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Wasantha Handapangoda pledges continued support to Rajapaksas

20 May 2022

  • Claims no part in attacks but that she was a target/victim of an organised group  
BY Buddhika Samaraweera Sri Lanka Podujana Education Services Union President Wasantha Handapangoda, who was among the group of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) supporters who attacked the peaceful protestors in front of the Temple Trees and at the Galle Face on 9 May, and was later caught by the protestors, said that she would continue to support the Rajapaksas and work with the SLPP in trade union-related matters and other matters. Speaking to The Morning, she said: “No one can change my opinion by attacking me. Some trade unions want to stop me, but I am not someone who will stop due to such incidents. I will continue to work with the SLPP and support former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. My policies have not undergone even the slightest change.” Claiming that she had not attempted attack protestors in front of the Temple Trees or at the Galle Face, she said that a group had come in an organised manner and taken her away from the parking lot of a public hotel, where her vehicle had been parked. However, she said that no one else, including the teachers who were with her, was taken that way, adding that the said group was targeting her on that day.  “I was not among those who went and attacked the protestors. I was caught in the car park at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel. It was something they did in an organised way, targeting me. There were other teachers with me at the time, but they (the protestors) only took me. I can identify everyone who attacked me on that day,” said Handapangoda. Meanwhile, when questioned as to whether there are any plans to take legal action in connection with the incident, she said: “Legal action has to be taken, right? However, I do not want to talk too much about it. I have to say that I have some political opinions, which remain unchanged despite this incident.” A group of SLPP supporters, following a meeting with Rajapaksa at the Temple Trees, attacked peaceful protestors at ‘MynaGoGama’ in front of the Temple Trees and ‘GotaGoGama’ at the Galle Face on 9 May. They had also set fire to several makeshift constructions at the said protest sites. Handapangoda, a trade union leader representing the SLPP, was also present at the meeting with former Premier Rajapaksa. However, following the attack by the SLPP supporters, protestors at the Galle Face Green took her into their custody and took her on foot towards the Presidential Secretariat. On the way, some people had thrown eggs at her and she was also forced to chant the slogan “Go Home Gota”. Furthermore, although she claims that she was not involved in the attack on the protestors on that day, a video recorded before the attacks, which is now circulating on social media platforms, shows her saying: “We told the Government to enforce the law against these protestors, but it did not happen and the people have now taken the law into their own hands. The ‘MynaGoGama’ is already destroyed and the next target is the ‘GotaGoGama’.”  


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