Sri Lanka cricket legend Mahela Jayawardena has called out President Ranil Wickremesinghe on the attacks on protesters by armed forces this morning.
The Sri Lankan army carried out a crackdown near the Presidential Secretariat, sparking global outrage and more protests in the crisis-hit island nation.
Commenting on the attack, Mahela Jayawardena referred to an old Tweet by the United National Party (UNP) which condemned the attacks on protesters by Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) loyalists on the 09th May 2022.
The UNP had then tweeted that UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe condemned the attack on the Galle Face demonstrators, saying that not only the Prime Minister but the entire government must resign.
Referring to the UNP’s old Tweet, former cricketer Mahela Jayawardena said, “the UNP should delete this tweet quickly, if not there will be another resignation even before the new cabinet is appointed”.
Meanwhile, former cricket legend Sanath Jayasuriya also condemned the attacks, stating “it was terrible to see unarmed protesters being attacked when they had already agreed to leave”.
Stating that the first job at hand is to reduce the suffering of the people and not increase it, Jayasuriya urged the President not to add fuel to the fire. (NewsWire)
@officialunp should delete this tweet quickly if not will have another resignation even before the new cabinet is appointed. What power dose to people… pic.twitter.com/yfLPDuxk6e
— Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay) July 22, 2022
It was terrible to see unarmed protesters being attacked when they had already agreed to leave. Remember the first job at hand is to reduce the suffering of the people not increase it. Please don’t add fuel to the fire.
— Sanath Jayasuriya (@Sanath07) July 22, 2022