July 13, Colombo: Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe said a committee comprising the Chief of Defense Staff, the IGP and Commanders of the Tri-Forces has been appointed to restore law and order and to bring normalcy to the country.

Issuing a special statement, the Acting President said the committee has been instructed to ensure the security and the safety of the citizens during the ongoing protests and requested citizens to support the Police and Tri-forces personnel to maintain law and order in the country.

Acting President Wickremesinghe said some factions of protesters are resorting to fascism attempting to capture power and

Explaining the decisions made after the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa left the country Wednesday without resigning as stated before, Wickremesinghe, who is also the Prime Minister said according to the intelligence reports received, despite the ongoing process to elect a new president, some groups of protestors (Aragalaya) had organized to storm the Prime Minister’s Office and to surround the residence of the Air Force commander for providing the President with a plane to fly to Maldives. He said they had also decided to surround the residences of the Army Commander and the Navy Commander.

They had also organized to surround the parliament, Speaker’s House, he said.

He said that the Speaker discussed with the chief of defense staff and security forces commanders to safeguard the parliament and due to that they were not able to storm the parliament.

Wickremsinghe said that those who stormed the Prime Minister’s Office today are now rioting and engaging in violence and unruly behavior. “They have no reason to enter the Prime Minister’s Office.”

“Some have said that the country’s constitution doesn’t matter, the parliament does not matter and to only do what they say. The constitution and the parliament implement the universal suffrage and the sovereignty of the people, They are attempting to spread fascist politics,” the Acting President said.

Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe stressed that the fascistic groups cannot be allowed to undemocratically usurp power by such acts.

Acting President Wickremesinghe said based on advice he received from the security apparatus curfew has been imposed in the Western Province while emergency law has been imposed across the country.

The Acting President confirmed that a committee consisting of Inspector General of Police and Defense Chiefs has been appointed to independently take decisions to deescalate the situation.

Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe also confirmed party leaders yesterday already agreed to appoint a new President next week, once President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigns today.

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