Under heavy clouds and showers, the heart of the capital of Sri Lanka wakes up this Friday, July 22 in a massive deployment of the police. On the Colombo seafront, a portion of the deserted avenue of Galle Face is occupied, at the level of the historic building of the presidential office, by a large security device. Hundreds of soldiers, special forces and police continue to be deployed in the early morning and are positioned in the adjacent streets, protected by barricades, water cannons and armored vehicles. Nothing is left to chance to complete the perimeter and repress any attempt at protest on the part of the population.
A muscular raid
A few hours earlier, in the middle of the night, the security forces carried out a muscular raid in these places targeting the large protest camp which, for more than three months, has been opposing a political class deemed responsible for the devastating economic bankruptcy from Sri Lanka. The tents were brutally dismantled, the activists present were expelled, and a few people, including journalists and lawyers, were injured. “This assault is completely illegal, it is a violation of the fundamental right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, indignant lawyer Jayantha Dehiaththage, who came first thing in the morning. Especially since the demonstrators had given their agreement to evacuate the presidential office today at 2 p.m. »
Denounced as disproportionate, the use of force was aimed at regaining control of this building, called “Seretariat”, and now guarded by soldiers armed with assault rifles. A battalion of cleaners in yellow vests are already sweeping, polishing and cleaning statues, steps and stairs. The garden and an entrance hall transformed in recent weeks into a library had been occupied by demonstrators since July 9. That day, monster protests invaded several official buildings and forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa into exile, replaced on July 20 by Ranil Wickremesinghe in an exceptional vote in Parliament. Decried by the demonstrators, who see in him an ally of the powerful family clan of the Rajapaksa, the new president begins his mandate, less than twenty-four hours after taking the oath, with a deployment of force and a message of authority. And appointed, this Friday, his classmate Dinesh Gunawardena as Prime Minister, also close to the Rajapaksa.
“We want to be with the people”
“Ranil, fascists!” “, or “Shame on Ranil! », shout some protesters in the face of the soldiers, in front of the barricades. They are not many. “But the fight will continue and the resistance will be organized, assures the activist Vraie Balthazaar. We refuse the presidency of Ranil Wickremesinghe, because he was not elected by the people and is the instrument of the Rajapaksa. We feel great disgust to see him resorting to violence in this way when he has just taken office. It is a very dark time for Sri Lanka. » Not far away, Father Patrick Sujeewa also arrived immediately: «We want to stand with the people, who have the right to protest peacefully. »
On the lawns in front of the Shangri-La hotel, where part of the protest “village” has not been dismantled, several activists evoke the crucial role of the international community. “We hope that it will not legitimize such a president”, comments lawyer Lakmali Hemachandra. «Tonight’s assault is undemocratic and violent, said for his part Joseph Stalin, trade union leader and figure of the protests. How can foreign embassies, which congratulated Ranil Wickremesinghe on the announcement of his election, support such a man? » During the day, several foreign representatives nevertheless expressed their concern or disapproval of the events and called on the government to exercise restraint.
An impressive safe deployment
Near a barricade on Lotus Road, Nipuni, a 20-year-old student, watches in dismay as the impressive security deployment. «It’s so sadshe said with emotion. I have been protesting peacefully for three months, but I don’t want to be hurt in the protests. And our army has become violent towards us, the people, in order to protect the politicians. Still, we’re just normal people. »