Sri Lankan forces raid anti-govt protest camp as new Prez takes over, 50 damage

Sri Lankan safety forces raided an anti-government protest camp within the business capital Colombo early on Friday, two protest organisers stated, an indication that the nation’s new president was cracking down a day after his swearing-in.

Media footage from the location confirmed troopers armed with assault rifles making an attempt to tear down the camp as dozens of police watched on.

As daylight broke, dozens of troops in riot gear marched via the realm and rows of protest tents that stood on either side of the primary highway that passes in entrance of the president’s secretariat utterly cleared out.

Protesters had feared a crackdown was imminent underneath new President Ranil Wickremesinghe, an ally of his ousted predecessor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Protest organisers stated tons of of safety personnel surrounded the “Gota Go Gama” protest camp, mockingly named after Rajapaksa, after midnight after which took aside a bit of it.

At least 50 protesters have been injured, the organisers stated, together with some journalists who have been crushed by safety forces. Hospital sources stated two have been hospitalised.

“It was a systematic and premeditated attack,” protest organiser Chameera Dedduwage informed Reuters. “They actually brutally attacked people. What has happened is a very cheap show of power.”

Police and armed forces spokespeople didn’t instantly reply to calls from Reuters.

Sri Lanka is underneath a state of emergency imposed by Wickremesinghe on Sunday when he was performing president. Previous emergency laws have been used to present powers to the army to detain and arrest protesters, and curtail the appropriate to protest.

Wickremesinghe, the previous prime minister, was sworn into workplace on Thursday after profitable a parliamentary vote this week, following the resignation of Rajapaksa who fled to Sri Lanka within the wake of large public protests triggered by the nation’s worst financial disaster in seven a long time. learn extra

After surrounding the protest camp, safety personnel moved in entrance of the presidential secretariat, began dismantling some tents and assaulted protesters, protest organiser Manjula Samarasekara stated.

Security forces appeared to have taken management of your entire secretariat, with many extra personnel seen contained in the constructing perimeter that was earlier this month seized by protesters, together with the president and prime minister’s official residences. The residences have been later handed again to authorities authorities.

Dedduwage stated protesters had deliberate at hand over the presidential secretariat to authorities authorities on Friday afternoon.

“The various steps being taken including declaring an emergency and calling out the troops, raises serious concerns this government is taking on fundamental rights and the rule of law in Sri Lanka,” stated Bhavani Fonseka, a senior researcher at Colombo-based suppose tank Center for Policy Alternatives.

“The excessive force and the violence used to remove protesters is a marked difference from what Sri Lanka needs right now, especially when the protesters had already said they will vacate the premises.”

Diplomats additionally expressed concern.

“Very concerned about reports from the Galle Face protest site,” Sarah Hulton, the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, stated in a tweet.

“We have made clear the importance of the right to peaceful protest.”

— ENDS —