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Dr. Ramesh Pathirana confirms story by ‘The Morning’: ‘IGP prevented SDIG Tennakoon from stopping 9 May attacks’

19 May 2022

  • Claims IGP and Public Security Ministry Secretary gave orders
BY Buddhika Samaraweera Confirming The Morning’s lead story on 10 May under the headline “IGP instructed senior cops to ignore mobs”, Former Minister and incumbent Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Dr. Ramesh Pathirana charged that Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chandana D. Wickramaratne and former Public Security Ministry Secretary Maj. Gen. (Retired) Jagath Alwis had instructed Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon to not use tear gas and water cannons to prevent the group of SLPP supporters, who attacked the peaceful protestors in front of the Temple Trees and at Galle Face Green on 9 May, from entering the Galle Face. Speaking in Parliament yesterday (18), Pathirana said: “At the time of this incident, I was at Temple Trees. From there, I made a phone call and told SDIG Tennakoon that this was going to happen and asked him to stop it. At that time, he told me that there was no problem, that all the roadblocks were put up and that they would stop it. After that, I went to attend a discussion at the President’s house.” He also said that while on his way to the house of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former MP Prof. Ashu Marasinghe had called him and requested him to inform the President that a catastrophic incident was about to happen and to take the necessary steps. Dr. Pathirana further said: “During the discussion, I informed the President that there was such an issue. At that time, President Rajapaksa called SDIG Tennakoon and asked him why he did not stop them even though he (the President) had instructed Tennakoon to take the necessary steps that same morning. At this point, SDIG Tennakoon told the President that the IGP had telephoned him at 12.40 p.m. and told him not to use tear gas or water cannons to disperse the crowds. At that point, President Rajapaksa reminded Tennakoon that he was given different orders from the President, and so to put a stop to the violence immediately." He said that the riots were controlled to some extent due to SDIG Tennakoon belatedly acting on the instructions of the President. He also said that the IGP and Alwis had prevented the Police from acting to prevent those who carried out the attacks from entering the Galle Face Green. On 10 May, The Morning exclusively reported that IGP Wickramaratne, acting on instructions from Alwis, had ordered senior police officials, including Senior Superintendent of Police – Colombo Central Nishantha Chandrasekara, to not use water cannons and tear gas to disperse supporters of the SLPP who attacked peaceful protestors on 9 May. The Morning reported that senior police officials in charge of the Western Province had on several occasions informed the SLPP supporters who had gathered in front of the Temple Trees in support of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, and those who had organised the supporters, to not enter Galle Face Green. The police officials had warned the SLPP supporters, and certain Ministers and MPs who had organised the former group, that there would be a great commotion in the country if they went to Galle Face Green and clashed with the “GotaGoGama” protestors. In addition, two riot control trucks had been prepared to prevent the SLPP supporters from entering the Galle Face Green, where nearly 200 police officers had also been deployed around the Galle Face area by noon on 9 May. When contacted by The Morning on 9 May regarding this matter, Alwis denied the allegation, saying that he had not given such instructions to the IGP.  “We did not want this to happen from the very beginning. We did not want the people to get to Galle Face Green. The Police were asked to stop them from going there, and they were trying to do that. However, the people started running all over the place. We were worried about this happening.”


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