Speaking in Sri Lanka’s parliament on Thursday, Sri Lanka’s State Minister of Tourism, Diana Gamage, encouraged violence against student demonstrators to end their protests.
“These people must be beaten. The country’s people must beat them. It is your money that is being spent on water cannons and tear gas to disperse these groups. Stop these protests immediately. Let us rebuild this country”.
She was joined by government-aligned MP Nimal Lansa who similarly decried the student protesters as “good for nothing” and compared their actions to terrorism.
The statements follow a violent crackdown on a demonstrator led by the Inter-University Students Federation (IUSF) on 7 March and a similar protest at the University of Kelaniya held the following night. During the protest at the University of Kelaniya, two student activists were arrested.
Sri Lanka’s police resorted to violent measures to disperse the protesters including the use of tear gas and water cannons. The police arrested six student demonstrators.
Their violent crackdown persisted despite video evidence showing students retreating as police fired tear gas into the University premises affecting students, teachers, residents and pedestrians.
Sri Lanka’s Public Security Minister, Tiran Alles, has been summoned before Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Commission to address the conduct of the police in administering this crackdown.
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