Over a dozen protesters have been detained by heavily armed Sri Lanka police as they demonstrated against a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) rally featuring disgraced former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
At least 16 protesters have been arrested including Nawalapitiya Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Organizer Sasanka Sampath.
In May, Rajapaksa was forced out of office in historic protests that saw demonstrators seize the president’s residence. The mass demonstrations in Colombo were a response to the dire economic crisis which is blamed on the Rajapaksa clan’s mismanagement of the economy. Almost half of Sri Lankans live below the poverty line and close to a third have been forced into food insecurity.
The Rajapaksa family is now facing potential legal action against their management of the economy and alleged corruption.
Despite the unrest earlier this year, addressing the rally the former prime minister was confident on the ability of his party to win a general election.
"We know there are certain people of this country against us. Even today, if there is a general election, we could win and that is the truth. Today we are going around the country and we can see this situation very clearly," Mahinda Rajapaksa told attendees.
Lanka News Web has reported that a number of front-line SLPP members have urged the party founder and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, who left for the US in September, to return to the country and to take on the position of Prime Minister, currently held by Dinesh Gunawardene.
Basil Rajapaksa’s reputation has been by accusations of corruption. A 2007 leaked US embassy cable noted that Basil “worked for the Ministry of Mahaweli Development, where he earned the nickname "Mr. Ten Percent" for demanding a ten percent commission on every project”.
The Rajapaksa clan has been on a charm offensive, attempting to rebuild their shattered public image and return to the political limelight. Commenting on the current president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, Mahinda Rajapaksa told a rally in the city of Kalutara;
“We scolded Ranil back then. But Ranil is with us now, so we sing his praises. I believe he has chosen the correct path now”.