News
Prominent YouTuber ousted from aragalaya on accusations of misusing funds
YouTube content creator and a prominent figure at the anti-government protest site at Galle Face – Samantha Piyumal Samarasinghe alias “Motivation Appachchi” has been ousted from the “Gotagama” protest site this week.
Protesters claim that he had misused funds sent by Sri Lankans overseas in the guise of helping the protest. They also alleged that he was not present at the protest site when it came under attack by a pro-government mob on May 9.
Financial donations are not accepted at the“Gotagogama” protest as assistance is sought in kind, such as bottles of water, food, tents and sanitary items, protesters said. 
“Especially in Gotagogama, when it comes to donations, it has to be emphasised that we don’t take any cash donations ,” said Anjalee Wanduragala, a University Student volunteering at the main distribution tent at the site.
She added that transparency was important, and funds from different projects was not acceptable.
“We believe that the particular content creator was misappropriating funds, so I think it was correct to send him away from the protest site because we stand for justice and accountability,” she said.
“All the goods that come here are from the hard-earned money of citizens. We do not accept cash at all. Someone who even gives us a bottle of water has to provide their details and signature. We had not received any donations from the particular social media content creator,” Dakshana Samarakoon said on behalf of the protesters.
Attempts by the Sunday Times to reach Mr Samarasinghe were not successful, however releasing a video on his Facebook page, he accepted that he had received funds from Sri Lankans overseas to provide food and beverages for people at the protest site.
“Initially, I gave 2,000 bottles of water and some biscuits from the funds received from overseas Lankans. However, I didn’t have a proper place to store them. We kept them in the car park and distributed them. From time to time I had received funds and I used them for the protest,” he said in the video.
In the video he further claimed that pro-government supporters had chased him away from the protest site.
The Sunday Times also learned that donors had booked a hotel room for two days at a leading hotel in Colombo for Mr Samarasinghe when he was at the protest site. A video is also circulating on social media showing him at a hotel room along with a group of friends.
Chasing out “Motivation Appachchi” from the protest site is not ethical, since it is a platform that is open for anyone with any political ideology and views, a follower of “Motivation Appachchi” told the Sunday Times.
“I saw several people cheering and saying, “Motivation Appachchi” has been chased away from the site. For me this was a big defeat for the struggle, because through his social media platforms many people gathered at the protest site. He has provided a motivation to his followers to come to Galle Face,” Hamza Hanifa, another protester had posted on his Facebook page.
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