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Bad day for democracy in Sri Lanka says German ambassador

Germany's ambassador to Colombo today criticised the violent scenes in parliament tweeting it was a "bad day for democracy in Sri Lanka." 

"SL has a long and proud democratic tradition - reading about throwing objects at the speaker and preventing votes is unbecoming of a democracy," Joern Rohde added. 

Sri Lanka’s parliament descended into chaos this morning as lawmakers loyal to Mahinda Rajapaksa violently stormed parliamentary Speaker, Karu Jayasuria’s chair.

Ignoring the Speaker’s ruling of a no-confidence motion against Rajapaksa, UPFA MPs hurled items including a waste bin at the Speaker. 

One lawmaker was sent to hospital to receive treatment for injuries. 

Photographs emerged of one UNP MP showing his middle finger to fellow MPs and another wielding a knife. 

Read more here and here

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