The Sri Lankan government on Friday termed violent protests near the residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the current economic crisis as “an act of terrorism” and blamed “extremist elements” linked to the opposition parties. Violent protests erupted outside Rajapaksa’s residence on Thursday as hundreds of protesters gathered there demanding his resignation for his failure to address the island nation’s worst economic crisis.
Several people were injured and vehicles were torched as the agitation turned violent. Police fired tear gas and water cannons at the protesters after they demolished a steel barricade near the president’s residence. Following the incident, several people were arrested and curfew was briefly imposed in most parts of Colombo city. The shortage of foreign exchange in Sri Lanka has led to a shortage of essential goods such as fuel. LPG, and power cuts that last up to 13 hours a day.
An extremist group was behind the unrest near President Rajapaksa’s residence in Mirihana, a statement released Friday by the president’s media division said, the Daily Mirror news website reported. The report quoted the statement as saying, “It is learned that a group of organized extremists were protesting near Jubilee Post in Nugegoda, suddenly rioted and turned violent.”
Many of those involved in the incident have been arrested and many have been found to be organized extremists, the statement said. Meanwhile, speaking to reporters, Transport Minister Dilam Amunugama said the violence was “an act of terrorism”.
Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga blamed “extremist elements” affiliated with opposition parties Samagi Jana Balvegaya (SJB) and Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) for the violence. Health Minister Kehelia Rambuquela said the president’s life was in danger because of the demonstrations. intelligence failure.
Meanwhile, the police said that the number of people arrested after the violence has risen to 54. Lawyers belonging to the opposition parties claimed that the police can charge those arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Five policemen were injured as protesters turned violent, while a police bus, a jeep and two motorcycles were torched. The protesters also damaged a police water cannon truck.
A midnight curfew was imposed in most parts of Colombo district and in the suburban police division of Kelaniya after the movement was lifted at 5 am on Friday. Protesters blocked the main Colombo-Kandi road in Kelaniya area. Since late Thursday, hundreds of people gathered at the Jubilee Post Junction in the eastern Colombo suburb of Mirihana, holding placards against the Rajapaksa government’s mismanagement and incompetence in handling the current economic crisis.
The numbers gradually swelled to several thousands as they moved to Rajapaksa’s private residence in Pangiriwate Lane, off the main road. Police put up barricades to prevent protesters from reaching the President’s residence in the middle of the road. It is not known whether Rajapaksa was at his residence at that time.
Sri Lanka is currently facing the worst economic crisis in history. People have been troubled for weeks due to long lines for fuel, cooking gas, essential items in short supply and hours of power cuts. Rajapaksa defended his government’s actions, saying the foreign exchange crisis was not his and the economic slowdown was largely driven by the pandemic where the island’s tourism revenue and inward remittances were dwindling.
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