Cardinal Condemns Violence in Colombo (Video)

Violence erupted in the streets of Sri Lanka, when after a month of peaceful protests by citizens against President Gotabaya Rajapakse and his brother the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, the two main protest sites were attacked by thugs in the pay of the Rajapakse family.

After a meeting with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse at his official residence at Temåple Trees in Colombo, his supporters who arrived in busloads from his hometown of Hambantota, went out to the protest site outside his official residence and beat up unarmed people and destroyed their makeshift camp. The thugs then marched to the other main protest site opposite the presidential office in Gallface green, in Colombo and dished out more of the same to gathered protesters there.

However, the backlash was swift, and more violent from the frustrated people, and they searched and destroyed the busses that ferried the Rajapakse supporters, and they also destroyed the homes of many government ministers and associates of the Rajapakse family. The Rajapakse’s own country house was set on fire.

At least three people have died and many injured as a result of the violent clashes.

Cardinal Ranjith and leading Buddhist monks at a joint news conference condemned the violence and asked all citizens to act calmly and as befits the Buddhist principles of avihimsa (non violence).

The Cardinal warned the government and the Police that it was their responsibility to protect the people and allow them to continue their peaceful protest until the government steps down.

03:19