- GGG protestors condemn occupation of State structures
Following the unprecedented occurrences that took place on 9 July, where thousands of citizens from all over the country stormed the Presidential Secretariat, President’s house, and Temple Trees, and on Wednesday (13), the Prime Minister’s Office, discourse sparked both on the ground and online as to whether this was necessary. Some claimed this move to be violent and unnecessary, while others say that they saw and understood the anger and power of the people.
This move may have made a strong statement, which seemed to be the final push in forcing the President to finally make a move towards resigning, but one can also argue that clashing with armed forces is dangerous and has moved away from “peaceful protesting”.
When the first three buildings were occupied by the protestors, the country erupted in cheers; after the Prime Minister’s office was stormed, a few had misgivings; soon after, word spread that protestors were attempting to take over Parliament.
Over the last few days, claims have been flying about that these buildings were stormed by insiders from the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), and the Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF), with everyone pointing fingers everywhere; some claiming the “aragalaya” to have lost its purpose, and some saying this was orchestrated by pro-Government supporters – the rumour mill abundant. Once the #OccupyParliament movement began, several were opposed to the idea on grounds that Parliament was absolutely necessary in electing officials to stabilise the situation, as it’s not a ceremonial building, but rather one that is in use and needed.
Yellow For Democracy, a group of youth that came together as part of the “aragalaya” since its inception, promptly made a statement after the #OccupyParliament movement became too loud to ignore. They noted that the movement to occupy Parliament is anarchic and unwise, and stated that they do not support such movements.
However, they stated that the peaceful expression of dissent on Parliament Road (which has been happening since the protests started in April) is, and will continue to be, part of citizens’ democratically-enshrined rights.
They also noted that the attack that took place the day before yesterday (13) by the forces was against protestors who were not attempting to breach the barricades. That being said, it was also stated that #OccupyParliament should not be encouraged, under the observation that the forces and those in power are looking for trouble, and protestors should not feed into it.
With all the slack the “aragalaya” was getting for a movement it did not orchestrate, Galle Face protestors yesterday decided to hand over Government buildings they were occupying, aiming to restore peace.
Buwanaka Perera, a youth activist who has become one of the prominent faces of “GotaGoGama” (GGG), posted a rallying call on social media claiming to storm the Parliament if the President did not resign by 13 July midnight, but, upon seeing the unrest taking place, was quick to make a statement condemning violence and taking a stance against the #OccupyParliment movement. While many commended him and the protestors at GGG for understanding the situation, realising such a move may not have been in the people’s best interest, some again were quick to point fingers, dubbing him to have ulterior motives and a hidden agenda.
It seems, with all the unrest happening right now and rumours flying about, Sri Lanka once again needs to be reminded that it is the people that are fighting for the people’s rights. With the decision of which group of protestors to support ultimately up to one’s personal choice, it must be reminded that while violence is not the solution at the cost of human lives, sometimes a stronger statement maybe be needed than just holding up signboards – which seems to have been the same thought process most were acting on over the last few days.
Everyone has their own opinion on what should be done, but the power lies within the people, and in this moment, it comes back to making sure one’s information is verified and comes from a reputable source. Many activists have taken to social media to urge the public to make informed decisions rather than just following the beck and call of anyone with a social media following. In these unprecedented times, we as citizens must stay vigilant and informed at all times to ensure a future for our country.
