SLAASC condemns attacks on peaceful protestors

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Sri Lanka America Association of Southern California (SLAASC) has strongly condemned the pre-dawn attack on July 22nd on peaceful protest sites outside the Presidential Secretariat and Galle Face Green ‘GotaGoGama’.

Issuing a release, the SLAASC says that these attacks were carried out despite protestors having assured authorities to vacate the area later the same day.

As a parliamentary democracy, Sri Lankans have the right to demonstrate and SLAASC strongly condemns attacks against peaceful protests. 

Furthermore, SLAASC states that according to reliable sources, military and police violently attacked the protest sites that included people with disabilities, while the attack also targeted journalists and lawyers injuring over 50 people.

"It is shameful to note, that the interim Government of President Ranil Wickremesinghe immediately resorted to such violent tactics within hours of assuming power despite the expectations of an IMF bailout to address the economic crisis," the statement reads.

Moreover, the SLAASC calls for an independent, impartial investigation into the incident and to hold those responsible for the actions accountable, and stresses the importance of protecting the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and refraining from brutal attacks on unarmed citizens.