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State-sponsored state of emergency 

09 May 2022

Pro-Government mobs said to have been led by leading Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Government politicians, some of whom were reported to have been seen among the said mobs, including those who were seen holding talks with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa a few days ago,  yesterday (9) wreaked havoc on the “GotaGoGama” peaceful protest site, which had become a headache to the Government for a month, when they attacked peaceful protesters. In the aftermath, the two Heads of the Government (Premier Rajapaksa has since resigned) came forward to advocate against violence. Immediately after the attacks on the protestors at the “GotaGoGama”, Prime Minister Rajapaksa urged the general public to exercise restraint and remember that violence only begets violence, while President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that violence will not solve the current problems, and therefore requested all citizens to remain calm and to exercise restraint. However, given the appalling manner in which peaceful protestors were treated by the law enforcement authorities and the defense forces during the past month, and the President’s enthusiasm in declaring curfews and states of emergencies, how much weight the duo’s statements carry, is highly questionable.  More than the nature of the attacks on the protesters at the “GotaGoGama”, the manner in which events were set in motion to lead to this attack are detestable and is not a secret to any person in their right mind.  The foundation for this destruction was laid through an Extraordinary Gazette issued by the President on Friday (6), through which a state of emergency was declared following the protests near the Parliament, at a site named “HoruGoGama”. This is the second time a state of emergency was declared within a month, the first one being the one imposed following protests in front of the President’s private residence in Mirihana.  Everyone’s question was why a state of emergency was declared when the country is not experiencing any act that poses a threat to public order or public security, instead of paying attention to the genuine reasons based on which the people took to the streets, such as the economic and political crises. At the same time, the additional powers emergency regulations vest in the law enforcement authorities – which override, amend, or suspend the provision of any law, except the provisions of the Constitution – were highly questionable, and was seen by many as a warning sign that stringent actions against anti-Government and anti-President protesters were imminent. While emergency regulations were in place, however, pro-Government groups expressing support to the Prime Minister started their attacks from in front of the Temple Trees, i.e. “MynaGoGama”, and they were allowed to do so. The Police were there, but the Police showed a great lackadaisicalness in controlling the mob of protesters who showed clear signs of being violent. “MynaGoGama” was destroyed while the Police were present. The Police also failed to prevent protesters from proceeding to “GotaGoGama”, although a large number of Police officers and several water cannons were on Galle Road, between the Temple Trees and Galle Face. Compared to the manner in which the Police and defense forces tried to expel peaceful protesters on several occasions during the past month using water cannons and tear gas, they did very little to control these violent and irate groups who were armed with wooden sticks and clubs from the outset. The Police used water cannons only after the pro-Government mobs had entered and attacked the Gota-Go-Gama. The Police’s lethargy raises questions as to whether the Police too had been instructed or weakened to allow pro-Government mobs to attack the “GotaGoGama”, which is sure to further corrode the trust and confidence that the people had placed in the Police a long time ago. What is more, these well orchestrated mob attacks are most likely to further exacerbate the economic situation, because the Government, after declaring a state of emergency, has now allowed the creation of an actual state of emergency. In a context where foreign tourist arrivals have considerably declined in April – for which the Government blamed protests – these attacks are going to further discourage tourists from visiting Sri Lanka. It is the Government that gave them a reason to think that Sri Lanka is an unsafe place, and thus the Government must take the responsibility for the further collapse of the tourism industry. Before yesterday, Sri Lanka saw only peaceful protests, although a meagre number of them turned violent after being attacked by the law enforcement authorities or the Defense Forces. However, the country is now officially and practically in a state of emergency and chaos thanks to power-hungry heads of the Government who are determined to remain in power even by shedding the blood of the innocent, and with the law enforcement authorities and defense forces having forgotten that they serve the people and not a Government. If this continues, Sri Lanka will not be able to even imagine what will become of public security, the rule of law, democracy, and the freedom of expression, and therefore, the people’s demands for better living conditions and a better political culture, will be a mystery.


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