Colombo, May 12 (Agency) Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne has described India as “our elder brother” but insisted that no foreign troops will be let into the island nation amid its worst economic crisis since independence. Gunaratne told the media that media speculation that India would send troops to Sri Lanka was wrong. “India is our elder brother. India is playing that role now. But for no reason will we allow foreign troops in Sri Lanka,” the media quoted him as saying on Wednesday. India has already denied media reports that it planned to send its military to Sri Lanka or that leaders from the island nation had taken refuge in India. The Gunaratne press conference was also attended by the Chiefs of the armed forces. In an oblique hint at the Janatha Vimukti Peramuna (JVP), a leftwing group that has been involved in two major insurrections in the country, the Defence Secretary blamed “a revolutionary party” for the massive violence that rocked Sri Lanka on Monday leaving nine people dead.
Gunaratne said the anti-government protests in Colombo’s Galle Face Green area had been peaceful until Monday when an attack by supporters of the ruling party triggered a massive backlash all across the country. He said action would be taken against everyone involved in the mayhem. “There were attacks on houses. People were killed. There was looting. Sri Lanka is becoming a Libya and we had to stop that,” he said, explaining why it was decided to impose curfew and deploy the Army. “There have been incidents of looting and arson… Soon people will come into your house and rape your woman and children. I am not trying to scare anyone. But we will stop this from happening,” he said. Gunaratne admitted that Mahinda Rajapaksa, who resigned as Prime Minister on Monday, had taken shelter in the Trincomalee naval base and would be moved to a location of his choice later. He said the military would provide security to Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was entitled to it as a former President. Army Commander General Shavendra Silva added that 6.9 million people had voted for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. “There is a way to remove the President in the Constitution.”