Held to Ransom: Capturing Fallout of a Fast Unto Death
Featured image courtesy Sri Lanka Tweet
GROUNDVIEWS-06/04/2019On May 31, Parliamentarian Athuraliye Rathana Thero began a death fast in front of the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. His demand: the resignation of Minister Rishad Bathiudeen and Governors Azath Salley and M L A M Hisbullah from their posts.
On June 3, crowds began gathering at the Dalada Maligawa. General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena, Gnanasara Thero issued a deadline of 12 pm for Athuraliye Thero’s demands to be met.
As tensions rose, Governors Hisbullah and Salley resigned from their posts and the monk called off his fast.
However, by the end of the day, 9 Muslim MPs resigned from their portfolios, although they said they would continue to sit as backbencher MPs. The action was said to be taken in order to facilitate investigations into the Easter Sunday bombing attacks.
Groundviews compiled initial reactions from politicians, lawyers and civil society on Twitter. Click here to view the Twitter moment, or scroll below:
Sri Lanka Pres @MaithripalaS has accepted the resignation of Governors Azath Salley & MLAM Hizbullah, @PMDNewsGov announced. Athuraliye Rathna Thero has been staging a fast unto death in Kandy demanding their & Minister @rbathiudeen' removal. https://t.co/vY1X89uU2v #SriLanka— Saroj Pathirana #lka (@sarojpathi) 3 June 2019
