Religious authorities call for calm, unions against President
(ANSA) – NEW DELHI, MAY 10 – A group of anti-government activists has been blocking the entrance to the Bandaranaike international airport, 35 km from the capital, since dawn today, to prevent pro-government politicians from leaving Sri Lanka: writes the Colombo Daily Mirror.
The country’s highest religious authorities, from the Buddhist leader Omalbe Thera, to the Archbishop of Colombo, Reverend Malcolm Ranjith, have launched a joint appeal for calm, condemning yesterday’s violence.
Omalpe Thera added that all members of the Rajapaksa family, including President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, should step down.
Union leader Saman Rathnapriya, on behalf of more than a thousand groups of workers in key sectors, from ports to health to education, has announced demonstrations across the country against “preordained attacks by organized teams against the peaceful protesters of the sit -in”. The unions have also made it known that over the weekend they will organize a peaceful march in Colombo to demand the resignation of President Gotabaya, the exponent of the Rajapaksa family who currently holds all the powers, without a government, and the formation of a new government. . Across the country today, many people wear a strip of black fabric on their arm in protest against yesterday’s attacks on protesters. (HANDLE).