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Protests islandwide yesterday

10 Aug 2022

  • Claim Prez misusing emergency, issue public declaration at Independence Square    
  •  SJB holds silent protest in front of P’ment 
BY Buddhika Samaraweera A series of protests against President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the current Government, organised by the National Trade Union Centre (NTUC) and several other political and civil organisations, was held across the country yesterday (9) under the theme of “Bow down to the people's struggle – Allow the real social transformation that is the people’s expectation”. The main demonstration was held in Colombo, with the participation of religious clergy, representatives of trade unions within various sectors that are related to the NTUC, and representatives of many other political and civil organisations. They started the protest near the Viharamahadevi Park and then proceeded towards the Independence Square in Colombo 7. The main protest held in Colombo was attended by well-known trade unionists such as the College of Medical Laboratory Science President Ravi Kumudesh, Ceylon Teachers’ Service Union General Secretary Mahinda Jayasinghe, and NTUC Convener Wasantha Samarasinghe. They chanted slogans protesting against the President and the Government, and marched from the Viharamahadevi Park to the Independence Square. The protestors accused Wickremesinghe of merely working to retain the post of the President, and protecting the family of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Claiming that Wickremesinghe is misusing the emergency regulations to suppress the people, they said that Wickremesinghe, who does not have any mandate, has no moral right to hold the office of the President. The protestors further warned that the people are ready to send Wickremesinghe and the current Government home soon, the way that Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa were sent home, if the Wickremesinghe-led Government fails to provide immediate solutions to the social and economic problems faced by the people. Speaking during the protest, the protestors said that the people should be given the opportunity to elect a President and a Parliament to replace Wickremesinghe, who does not represent any mandate, and the current Government, which is completely unpopular among the people. They said that the people are ready to respond if the Government tries to suppress the people, and the leaders of trade unions and civil organisations by misusing the emergency regulations. Charging that Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was the then Premier, plunged the country into violence on 9 May by getting a group of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) supporters to attack the peaceful protesters at the “MynaGoGama” and “GotaGoGama” peaceful protest sites in front of the Temple Trees in Kollupitiya, and at the Galle Face Green, those who attended the protest yesterday said that Wickremesinghe, hours after becoming the President, got the Security Forces to attack the “GotaGoGama” protest site, which eventually demanded the resignation of Wickremesinghe, and was renamed as the “RanilGoGama”.   They stated that anyone who hopes to take the country out of its current bankrupt state must prove themselves worthy of the kind of a leader who can make the social transformation that the ongoing people's struggle has indicated. Otherwise, they said that no person who does not respect the people's struggle and uses violence against it can be accepted as the leader of the country, adding that Wickremesinghe should first bow to the people's struggle and respect it. The protestors who had gathered near the Independence Square at 4 p.m. yesterday (9), also issued a public declaration protesting the President and the Government. Meanwhile, a silent protest organised by the main Parliamentary Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), was held yesterday in front of the Parliament premises with the theme “Stop the repression – Remove the Emergency Law”. Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa, SJB Chairman Field Marshal MP Sarath Fonseka, SJB General Secretary MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara, SJB National Organiser MP Tissa Attanayake, and several other SJB MPs took part in the protest. Colombo Chief Magistrate Nandana Amarasinghe on Monday (8), rejected a request made by the Cinnamon Garden Police to issue a restraining order against the protest which was held yesterday. When the request was considered, the Chief Magistrate rejected the request, and instead ordered the Police to take relevant steps if any person or group attending the protest would commit any act of violence. The public protests that started in opposition to Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the then-Government late last year spread throughout the country within a few months, creating a massive people's struggle. As another step of the struggle, the “GotaGoGama” was established at the Galle Face Green on 9 April, demanding the resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa. On 9 July, three months after its establishment, millions of people gathered in Colombo and forced Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign immediately. Amidst the massive public protests, he first fled to the Maldives, and then to Singapore, from where he had sent the letter of resignation. Following his resignation, Wickremesinghe, who was elected to the Parliament through the United National Party's (UNP) National List, and was later appointed by Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the Premier and Acting President, became the President through a Parliamentary vote. Many parties have since emphasised that Wickremesinghe should also resign from the Presidency, charging that he is working to save the Rajapaksa family, and that he has no mandate.  


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