Sri Lanka: Opposition party SJB may join protest at Galle Face
Apr 17, 2022
Colombo [Sri Lanka], April 17 : Sri Lanka's Opposition party, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) five MPs (Members of Parliament) will join the hundreds of protesters at Galle Face, the ongoing protests which erupted in the city of Colombo a few days back, if the need arises.
The five MPs name Harin Fernando, Manusha Nanayakkara, Mujibur Rahman, Kavinda Jayawardena and Hector Appuharmy, Daily Mirror reported.
"We are willing to forget party politics and join the protesters if the need arises," MP Fernando said.
"We will back the protesters, especially if the government tries to suppress their rights," he added.
The MPs appealed to the protesters to not get discouraged by the acts of the government.
The Sri Lankans are protesting against the government's handling of the economic situation. At the time when the nationals were celebrating their new year, a massive protest erupted in the Galle Face Green area. Protesters have been accusing Rajapaksa's government of corruption and misrule.
Meanwhile, SJB will hold a meeting today to decide their next move regarding the no-confidence motion against the ruling government and impeachment motion against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The SJB party said that it is planning to hand over the impeachment motion and the no-confidence motion to the Speaker when the parliament convenes on April 19 after the New Year holidays, Colombo Page reported.
The Leader of the Opposition, and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa, on Wednesday, signed the impeachment motion against the President and the no-confidence motion against the government.
Sri Lanka is battling a severe economic crisis with food and fuel scarcity affecting a large number of the people in the island nation. The economy has been in a free-fall since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sri Lanka is also facing a foreign exchange shortage, which has, incidentally, affected its capacity to import food and fuel, leading to the power cuts in the country. The shortage of essential goods forced Sri Lanka to seek assistance from friendly countries.
