A letter signed by 58 scholars against the defamation campaign targeting Prime Minister Harini.

A group of academics, professionals, and civil society activists, issuing a joint statement, stated that they strongly condemn the organized smear campaign and personal attacks launched targeting Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. This group points out that these attacks against the Prime Minister have exceeded the limits of civility expected in a democratic society, and they emphasize that anti-female jealousy and hatred towards her, a female leader recognized nationally and internationally, have been fundamental to this.

While acknowledging that these criticisms began due to a serious error in a school textbook issued under the Ministry of Education, the group points out that the organized attack, carried out in a manner that harms the Prime Minister's personality based on this error, is a violation of the moral limits of expressing dissent and cannot be approved under any circumstances. The statement further mentions that this hate campaign is being driven to achieve narrow political and ideological objectives, and regrettably, some members of the clergy have also contributed to it.

This group of academics recalls that female political leaders produced in this country, such as the world's first female Prime Minister and Sri Lanka's first female President, also faced similar gender-based insults and harassment in the past. While acknowledging the democratic right of the people to criticize policy shortcomings and hold officials accountable, the signatories emphasize that personal and abusive attacks targeting the Prime Minister's gender cannot be approved under any circumstances.

However, they appreciate the government's acceptance of the textbook error and its decision to conduct a police investigation into it as a positive step. Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya has also been praised for acting as an exemplary figure in Parliament through her respect for opponents, intelligent contributions, and decorum. Such gender-based and anti-homosexual attacks harm democratic and humanistic values, and therefore, they call for an immediate stop to them, and the public is urged not to be misled by the propaganda of such reactionary forces.

58 individuals have signed this joint statement, including Professor Jayadeva Uyangoda, Professor Jagath Weerasinghe, Dr. Gamini Wijesuriya, Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy, President's Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran, Professor Utpala A. Jayawardena, Professor Anbahaan Ariyadurei, Professor Neera Wickramasinghe, Professor Farzana Haniffa, Professor Prince Jayadevan, Professor Vivimarie Vanderpoorten, Professor Rohan Fernando, Professor Wasantha Senewiratne, Professor Kanchana N. Ruwanpura, as well as Charith Gunawardhana, Vidura Munasinghe, Sandun Thudugala, Priyanthi Fernando, Bhavani Fonseka, Janaha Selvaraj, Dr. Mahendran Thiruvarangan, Dr. Amali Wedagedara, Dr. Thyagaraja Varadas, Dr. Athulasiri Samarakoon, Dr. S. Jeevasuthan, Dr. Kaushalya Kumarasinghe, Dr. Dileepa Witarana, Dr. Sithumini Ratnamalala, Dr. S. Ariwalsahan, Dr. Mariyadas Alfred, Dr. N. Varathan, Dr. Kaushalya Perera, Dr. Crystal Baines, Attorney Armiza Tegal, Vangeesa Sumanasekara, Shreen Abdul Saroor, Sarala Emmanuel, Hiranyada Devasiri, Wimal Saminathan, Engineer M. Suriyasegaram, Shirani Mills, Dr. Chulani Kodikara, Robert Cruz, Rukie Fernando, Dr. Pradeep Peiris, Professor Neloufer de Mel, Professor Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri, Dr. Ramesh Ramasamy, Dr. Susantha Basnayake, Dr. Shamala Kumar, Professor Pavithra Kailasapathy, Dr. Madhubhashini Ratnayake, Dr. Mohamed Fazil, Dr. K.D. Dushanthi de Silva, Dean Uyangoda, Nehama Jayawardena, V. Kamalasiri, and Professor M.A.F. Ibrahim.