"Violence started on May 9th" TNA MP Sumanthiran

by Sandro Sathyajith 12-05-2023 | 9:13 AM

COLOMBO (News 1st): Speaking in Parliament Tamil National Alliance MP M. A. Sumanthiran, PC said the violence that unfolded in the country in 2022 was the result of the attack on GotaGoGama on the 9th of May 2022.

Speaking in Parliament he said "On the 9 May the protest was still peaceful until people who had gathered at Temple Trees to meet Mahinda Rajapaksa rushed to Galle Face and beat up the peaceful protesters."

He also pointed out that at that time Ranil Wickremesinghe tweeted that he will stop supporting the government with regard to economic recovery.

Adding further he said the peaceful protests were held to make changes in the country as the people were disgusted with the status quo with regard to political power and how it was being used.

He said at that time people wanted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign,

Parlimentarian Sumanthiran has accused the Sri Lankan government of hijacking the people's movement for change in the country. Sumanthiran claimed that the government led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe had hijacked the Aragalaya.

Sumanthiran further stated that the people's movement had made three key demands: the resignation of then president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the repeal of the 20th amendment, and the abolition of the executive presidency. He argued that although the protest was initially peaceful, the government had hijacked it and used it as an opportunity to introduce "eyewash amendments" and stage a "mockery of an election for the president."

The TNA parliamentarian also dismissed claims made by some officials, including the president, that the peaceful protest had been hijacked by other groups. He argued that the "real hijackers" were still in the government and had turned the people's movement for change into a "political farce."

Sumanthiran also expressed confidence that change would come to Sri Lanka eventually, despite the setbacks faced by the people's movement. He added that "when a people decide that they want change, it will happen. It might take time, but it will happen."