Death toll in violence rises to 8
Colombo, May 10 (PTI): Embattled Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Tuesday urged people to stop “violence and acts of revenge” against fellow citizens and vowed to address the political and economic crisis facing the nation, even as his elder brother and former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was evacuated to a naval base after a series of attacks on his supporters left at least eight people dead.
Nearly 250 people have also been injured in the violence in Colombo and other parts of the country. A curfew is in force across the island nation after mobs burned down the ancestral home belonging to the ruling Rajapaksa family amid mounting anger for their mishandling of the economy, leading to the island nation’s worst economic crisis.
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Though Mahinda Rajapaksa quit as Prime Minister on Monday, this has failed to bring calm. The protesters are demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya as well.
“I appeal and urge people to remain calm & stop violence & acts of revenge against citizens, irrespective of political affiliations. All efforts will be made to restore political stability through consensus, within constitutional mandate & to resolve economic crisis,” President Gotabaya tweeted in his first comments since the outbreak of the violence that saw arson attacks on the homes of several former ministers and politicians.
On Tuesday, the Defence ministry ordered the Army, the Air Force and the Navy personnel to open fire on anyone looting public property or causing harm to others.
Defence secretary general (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne urged protestors to exercise calm and not resort to violence. He warned if looting and property damage continues, the Ministry of Defence will be compelled to strictly enforce the law against the violators.
“I appeal young men and women to refrain from engaging in violence. Do not set fire to public and private property, and engage in your struggle in the democratic & peaceful manner,” he said.
Mahinda, 76, resigned as Prime Minister amid unprecedented economic turmoil, hours after his supporters attacked anti-government protesters, prompting authorities to impose a nationwide curfew and deploy Army troops in the capital. The attack triggered widespread violence against pro-Rajapaksa politicians.
Mahinda, along with his wife and family, fled his official residence – Temple Trees – and reportedly took shelter at a naval base in Trincomalee – a port city on the northeast coast of Sri Lanka.
Throughout the night on Monday, the police fired teargas shells to quell mobs trying to enter the Temple Trees residence. In the early hours of Tuesday, police fired tear gas and warning shots to hold back mobs as security forces moved Mahinda and his family out of his official residence.
As word spread about Mahinda’s reported presence at the Trincomalee Naval Base, people started a protest near the key military facility.
On Tuesday, Sri Lankan media showed a video of a house of former Finance minister Basil Rajapaksa’s house in Malwana that was vandalised. Basil, 71, is the younger brother of Mahinda and Gotabaya.
On Monday, protesters attacked the ancestral home of the Rajapaksas in Hambantota, the houses of 14 former ministers, 18 lawmakers, including former deputy speaker, and leaders loyal to the Rajapaksa family. Video footage showed the ancestral house of the Rajapaksas in Medamulana in Hambantota was destroyed.
Prime Minister Mahinda’s House in Kurunegala was also set on fire by protesters while a mob also destroyed D A Rajapaksa Memorial – constructed in the memory of the father of Mahinda and Gotabaya – in Medamulana, Hambantota.
The number of people injured in recent clashes has risen to 249, while 8 were killed in the same, hospital sources said.
Sri Lanka Police on Tuesday said that a total of 47 vehicles were set on fire, while 38 houses were also torched. In addition, 41 vehicles and 65 houses were also damaged.
Anti-government protesters have set up a checkpoint on the road leading to the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo to prevent the Rajapaksa family loyalists from fleeing the country.
Mahinda is also facing calls for his arrest from Opposition politicians for inciting violence against peaceful anti-government protesters.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on Tuesday said that President Gotabaya and the government that is led by him should be held accountable for the unfortunate situation in the country and demanded his immediate resignation.
“The people of the country are protesting calling for the resignation of the President,” he said in a statement.
“After an embarrassing and failed attempt to use thugs to suppress the protestors, the resignation of the Prime Minister and Government alone is not enough,” said Sajith Premadasa.
He called on the President to resign immediately without deceiving the people any further, by only portraying the resignation of the Prime Minister.
He said the only way of solving the crises in the country is if the President takes the first step by stepping down.
The Marxist JVP – the third largest group in Parliament – also warned that indulging in violence would make way for the Rajapaksas to trigger a military intervention.
Sri Lanka’s attorney general on Tuesday asked the police chief to conduct an urgent and full-fledged investigation into the violent clashes between anti- and pro-government protesters in the country.
Police chief Chandana Wickremaratne said he had ordered the crime division to investigate Monday’s attack on the peaceful protesters by pro-Rajapaksa gang. A statement said that a thorough investigation would be conducted to arrest all those involved in the attack.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since gaining independence from Britain in 1948. The crisis is caused in part by a lack of foreign currency, which has meant that the country cannot afford to pay for imports of staple foods and fuel, leading to acute shortages and very high prices.
Thousands of demonstrators have hit the streets across Sri Lanka since April 9 seeking the resignation of President Gotabaya and his brother Mahinda, as the government ran out of money for vital imports; prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed and there are acute shortages in fuel, medicines and electricity supply.
