Author: TELO Admin

130 people injured & hospitalized following the tense situation between pro-government and peaceful protestors at MynaGoGama and GotaGoGama protest sites.

A normal Monday morning turned in to a scene of chaos, after pro-government supporters attacked the MynaGoGama protest site near Temple Trees following a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, where he announced he is willing to make any sacrifice for the people.

The meeting at Temple Trees was organized by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Local Government Members Forum and saw hundreds in attendance.

Following this meeting, the pro-government supporters attacked the MynaGoGama protest site near Temple Trees and dismantled the camp.

Thereafter, they moved to the main protest site in Galle Face known as GotaGoGama and destroyed several tents and assaulted peaceful protestors.

Sri Lanka Police, the Riot Police, Sri Lanka Army and other law enforcement agencies were called in to control the situation and Sri Lanka Police eventually imposed an island wide curfew to control the unrest.

Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Gen. (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne earnestly requests the general public to support the tri forces and remain calm and exercise restraint.

In a statement, the Defence Ministry said that the tri forces personnel have been called up to assist the police to contain the present situation at the Galle Face and adjacent areas in order to maintain security and ensure public safety.

Ven. Omalpe Sobhitha Thera yesterday (9) stated that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa must take responsibility for the attacks that were unleashed on the protestors at the “GotaGoGama” yesterday.

Rajapaksa resigned from the Premiership yesterday.

“The public is peaceful, the Government is terrorist. Mainly, the Prime Minister should be responsible. He brought the mob of people to his house and fed them, and they drank alcohol provided by Government MP Johnston Fernando, and then were directed out,” said the monk while addressing the media yesterday.

Yesterday, supporters of Rajapaksa gathered at the Temple Trees, where they engaged in chants, asking him not to resign. They were addressed by Rajapaksa, inside the Temple Trees. Following this, the crowd assaulted the protestors outside the Temple Trees, at “MynaGoGama”, where they were engaged in a days-long struggle, demanding his resignation.

The crowd then moved towards “GotaGoGama”, where they assaulted anti-Government protestors, setting fire to many structures near the Galle Face Green, belonging to the protestors. Video reports show Government MP Johnston Fernando was at the Temple Trees, allegedly inciting the protestors to violence, whilst video reports show Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna MP Sanath Nishantha forming part of this pro-Government mob, while allegations have also been levelled at Moratuwa Mayor Saman Lal Fernando for transporting busloads of people to be a part of the mob.

Sobitha Thera said that Rajapaksa was hoping to chase away peaceful protestors by using thugs.

“But the other brother (President Gotabaya Rajapaksa) doesn’t get to go scot-free. They are trying to let blood run in Sri Lanka and keep their power. Gotabaya Rajapaksa is allowing his brother to engage in terror attacks. We are not going to let you carry out a rule of terror in this country. The President should also resign as he allowed his brother to do this,” demanded the Thera.

Archbishop of the Colombo Archdiocese Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith yesterday (9) condemned the attacks on the “GotaGoGama” and “MynaGoGama” protest sites, noting that it is shameful that such acts were carried out from Temple Trees, the official residence of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Rajapaksa resigned from the Premiership yesterday.

“Last morning, after a meeting held at the residence of Premier Rajapaksa – the Temple Trees, a mob of people walked into the area of the anti-Government protests and started assaulting the people and breaking down the structures with their thuggery. This is unacceptable,” said the Archbishop while addressing the media yesterday.

“That this happened from the residence of the Prime Minister is a shameful act. That a Prime Minister of a country can let goons out into the streets to destroy peace and harmony is unacceptable.”

On 9 May, supporters of Rajapaksa gathered at Temple Trees, where they engaged in chants, asking him not to resign. They were addressed by Rajapaksa, inside the Temple Trees. Following this, the crowd assaulted the protestors outside the Temple Trees, at “MynaGoGama”, where they were engaged in a days-long struggle, demanding his resignation.

The crowd then moved towards GotaGoGama, where they assaulted “Go Home Gota” protestors, setting fire to many structures near the Galle Face Green, belonging to the protestors. Government MP Johnston Fernando was at the Temple Trees, whilst video reports show Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Government MP Sanath Nishantha forming part of this pro-Government mob, while allegations have also been levelled at Moratuwa Mayor Saman Lal Fernando for transporting busloads of people to be a part of the mob.

“They assaulted those at the Galle Face Green and injured a number of them,” said the Archbishop. Reports show that about 130 people were hospitalised.

“The most shameful act was that the Police were folding their hands and waiting, almost as if they were waiting for the thugs and goons to come and attack the peaceful protestors. All of us religious leaders, including the Chief Prelates of the three Sects wish to say that we do not accept this kind of behaviour,” added the Archbishop.

“We would like to ask the Government to not respond in this manner to peaceful protests and we would like to ask those engaged in resistance to not give up and not to engage in retaliatory violence of any sort, and to be peaceful and to protest with dignity.”

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has stepped down from his position, amidst the ongoing protests against the government across the country.

He has tendered his letter of resignation to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a short while ago, the PM’s Office confirmed.

Rajapaksa’s resignation comes amid ongoing anti-government protests across the island over the worst economic crisis in the country since its independence.

Earlier today, police imposed a nationwide curfew and Army troops were deployed in Colombo as supporters of the ruling party attacked anti-government demonstrators outside the President’s office, leaving at least 23 people injured.

Supporters of the SLPP rallied inside Mahinda Rajapaksa’s office earlier on Monday, urging him to ignore the protesters’ demand to step down and requesting he remains in office.

After the meeting, they went to the front of the office where peaceful protesters have been demonstrating for several days while video footage showed the pro-government supporters attacking protesters with clubs and iron bars, demolishing and later burning down their tents.

The citizens of the island country have been showing this discontentment with the present government as they continue to struggle in long queues to meet their basic necessities, including food and medicines.

It was reported last week that the Sri Lankan President and several ministers had also requested for the Prime Minister to resign allowing to form a government of national unity, an interim arrangement till the present economic crisis could be dealt with.

Rajapaksa’s resignation as PM comes after rounds of discussions among the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Party (SLPP) and its constituent parties. The PM’s departure also results in the dissolution of the Cabinet.

The government is currently struggling to meet basic requirements for its population of 22 million citizens amid an unprecedented economic crisis caused by mishandling of finances and ill-timed tax cuts.

The island nation is also currently facing a foreign exchange deficit, which has resulted in food, fuel, power, and gas shortages, and has sought economic assistance from friendly countries.

Meanwhile, people in the country have been protesting for nearly a month demanding for the government, led by the Rajapaksa family, to resign.

The curfew which was imposed on the entire country from 7.00 pm today (09) to 7.00 am tomorrow (10) in accordance with the provisions of Section 16 of the Public Security Ordinance, has been extended until 7.00 am on Wednesday (11), the Presidential Media Division announced.

It said that no person is allowed to be on any public road, railway, public park, public recreation ground or other public ground or the seashore except under the authority of a written permit granted by an authorised officer.