Sri Lanka: Security Forces Raid Protest Camp

By Staff, Agencies

Sri Lankan security forces carried out a violent early morning raid on the main anti-government protest camp in Colombo, beating protesters, destroying tents and arresting nine people.

Friday’s raid saw thousands of police and troops armed with riot gear descend on the camp, known as Gota Go Gama, where hundreds of people have been living for over three months. More than 50 people were injured and three people were sent to hospital in the attack, according to St John Ambulance volunteers at the scene.

According to those present for the raid, armed military officers in black uniforms began violently clearing tents close to the Presidential Secretariat building, the offices of the president which have been occupied by protesters since an anti-government protest last week.

Nine people were arrested, a police spokesperson said, adding that the protesters had “no legal right to hold the area.”

The protest groups had announced they would be peacefully handing back the building back to the government on Friday afternoon, but the government took it back by force.

The action appeared to be a show of might by the newly elected president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, who took over from the toppled president Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday and had issued warnings that he would act against protesters. Since the protest movement successful ousted Rajapaksa, it has been vehemently calling for Wickremesinghe to resign, saying he does not have the support of the people.

After his election by MPs, Wickremesinghe said: “If you try to topple the government, occupy the president’s office and the prime minister’s office, that is not democracy, it is against the law.”

One of Wickremesinghe’s first actions as president was to declare a state of emergency that gave sweeping powers to armed forces and the police to arrest and detain suspects for long periods without being charged.