No protests allowed to disrupt 75th Independence Day celebrations in Colombo today

No protests will be allowed at the Galle Face or surrounding areas in Colombo today after the Fort Magistrates Court issued an order preventing any protest march or any person from entering Galle Face and surrounding areas without prior authorisation. Accordingly, the order prevents any person from entering Galle Face Green and surrounding areas tomorrow in a manner that would disrupt the scheduled celebrations of Sri Lanka’s 75th Independence Day.

The order was issued after the Fort Police requested the courts to issue an order preventing any protests claiming that many local and international dignitaries are expected to attend the 75th Independence Day celebrations, and the presence of unauthorised personnel could pose a threat to them, and the celebrations as well.

The court order issued by Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage also prevents 29 persons including Convenor of the Inter University Students Federation Wasantha Mudalige, Convenor of the Inter University Bhikkhu Federation Galewwa Siridhamma Thera, General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers’ Union Joseph Stalin and Frontline Socialist Party activist Duminda Nagamuwa. The order prevents the persons from blocking or holding protests on roads leading to Galle Face.

Security measures have been beefed up in Colombo and its environs with a heavy presence of military and police personnel as seen on the roads yesterday. Meanwhile, a hartal has been organised in the North and East against the 75th Independence Day celebrations. Jaffna and Batticaloa University students are organising a huge black-flag four-day long march from Jaffna University to Batticaloa University. The march will begin on the Independence Day of 4 February from Jaffna University and will reach Batticaloa University on the 7th, where a declaration will be made highlighting Tamil’s demands.

The student-led protest march will be joined by families of the disappeared, Hindu and Christian religious leaders, Tamil Civil Society groups, Tamil women groups, Tamil trade unions, Tamil farmers and fisheries organisations, and others.