Sri Lanka Crisis: Order To Shoot At Sight On Rioters

Sri Lanka Crisis: Order to shoot at sight those who commit violence in Sri Lanka, Defense Ministry took decision amid bloody conflict.

The Defense Ministry of Sri Lanka, which is facing a severe economic crisis, has issued orders to the Army, Air Force, and Navy personnel to shoot any rioter who loots public property or causes injury to civilians.

The order came after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appealed to the people to stop acts of violence and vendetta.

Nationwide protests against the Sri Lankan government have intensified over the past few days, resulting in an increase in clashes with security forces stationed at protest sites.

The Defense Ministry has ordered the three forces to open fire on anyone who loots public property or causes damage to others, an army spokesman said.

Protests have been recognized in the country, which has burnt down the houses of ministers and MPs.

Anti-government protesters also torched the official residences of Sri Lanka’s Moratuwa Mayor Saman Lal Fernando and MPs Sanath Nishant, Ramesh Pathirana, Mahipal Herath, Thisa Kuttiarachi, and Nimal Lanja.

A large number of protesters took to the streets and attacked the MPs of Podujana Peramuna in Sri Lanka.

According to the Daily Mirror report, even some offices of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) were set ablaze.

Former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and some members of his family have been shifted to the Trincomalee naval base a day after they resigned following violent protests that led to a nationwide curfew.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, who resigned as prime minister, and some of his family members took shelter at the Trincomalee naval base after they left their official residence in Colombo.

After the news spread that protests broke out in front of the naval base on Tuesday, with protesters demanding Mahinda’s ouster from the premises.

The anger among the people against the Rajapaksa family and the ruling parties can be gauged from the fact that anti-government protesters have set up checkpoints on the road leading to the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo so that no one from this family is involved.

Even close ones could not leave the country and run away.

According to the newspaper ‘Daily Mirror’, after the resignation of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister, on Monday, crowds tried to enter his official residence ‘Temple Trees’ throughout the night.

Police used tear gas shells to control the crowd.

According to the Colombo Gazette report, helicopters were seen leaving the capital city with VVIPs today and some speculated that they were members of the Rajapaksa family.

Earlier today, a group of protesters attacked a senior police officer in Colombo in the Western Province on Tuesday.

Police said that the Senior DIG was attacked near Beira Lake in Colombo. He said the group also damaged the vehicle of the DIG.

The US on Monday said it was closely monitoring the volatile situation in Sri Lanka after protesters torched ministers’ houses.

The US State Department Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs tweeted that they are closely monitoring the situation in Sri Lanka.

We are deeply concerned by the violence against peaceful protesters and innocent bystanders.

Urging all Sri Lankans to focus on finding and enabling long-term solutions to the country’s economic and political challenges.

Earlier on Monday, furious protesters torched the Rajapaksa family’s ancestral residence in Hambantota town and destroyed the memorial of the Rajapaksa brothers’ father.

Apart from this, the protesters also torched Mahinda’s residence in Kurunegala.

Also, the residences and offices of 14 former ministers and 18 MPs were also targeted, including former deputy speakers and loyal leaders of the Rajapaksa family.