The Communist Party of Sri Lanka strongly opposes the attempt to use the Prevention of Terrorism Act to suppress the peaceful agitation and insists that all those who have been taken into custody since May 9th and are currently in custody should be dealt with under the general law.
The Communist Party of Sri Lanka is focusing its attention on the agitations and riots taking place in the country after May 9, 2022, and the responses of the authorities said in a statement on Thursday (25).
Based on the violence unleashed from Temple Trees on May 09, the subsequent riots showed an organized nature. In July, some people entered the presidential palace, the presidential secretariat office, and the Temple Trees and engaged in violent acts, and later the private house of Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe was burnt and destroyed.
The Communist Party of Sri Lanka, which drew attention to this, requested the authorities to appoint a ‘Truth Commission’ with appropriate powers to identify the persons responsible for all the violent acts that took place from May 9 onwards and to recommend appropriate punishments. It was not fulfilled and after the appointment of Ranil Wickramasinghe as the President, people’s opposition is emerging again.
The request to appoint a presidential commission was ignored and instead the law enforcement authorities are engaged in a farcical attempt to find the people who entered the above places and committed acts of violence as well as those who used the swimming pool and consumed the fruits and food items in the presidential palace. Tens of thousands of people participated in these events, and efforts are being made to arrest selected persons, said a statement.
Meanwhile, the student leaders who participated in a demonstration and campaign recently were arrested. Those who are arrested are detained and interrogated under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.