Samagi Vanitha Balawegaya (SVB) National Organiser and former MP Hirunika Premachandra, who launched a protest yesterday (23) at the location where arrangements are being made to celebrate the 75th Independence Day at the Galle Face Green in Colombo on 4 February, is to file a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) against the group of Police officers who obstructed her during the said protest.
Meanwhile, while commenting on the incident to The Daily Morning, Premachandra said that she hopes to file a complaint with the HRCSL today (24) against the Police officers who obstructed her and the others present at the protest. She noted that the Police officers have violated her rights as a citizen by not allowing her to remain near the Galle Face Green, claiming that she was a threat to the security of a State event.
“We wanted to protest against this useless work of the Government. We have the right to do so. That's why when I asked the lawyers, they said that legal action can be easily taken against the obstructions by the Police. I also request the people to visit the Galle Face Green with a black flag and to protest against this,” she added.
When contacted by The Daily Morning, an official of the Colombo Fort Police Station said that there is no obstacle for people to walk by the site at which the Independence Day celebrations are to be held. When queried regarding the incident of Premachandra and the others being asked by the Police not to walk by the site, the official said that some Police officers working in remote areas have also been deployed around the area, and that they may not have been aware of the exact regulations. However, the senior Police officers who were asking Premachandra and the others to leave the premises appeared to be those from the nearby Police Stations.
At around 10 a.m. yesterday, Premachandra and a few other females representing the SVB arrived at the site where the necessary construction for holding the Independence Day celebrations is in progress at the Galle Face Green, and expressed their opposition to spending a sum of Rs. 200 million for the event at a time when the people are suffering due to the economic crisis.
“Public money is being spent to build stages to commemorate Independence Day. When there are so many problems, Rs. 200 million is to be spent on this. The people of the country do not have food. At such a time, the Government is spending this much money to celebrate independence. The Government, including President Ranil Wickremesinghe is doing these useless things to be saluted by the security forces, who are being trained for days, even without proper facilities. That's why we are protesting against this. We also ask the people to come to this place and protest,” said Premachandra.
After some time, it was observed that Premachandra and the others were tying black tape around the poles used to set up the stages at the site, and the workers who were setting up the stage were asking them not to do so. After some time, Premachandra and the others sat on the stage and the workers had by that time worked to remove the tapes tied to the poles. When they were sitting on the stage and speaking to the media, more than 10 senior Police officers arrived there and informed them to leave the place.
“Please leave. This is a place where a State ceremony is to be held. Therefore, you are not allowed to stay here. There is suspicion about your presence here. The President is scheduled to come here. The Police have been deployed here for security. Let them do their duty,” they have said.
Meanwhile, Premachandra and the others queried as to whether permission had been obtained from the relevant institutions to construct the said stages. At that time, the Police stated that the relevant permissions had been obtained. When Premachandra requested the Police to show it to her, the officers said: “Why should it be shown to you? Please leave. Don't bother us. Don't do unnecessary things. This is not a place where you all belong.”
When Premachandra said that she, being a citizen of Sri Lanka, had the right to be there, the Police officials said that the citizens could visit the site on 4 February. As the Police kept telling Premachandra and the others to leave the stage, she left the stage and stood on the road (Galle road) nearby. The Police then said that it was not possible to stand there, after which Premachandra said that she would keep walking by the place.
The Police again said that it was not possible to walk near the site and therefore informed the group not to stay on that side of the road, but to go to the other side. At that time, a certain Police officer called someone on the phone and said: “Send two women Constables here. We will send these people away and show them.”
Another Police officer told Premachandra: “You are on bail. Remember that. So, don't play around.” At that time, she stated that she had not committed any illegal act at that place. Therefore, she said that she could be arrested by the Police if possible, but that she has however not done anything wrong. At this time, a person who could be thought to be a journalist who was filming the incident was seen being pushed by a Police officer to the other side of the road saying: “you go to the other side.” After that, the Police continuously informed Premachandra and the others to move to the other side of the road, which they finally did. At this juncture, two Police officers went to that side of the road and sought to remove them from there, but Premachandra said that she would not leave the place. “We are not terrorists, we are the people's representatives. There was no disturbance due to us. We have the right to stay in this place as citizens,” she said. The Police officers were then seen querying as to where the vehicle in which Premachandra and the others had arrived was and then telling the driver of that vehicle to take it and leave the place. However, at that time, Premachandra said that they were not ready to leave the place when the Police wanted them to.