"Giving citizens the ability to advocate directly to the government in partnership with civil society organizations and through qualified legal representation in an independent judiciary. That's why local government elections, we have been discussing, are so critical,” the ambassador said addressing the 2023 edition of the National Law Conference, the most prestigious event of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, at the Cinnamon Grand hotel in Colombo, last evening.

Addressing further she said that “democracies are unrestrained across the globe and no democracy stands without the rule of law. You, all of you are the guardians of that precious rule.”

“Since the beginning the relationship between our two countries has been based on shared democratic principals’ including the importance of independent judiciary. The United States support for the rights of everyday Sri Lankans to voice their concerns peacefully and participate in their government is unwavering," Ms. Chung said.

She also said that Sri Lanka’s proud history of free elections underpins those rights.(Sunil Jayasiri)