Description

On 26th February, The National People’s Power (NPP) organised a protest march in the Town
Hall area in Colombo demanding the government to hold the Local Government election
without a delay, and against the increase in electricity bill and taxes. Police fired tear gas
and water cannons at the Ibbanwala Junction near Town Hall in Colombo to disperse the
protest. Twenty-eight protesters were injured and one NPP candidate died after being
hospitalised. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna General Secretary said in a press conference,
the deceased, 61 year old Nimal Amarasiri was a candidate of Nivithigala Pradeshiya Sabha,
Ratnapura District representing their party. On the demonstration day the Maligakanda Magistrate Court issued a restraining order against
individuals including JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, preventing them from entering
the Hospital Square area in Colombo 07 on a request of Maradana Police. Earlier that day
Fort Magistrate also issued an order preventing the protesters from entering the Ministry of
Finance, President’s House, Presidential Secretariat between 1pm to 8 pm. However no
court order had been issued preventing the protest in the area that was attacked by the Police
according to the inquiry conducted by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL). On 28th February, the HRCSL called Inspector General of Police Chandana Wickremaratne
to submit a report on the incident within 24 hours and started an inquiry into the incident.