The massive attack launched on the Galle Face activists was on the orders of Ranil Wickramasinghe, who was elected under the Rajapaksa’s contract system, and such attacks cannot stop people’s struggles, states National People’s Power (NPP).
NPP announced this at the press conference held at the JVP head office at Pelawatta yesterday (22nd) morning. JVP General Secretary Comrade Tilvin Silva, NPP Member of Parliament Dr Harini Amarasuriya and NPP National Executive Member Mahinda Ratnayake were present for the press conference.
JVP General Secretary Comrade Tilvin Silva said, “On the orders of Ranil Wickramasinghe, who was elected under the contract system of the Rajapaksas, a massive attack has been launched on the Galle Face activists. He tried to suppress the democratic and fair struggle of the people from the beginning, and as one step, he launched a barbaric attack last night. A large number of people were injured, and more than ten people were arrested. Ranil Wickramasinghe is eager to fulfill the objectives of the Rajapaksas through blood. We know very well that the Rajapaksa’s or Ranil Wickramasinghe does not have that ability.
The struggle will definitely go on. If you try to end the public protest by attacking the Galle Face activists, it will not happen. Although Galle Face is the center of the struggle, there is a struggle among the people all over the country. We clearly say that the people’s struggle across the country cannot be stopped by repression. After Ranil Wickremesinghe was made president by a conspiratorial and as a contract, the militants were withdrawing step by step from the places they had occupied before the bloody repression was carried out. This attack was made against such a group. It should be condemned by the entire country and the world. This should be made Ranil Wickramasinghe’s first and last attack. Ranil, who got the Premiership without a mandate and got a presidency with the blessing of the Rajapakses, will not protect people. It was not the people who gave him the presidency but the Rajapaksas. No one in our country should consider Ranil Wickremesinghe without a mandate as the president. Gotabaya Rajapaksa was expelled, but he had a mandate. Ranil Wickramasinghe could not even become an MP from the district. Ranil Wickramasinghe serves the dethroned Rajapaksas, who had to give up their positions due to the struggle. They want to take revenge on the protesters. It is that contract that has been handed over to Ranil Wickramasinghe.
Ranil Wickramasinghe has not always lived on earth. Even now, he has not understood the mass opposition in the land. Without understanding the public opinion of the masses who chased away the president, who was elected for five years after two and a half years, he has imposed an emergency law and deployed the army. Gotabaya Rajapaksa executed the strategy of intimidation and deploying the army better than Ranil. In the face of a huge socio-economic crisis, it is not something that a leader with even an iota of a brain would do. It should be said again and again that if they try to suppress the struggle through intimidation instead of looking for answers to people’s problems, it will not be successful at all. No one is afraid. We will not allow anyone to be afraid. The National People’s Power is making a massive mediation to continue this struggle until a government that represents the sovereignty of the people of this country is established.
People should understand where their enemies are and what exactly is the problem. Ranil Wickramasinghe, who the people did not even give an MP position, was made the president of this country by the Rajapaksa parliamentary group. Not only Ranil Wickramasinghe but also this Parliament is against the masses. It is necessary to create a parliament that represents the true popular opinion instead of the Parliament that distorted the mandate by electing Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister and President without the people’s consent.
It is impossible to move forward even an inch keeping this composition of the Parliament. It is impossible to move forward even an inch without appointing a real parliament representing the people’s opinion. Now it is not only a battle to chase away Ranil, but it should be a struggle to chase away Ranil with this Parliament. We have to carry out a united struggle for that. Until then, this struggle will go on. The lessons learned by Gotabaya Rajapaksa will have to be taught. We request you all understand our goals, slogans, and struggle. The army and police are also citizens of this country. The military and the police cannot protect this when the whole country is against it. A new stage of battle should be started.”