brand logo

IUSF challenges Ranil to arrest Mahinda

16 May 2022

  • Asks new PM to ‘walk the talk’ about protecting protestors
The Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) yesterday (15) challenged newly appointed Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe to arrest former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa for inciting violence against peaceful protestors on 9 May. “They are now arresting the youths who came to protect and help us on 9 May, when state-sponsored thugs were attacking us. Wickremesinghe has said that he will protect the protestors at ‘GotaGoGama’,” IUSF Convener Wasantha Mudalige told the media yesterday.  “It was not Ranil who gave us protection for the past 36 days. It was the public who protected us – they gave us food and protected us that day. If Wickremesinghe wants to show us his colours, arrest SDIG Tennakoon, Rajapaksa, Dan Priyasad, Sanath Nishantha, and Mahinda Kahandagama.” He claimed that Wickremasinghe is merely allowing President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to hold on to power, despite the main demand of the protests being the President’s resignation. “When we were going to win this struggle, former Premier Rajapaksa brought drunk, organised thugs to Temple Trees, made an emotional speech, and incited hatred towards the youth who are in this struggle,” said Mudalige. He showed a number of pictures from the social media pages of several individuals who had, on 9 May, posted photos of themselves at Temple Trees, with threatening messages directed towards the protestors at “GotaGoGama”. A widely circulated picture on social media shows an individual attacking a Catholic Priest at “MynaGoGama”, outside Temple Trees. Mudalige identified this individual as Pradeshiya Sabha member Pushparaj Kumarasinghe from the image. Furthermore, he named another Pradeshiya Sabha member – Amith Abeywickrama – who is also photographed in his attacks on the protestors. Mudalige also presented the now-famous picture of Senior Deputy Investor General (SDIG) Deshabandu Tennakoon and MP Sanath Nishantha at Galle Face Green during the time of the attack and that of Mahinda Kahandagama – another supporter of Rajapaksa – who had been at Temple Trees. “Why are they not being arrested?” he questioned. 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 Temple Trees. Following this, the crowd assaulted the protestors outside 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.  Former Ministers Johnston Fernando and Namal Rajapaksa were at Temple Trees, whilst video reports show Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Sanath Nishantha forming part of this pro-Government mob, and allegations have also been levelled at Moratuwa Mayor Saman Lal Fernando for transporting busloads of people to be a part of the mob.


More News..