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Foreign travel ban on Temple Trees’ seven, including MR 

12 May 2022

 
  • Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court imposes same ban on WP SDIG Deshabandu 
  • Namal, Johnston, Pavithra, C.B. Rathnayake, Sanath Nishantha, Sanjeeva Edirimanna also barred 
  • Court begins hearing case on Govt. attack on ‘Myna/GotaGoGama’ 
  The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court has issued a travel ban on former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, six other politicians, and Western Province Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) Deshabandu Tennakoon, as they have been named as suspects in the case of the attack on and assault of peaceful protestors at the “MynaGoGama” protest site in Kollupitiya and the “GotaGoGama” protest site in Galle Face on Monday (9).  The Attorney General’s Department has appeared on behalf of the prosecution in the case presented by the Criminal Investigation Department, which is currently investigating Monday’s incidents.  Accordingly, travel bans have been imposed on MP Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Ministers and incumbent MPs Namal Rajapaksa, Johnston Fernando, Pavithra Wanniarachchi and C.B. Rathnayake, MPs Sanath Nishantha and Sanjeeva Edirimanna, and SDIG Tennakoon.  The application was supported by lawyers appearing for the aggrieved parties, who had further requested that the aforementioned suspects be immediately arrested.  The court is due to hear the matter again on 24 May.  On Monday, supporters of Mahinda Rajapaksa gathered at the Temple Trees, where they engaged in chants, asking him not to resign from the Premiership. They were addressed by Rajapaksa and Fernando inside the Temple Trees. Footage on social media shows Namal Rajapaksa talking to them as well.  There are allegations that Fernando, Wanniarachchi, Nishantha, and Edirimanna had sent busloads of people from their respective districts to form this crowd. Some allegations against Fernando further claim that he provided them with alcohol as well. Following this, the crowd assaulted the protestors outside the Temple Trees, at “MynaGoGama”, where they were engaged in a days-long struggle, demanding his resignation. The crowd then moved towards “GotaGoGama”, where they assaulted anti-Government protestors, setting fire to many structures near the Galle Face Green thay belonged to the protestors. Several videos show Nishantha among this crowd of attackers, with one photograph showing Nishantha and SDIG Tennakoon together.  Moreover, The Morning reported this week that Inspector General of Police Chandana D. Wickramaratne had initially instructed certain senior Police officers to not prevent the attackers from going to “GotaGoGama”, by using water cannons and tear gas.  Calls to arrest Mahinda Rajapaksa and other government members who played a role in inciting such violence has been growing while questions have been raised about the inaction of the Police and the Tri Forces who did not prevent the pro-Rajapaksa supporters from moving towards “GotaGoGama”.


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