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No additional security for MPs say police; IGP not doing enough to quell voilence say some Govt. MPs
Police say no additional security has been provided for MPs unless threat assessments have indicated they face specific threats.
Security for MPs is provided by the Ministerial Security Division (MSD) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has so far not issued a special circular ordering for the security of MPs to be strengthened, a senior police officer who spoke on grounds of anonymity said.
“There are special threat assessments conducted on MPs and if it is found that he or she faces a specific threat, then their security will be strengthened, but this is on a case-by-case basis so far and there has been no blanket increase,” the officer explained.
Protests have been held outside President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s residence at Mirihana, Presidential Secretariat, Temple Trees and Carlton House in recent days. Meanwhile, protesters have also converged outside the residences of several Government MPs, with some of them becoming quite violent. Over the past few days, protesters have rallied outside the residences of MPs Janaka Bandara Tennakoon (Dambulla), Ramesh Pathirana (Galle), Nimal Lanza (Negombo), Keheliya Rambukwella (Kandy), Roshan Ranasinghe (Polonnaruwa) and Gamini Lokuge (Piliyandala). Some of these protests have largely been peaceful, but others have turned violent, with police firing water cannon and tear gas to disperse protesters.
The most serious incident occurred on Monday when a group stormed State Minister Roshan Ranasinghe’s residence in Polonnaruwa during a protest, causing extensive damage. Police later arrested 13 persons in connection with the incident.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Ranasinghe alleged that the attack was a political conspiracy hatched by his opponents in the district and blamed members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), the National Peoples’ Power (NPP) and the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) of being involved in the attack.
Mr Ranasinghe urged the President and the Government to use the powers vested with them by the Constitution to quell violent protests. “We can’t allow this to continue. If the IGP is not doing enough to prevent this, then he too should be removed,” he stressed, accusing the IGP of playing a “double game.”
Police also fired tear gas and water cannon after protests outside the residences of former ministers Keheliya Rambukwella and Gamini Lokuge turned violent. Five police officers were injured by rocks hurled during the protest outside Mr Rambukwella’s residence, with one officer having to undergo surgery. Meanwhile, some protesters set a fire during the protest at Mr Lokuge’s residence. Investigations into these incidents are currently underway.
Police will honour the constitutional right of all citizens to engage in peaceful protests, Police Spokesman Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nihal Thalduwa told the Sunday Times. “However, police will not hesitate to act when a protest turns violent and there is a threat to people’s lives as well as public and private property. We urge all citizens to protest peacefully without engaging in violence, destroying property or putting lives at risk,” he said.
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