We are in this together, let's take care of one another as a people and influence governments to work for our wellbeing, not the other way round. Here are two similar issues to keep within your radar and ask for better solutions wherever it becomes possible in your role as an active citizen: 1. The citizens' call to repeal the Public Terrorism Act The Public Terrorism Act (PTA) remains a dangerous act passed in Sri Lanka during civil war. The grounds for 'terrorism' are still loosely defined and are vague enough to apply to many acts of legitimate acts of dissent that are within the democratic rights of citizens. The PTA has been used for over 40 years to enable prolonged arbitrary detention, extract false confessions through torture, and target minority communities and political dissidents in Sri Lanka. Its application may also enable the commission of enforced disappearances. Suspects detained pursuant to the PTA have been held for decades without charge. UN human rights have called for an immediate moratorium on the use of Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), and urged the Government to substantively review and revise the legislation to comply with international human rights law. We, as the citizens of Sri Lanka, call for repealing the PTA and establishing clearer defitions of terrorism compliant with international human rights legislation. 2. Forced and unscientific rehabilitaion processes for drug-dependants Sri Lanka already has a system of forced “rehabilitation” for alleged drug users, which is run by the armed forces at two sites previously used to “rehabilitate” former combatants. There have been allegations of forced labor and ill-treatment, including the collective punishment of inmates, who are denied access to medically appropriate treatment for drug dependency while undergoing coercive “de-addiction.” The death of an inmate at the Kandakadu rehabilitation center in June led to the arrest of four army and air force sergeants acting as “therapists.” International standards for the treatment of addiction maintain that treatment should always be voluntary and addiction regarded primarily as a health condition. The abstinence-based “rehabilitation” programs operated by the military are not based on scientific evidence and provide no harm reduction services. In 2017, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention expressed concern at the involvement of the Sri Lankan military in drug treatment and at the lack of medical care, as well as irregularities in the judicial process. The detention of alleged drug users for coercive “rehabilitation” is incompatible with medically appropriate drug dependency treatment and contravenes international law, Human Rights Watch said. Repealing the PTA, and finding more effective treatments for drug-dependent persons in Sri Lanka are better solutions that ensure the level of safety that we deserve as Sri Lankan citizens. Keep your voice active and alive to influence the government in making these necessary changes for our country. Let's stay together and work together for Sri Lanka!