Sri Lankan Prime Minister leaves office only after almost setting country on fire

A curfew has been imposed in Sri Lanka since May 9 due to the unrest in the country. 

This was due to the brutal attack on peaceful protesters in the village of Maina Go near Temple Trees after local politicians and their supporters from the People's United Front (PUF) met former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at his official residence on May 9.

Undaunted, supporters of Rajapaksa stormed the Gota Go village on the Galle Face Green. They also stormed the protest site and smashed and burned libraries, first aid kits, and tents erected by protesters.

It is noteworthy that religious leaders who came to support the struggle were also attacked by thugs. Western Province DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon and former Minister of State Sanath Nishantha were also seen in the videos and photographs circulating on social media.

Meanwhile, the Buddhist and Christian clergy and hundreds of thousands of professionals, including doctors and staff from the Colombo National Hospital, flocked to the Gota Village premises in Colombo as soon as they heard of the brutal attack.

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, condemned the attack.

He said those who rule the country at this moment should hand over the country to the youth and leave.

He further said that he appreciates the discipline and patience shown by the young people and is always with them.

Meanwhile, the Trincomalee Mahanayake Theras have strongly condemned the barbaric attacks on peaceful protesters for narrow political purposes.

Most Ven. Warakagoda Shri Ghnanarathana Thero Chief Monk of Asgiri Chapter, Most Ven. Dhodampahala Chandrasiri Chief Monk of Sri Lanka amarapura chapter, Most Ven. Makulewe Wimala Thero Chief monk of the Lanka Ramangnya chapter emphasized this with their signatures in a press release and issued to the President, Prime minister, opposition leader and all Members of Parliament.

The press note said, “Violent attacks on the people who are engaged in a peaceful struggle for a solution to the social, political and economic crises that have arisen in the country are an affront to democracy as well as to humanity. We strongly believe that the political elites who directly and indirectly supported this despicable course of action no longer have a moral right to remain representatives of the people representing the sovereignty of the people.

“The ruler of the state is bound by the Constitution to protect the lives and property of the entire people of the country as well as the right to freedom of expression. Relevant agencies, including the Sri Lanka Police, should take strict action against all those responsible for these attacks, which were carried out in the name of greedy and unethical political agendas.

“Furthermore, we would like to remind you that due to the political, social and economic crises that have arisen in the country, we have not been able to pay immediate attention to the proposals put forward by us and various parties in the past.

“We hereby remind all responsible parties and the people of this country to be vigilant, prudent and patient in resolving this crisis at this crucial juncture,” the press note said.

Some of the attackers were captured by civilians and dumped in the Beira Lake near the battlefield, while buses carrying thugs who had come to attack the protesters were seized and destroyed by civilians in various parts of the country.

It was revealed that many of the thugs arrested by the public had been given packets of barracks, rice and Sri Lankan rupee 5,000 (US$13.90) each by politicians affiliated with the Rajapaksa government.

However, various groups who were outraged at the inhumane attack on the peaceful struggle in the GotaGo village in Colombo are now setting fire to the houses of government-affiliated politicians and damaging property.

The property destroyed by the mob included three houses belonging to former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and a museum built for the Rajapaksa family's parents with public money in Sri Lanka (33 million).

As a result of the unrest, 231 people have been hospitalized and nine others have died.

Mahinda Rajapaksa has resigned from the post of Prime Minister.

However, many trade unions in Sri Lanka are still on strike, condemning the Rajapaksa thugs' brutal attack.

Yesterday’s (May 10) violence backfired on Mahinda Rajapaksa. He submitted his resignation last afternoon after his continuation in office was no longer tenable.

Violent attacks by his acolytes made his already vulnerable position no longer tenable. His chief of staff Yoshitha Rajapaksa reportedly left the country yesterday with his family.

An entire dynastic enterprise that Rajapaksa built at the expense of the nation is finally crumbling.

Rajapaksa, if he does not recant his resignation for yet another time, might be leaving office, but only after a good deal of self-inflicted damage to himself, and far more consequential and long-lasting damage to the country.

He could have done better had he put the country before his family, but his temptation for dynastic succession was so great that he had no time for such niceties.

It would be a long time before Sri Lankans, whose lives were shattered by his misappropriation of the economy, picked up their lives. They should hold him accountable for the large-scale looting of the nation by his offspring and his family. Still, the country would be better off without him at the helm. - Shanthasiri Pathirana /RVA Sri Lanka