Island-wide curfew reimposed from 11:00 p.m. Monday
COLOMBO – The government announced a six-hour island-wide curfew from 11:00 p.m. Monday (16) to 5:00 a.m. Tuesday (17), pushing back the previously announced schedule by three hours.
The President’s Media Division (PMD) making the announcement, did not give any reasons for imposition of the curfew, which was initially set for 8:00 p.m. Monday. The island-wide curfew, imposed in the immediate aftermath of deadly clashes that left nine dead and around 300 injured, was lifted on Sunday (15) for Vesak celebrations.
However, speculation is rife that the movement restriction is being imposed ahead of Parliament session on Tuesday, as many ruling party legislators have demanded for more security after last week’s mayhem.
Parliament is expected to take up a no confidence motion against the President this week, and also discuss the 21st Amendment to the Constitution to reduce the untrammelled powers of the president.
Last week’s clashes took place after supporters of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa brutally attacked unarmed and peaceful protesters at two protest sites outside Temple Trees and the Presidential Secretariat for the past month, demanding the resignation of President Rajapaksa and the prime minister for their economic mismanagement.
President Rajapaksa appointed opposition law maker Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new prime minister on Thursday (12).
President Rajapaksa has already declared emergency early this month and it will elapse if it is not approved by the Parliament this week with simple majority.
Monday’s announcement said the curfew was being imposed in accordance with the provisions of Section 16 of the Public Security Ordinance and that during the curfew period no one would be allowed to be on any public road, railway, public park, public recreation ground or other public ground or the seashore except under the authority of a written permit granted by an authorized officer.
-EN/ENCL