Sri Lankan Forces Deployed to Dismantle Anti-Government Protest Camp Outside Presidential Residence

Protesters shout slogans demanding president Ranil Wickremesinghe step down during a protest at the presidential secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on July 20, 2022. Rafiq Maqbool/AP Photo

Sri Lanka’s armed forces on July 22 launched a pre-dawn raid at Galle Face park—which had been besieged for months by anti-government protesters in the wake of the country’s economic crisis—drawing outcry from human rights groups.

Hundreds of military personnel and police special task force officers stormed the site at about 1 a.m. local time, dismantling tents and evicting demonstrators from the presidential secretariat, Colombo Page reported.

The raid reportedly occurred hours before protesters were due to leave the area.

The roads leading to Galle Face were closed, and nine people were arrested for confronting police during the raid, two of whom were taken to the hospital for their injuries.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) issued a statement claiming that security forces were seen assaulting unarmed civilians, including two attorneys and journalists who were present at the site.

“The BASL has been informed that at least two Attorneys-at-Law who sought to intervene in their professional capacity had been assaulted by service personnel,” it stated, calling for an immediate probe into the incident.

The U.S. ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, urged the Sri Lankan authorities in a Twitter post to exercise restraint and provide immediate access to medical attention for those injured during the raid.

“Deeply concerned about actions taken against protestors at Galle Face in the middle of the night,” Chung said in the tweet.

‘Despicable’ Attack

President Ranil Wickremesinghe authorized the nation’s armed forces to maintain public order after being sworn in as president on July 21.

The BASL called Wickremesinghe’s move to deploy the armed forces to remove protesters from the presidential secretariat “despicable,” calling on his administration to uphold the rule of law and the people’s rights to protest.

“The use of the armed forces to suppress civilian protests on the very first day in office of the new president is despicable and will have serious consequences on our country’s social, economic, and political stability,” it stated.

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka also condemned the “brutal and despicable attack” on protesters at Galle Face, and pledged to conduct its own investigation into the incident.

The commission said in a statement (pdf) that the military’s attack on unarmed civilians violated the people’s fundamental right to peacefully protest and urged the government to take action against the perpetrators.

British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Sarah Hulton also posted online about her concerns over the situation at Galle Face and emphasized “the importance of the right to peaceful protest.”

Rajapaksa Ally Appointed as Prime Minister

Wickremesinghe appointed veteran politician Dinesh Gunawardena to be the prime minister of the crisis-hit nation. Gunawardena was sworn in on July 22 following the raid at Galle Face.

Gunawardena, 73, previously served as foreign minister under former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s administration from November 2019 to August 2021, and as education minister from August 2021 to April 2022. He is also the current leader of the House of Parliament.

Wickremesinghe Calls For Unity

Wickremesinghe secured 134 of the total 219 votes in the Parliament, defeating Dullas Alahapperuma, who collected 82 votes. The new president called for unity with his opponents to revive the economy.

Sri Lanka's newly sworn-in president Ranil Wickremesinghe signs after taking an oath during his swearing-in ceremony in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on July 21, 2022. Sri Lankan President's Office via AP

“We have to create a new strategy to move forward,” he said. “People are demanding not the old politics. They ask the Parliament to carry forward the work in a united manner.”

Anti-government protesters flocked to the presidential office to demand Wickremesinghe’s resignation as they viewed him as an ally of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

A Sri Lankan flag is waved by a protester demanding President Ranil Wickremesinghe step down in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on July 20, 2022. Rafiq Maqbool/AP Photo

Wickremesinghe previously served as prime minister to replace Mahinda Rajapaksa, who resigned after the prolonged unrest turned deadly in May 2022. He was later appointed as interim president after Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country due to protesters storming his official residence.

Protesters also seized and burned down Wickremesinghe’s private house to demand his resignation as prime minister. He imposed a state of emergency after being sworn in as interim president but revoked the order hours later.

Wickremesinghe imposed another state of emergency ahead of the parliamentary vote, which gave him broad authority to act in the interest of public security and order. He cited the “maintenance of [essential] supplies and services” as a reason for the move.

Demonstrators run from tear gas used by police during a protest demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, amid the country's economic crisis, near the president's residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on July 9, 2022. Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters

Anti-government protesters have blamed Rajapaksa and his government for the country’s worst economic crisis in decades, which has left the nation’s population of 22 million people struggling to obtain food, fuel, medicines, and other essential items.

Sri Lanka has $51 billion in foreign debt, $6.5 billion of which is owed to China. The country defaulted on its debt in May and declared bankruptcy on July 5.

Wickremesinghe has been leading the government’s efforts to negotiate a bailout deal with the International Monetary Fund and seek loan packages from major lending partners, including China, India, and Japan.