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Tense situ as Hirunika barred from heading towards President’s House

29 Jun 2022

  • Requests court order pertaining to barricades
  • Police say no need for court order to provide security  
  BY Buddhika Samaraweera   A heated situation arose yesterday (28) when the Police set up barricades on the road leading to the President’s house in Colombo Fort after several persons, including National Organiser of the Samagi Vanitha Balawegaya – the women’s wing of the main Parliamentary Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) – Hirunika Premachandra, attempted to enter the said road. Along with Premachandra, two other women had, according to Premachandra, been trying to enter the road leading to the President’s house. At that time, police officers who were present there had set up barricades, blocking the road. Following this, Premachandra, Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin, and several others had gathered near the road. Speaking at the time, Premachandra said: “It was only me and another two females who were trying to pass this road. This is a road that ordinary people can travel on. So what have the Police done? What are these police officers doing? Do the Police have any issue with me? You (the Police) keep the road closed and see what will happen in the coming days. This is where the next struggle will take place.” She also asked the police officers at the scene as to whether a court order had been obtained to set up barricades. At that time, the Police allowed a few other persons to cross the road. The Police said that they were allowed to pass because they were attempting to enter a nearby bank to obtain services. Speaking further, Premachandra: “Is President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who destroyed this country, being protected by the Police? The country has had no fuel for two weeks. Children cannot go to school. There is no way to take a patient to a hospital in an emergency. So shouldn’t Rajapaksa, who destroyed this country, be removed? All people need to wake up now. Wake up and come here. Let’s start the struggle from here.” Meanwhile, in response to a police officer filming Premachandra using a mobile phone, she said: “Go, make a video and show it to the President. Tell him that Premachandra who came in front of his residence in Mirihana that day has come again, and ask him to answer the questions we raised on that day.” When contacted by The Morning, Police Media Spokesman, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and Attorney-at-Law (AAL) Nihal Thalduwa said that if the Police feel the need to set up a roadblock for security purposes at any location, they are allowed to take the necessary steps, adding that it is not necessary to obtain a court order for such purpose. He also said that the Police, or any other security force, is duty bound to prevent any incident which may compromise the security of a person or property.


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