Information has been received that an extremist group was behind the public protest near the private residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Mirihana on Thursday and other demonstrations countrywide.
It has come to light that the intention of this extremist group was to turn peaceful demonstrations conducted by the people due to the shortage of fuel, gas and ongoing power cuts, to violent demonstrations and lead the country into a state of anarchy.
Police have arrested 54 people, including a female over the protest that was held at Pengiriwatte Road leading to the President’s private residence. They were produced before the Gangodawila Magistrate on Friday. The security forces have focused attention on a group of people, among the protestors, who were dressed in black and wearing helmets.
The Colombo Crime Division, Western Province (South) Criminal Investigation Division and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) are conducting investigations.
Senior Police Spokesman SDIG Ajith Rohana said that the protest which commenced on Thursday evening was peaceful for over four hours, but some elements in the crowd had later turned violent and had caused damage to vehicles and public property. Five policemen were also injured in the incident.
He said that investigations are under way to determine how a peaceful protest suddenly turned violent and on whose directive it happened. “Investigations are also under way regarding those taken into custody in connection with the incident and legal action would be taken against them.”
He said the damage caused to public property due to the violence has been estimated at Rs. 39 million. “Although the Police respects the right of the public to conduct peaceful protests, they will take all possible steps to protect public property when necessary.”
It has been confirmed that the incident had been well planned by the extremists and had been well organised via social media. The protestors had provoked the people and compelled them to march towards the President’s residence.
It is said that there were a considerable number of extremists among the 54 people arrested and they had closely acted with some foreign organisations for a long time.
They had pretended to appear on behalf of the people who raise their grievances on essential food commodities but they had provoked the people to create another ‘Arab Spring’ in Sri Lanka.
Government lawmakers on Friday referred to those who incited violence during the Mirihana protests on Thursday night as political extremists and not religious extremists. Ministers Keheliya Rambukwella, Prasanna Ranatunga and Dilum Amunugama held a media briefing on Friday to respond to concerns over the public protest in Mirihana on Thursday.
Tourism Minister Ranatunga said that the Government had not referred to any religious extremists.
Health Minister Rambukwella also endorsed this noting that the Government referred to political extremists and not religious extremists.
Minister Ranatunga said the people have a right to protest, adding that the right is to protest for the betterment of the country and not to lead the country into a state of anarchy. He said there are some things that are beyond the Government’s control, and incidents that were witnessed on Thursday would lead to a state of anarchy.
Meanwhile, a Gazette Extraordinary has been issued declaring a public emergency in Sri Lanka from April 1. The communiqué was issued by President’s Secretary Gamini Senarath, on the directive of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The Public Emergency has been declared in the interests of public security, the protection of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community as it is expedient, the Gazette stated.