Those who incited violence during Mirihana Protests are political extremists - Govt Min.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan Government Ministers have referred to those who incited violence during the Mirihana Protests as political extremists and not religious extremists.

Ministers Prasanna Ranatunga, Dilum Amunugama, and Keheliya Rambukwella spoke to the media on Friday (1) to respond to concerns over the public protest that was held opposite the Mirihana residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday (31).

The President's Media Division announced on Friday (1) that an organized group of extremists were among those who were protesting at Jubilee Post, Nugegoda.

The statement noted that the group acted in an unruly manner, and noted that this group armed with iron clubs, machetes, and sticks, had provoked the protesters and marched towards the President's residence in Pengiriwatte, Mirihana.

The President's Media Division in a statement noted that most of those who acted in a violent manner were arrested, and it was identified that a majority of them were an organized group of extremists.

They have spearheaded the campaign calling for an Arab Spring in Sri Lanka, it added.

The President's Media Division also said that those who were arrested revealed that this unruly situation was created with the intention of enraging the public via planned anonymous social media gatherings.

Referring to the word ‘Extremist’, Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said that the Government had not referred to religious extremists.

Sri Lankan Health Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella also echoed the same clarification noting that the Government referred to political extremists and not religious extremists.

However, Minister of Transport Dilum Amunugama also said that the word “Extremist’ may have been wrongly used and said, instead, that It should have been addressed as ‘Terrorists’, explaining that only terrorists set fire to vehicles.