The Sri Lankan government on Friday called the violent protest near President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's private residence in a Colombo suburb over the ongoing financial crisis in the country as "an act of terrorism" and blamed it on "extremist elements" linked to Opposition parties.
Hundreds of Sri Lankans on Thursday gathered near Gotabaya's residence to protest and demanded his resignation for what they called his failure in managing the country's financial situation.
The protest turned violent and military and police vehicles were burnt. The security personnel had to resort to tear gas shells and water cannons to disperse protesters. Several people were injured and dozens were arrested. A curfew was also imposed on Colombo that was lifted in the morning.
Sri Lanka is undergoing its worst financial crisis at the moment. There is an acute shortage of foreign exchange, that has caused shortage of essential goods such as fuel, cooking gas, and food supplies. There are power cuts of up to 13 hours a day as there is shortage of fuel to produce thermal power.
A statement issued by the presidential media division on Friday said an extremist group was behind the unrest near the president's residence, the Daily Mirror news website reported.
"It has been revealed that a group of organised extremists were protesting near the Jubilee Post in Nugegoda, suddenly became riotous and turned violent," the report said, citing the statement.
Many of those involved in the incident have been arrested and many have been found to have been organised extremists, the statement said.
Meanwhile, talking to reporters, transport minister Dilum Amunugama said the violence "was an act of terrorism".
Tourism minister Prasanna Ranatunga blamed "extremist elements" linked to Opposition parties Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) responsible for the violence.
Health minister Keheliya Rambukwella said the president's life was in danger as the demonstration had taken place due to intelligence failure.
Meanwhile, police said the number of people arrested in the aftermath of the violence has increased to 54. Lawyers linked to Opposition parties claimed that the police might charge those arrested under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
In the Kelaniya area, protesters had blocked the main Colombo-Kandy road. From late Thursday evening, hundreds of people gathered at the Jubilee Post junction in the east Colombo suburb of Mirihana, holding placards against what they say was the mismanagement and inefficiency of the government in handling the current crisis.
The numbers slowly swelled to several thousands as they started marching towards Gotabaya's private residence at Pangiriwatte Lane, off the main road.
The police placed barricades preventing protesters from reaching the president's residence located in the middle part of the bylane. It is not known whether Gotabaya was at his residence at that time.
Gotabaya has defended his government's actions, saying the foreign exchange crisis was not his making and the economic downturn was largely pandemic-driven where the island’s tourism revenue and inward remittances waning.
With PTI inputs
