• Harin, Manusha trigger melee assaulting Serjeant-at-Arms, deputy 
• Serjeant-at-Arms, deputy fall down in attempt to protect Mace, receive blows from SJB MPs  

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana   

Despite mounting public disgust over the decline of decorum of parliamentarians, rowdy scenes were witnessed in the House even yesterday even with Serjeant-at-Arms Narendra Fernando and Deputy Serjeant-at-Arms Kushan Jayaratne falling down in a melee triggered by SJB MPs Harin Fernando and Manusha Nanayakkara.

Parliament turned tense over the police tear gassing protestors near the parliamentary complex. They rushed to the Chair and attempted to smuggle the Mace, the symbol of authority of the House. Among the SJBs who behaved in this manner are Mr. Fernando, Mr. Nanayakkara, Hector Appuhamy, Kavinda Jayawardane, Gayantha Karunatilake and Mujibur Rahaman.

Mr. Fernando and Mr. Nanayakkara came near the Mace. The Serjeant-at-Arms and his deputy tried to protect the Mace. They received blows from the two MPs and were seen falling down. 

The SJB MPs condemned the attack on the students and demanded that days are fixed for the no confidence motions brought against the government.  

MP Harin Fernando said the attack on the students was a shameless act. “We vehemently condemn the attack and also request that the Speaker come and make a statement on both issues. He should come and state as to when the no faith motions will be debated,” he said.  

“We want the House convened next week to take up the debate on the no faith motions,” MP Manusha Nanayakkara said.  

“We will hold the Speaker a prisoner until he meets our demands,” Mr. Fernando said.  
The Speaker who made a statement after the sessions resumed said a party leaders’ meeting will be called on Monday to decide on the date on which the no faith motions are taken for debate, “We will discuss the matter at the party leaders meeting and convene Parliament next week if possible,” he said.  

“I express my sadness at the incident outside the Parliament. We urge the protesters to be peaceful and restrained in expressing themselves. I will request the IGP to submit a report on the incident. He then adjourned the sessions till May 17, 2022.  

The trade unions in Sri Lanka on Friday launched a crippling islandwide strike to demand the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his government over its inability to tackle the economic meltdown which has caused unprecedented hardships to the public.  

Sri Lanka’s government has been facing a wave of protests around the country with an increasingly furious public demanding its resignation.  

• The Speaker said a party leaders’ meeting will be called on Monday to decide on the date on which the no faith motions are taken for debate

All trade unions of health, postal, port and other government services have joined the strike. However, several pro-ruling party trade unions have declined to join.  

Businesses remained shut and roads appeared empty in most usually crowded areas.  
“Over 2,000 trade unions are joining us. Still, we will provide urgent and emergency services,” Ravi Kumudesh of the Joint Trade Union Action group said.  

“Today’s one day action is to tell the president that he should step down along with the government. If our pleas are not heeded we will go into continuous strike action from May 11 until the government resigned,” Kumudesh said.  
Mahinda Jayasinghe of the teachers’ trade union said school principals and teachers won’t attend school on Friday.  

The privately-owned bus operators said they would anyway find it difficult to run services due to long queues prevailing at fuel stations for diesel.  

“No diesel to run buses,”  Gamunu Wijeratne of the private bus owners’ association said.  
The state transport Chair, Kingsley Ranawaka said they would provide extra buses on Friday to maintain transport.  
The students who staged a protest walk to parliament on Thursday occupied the road at the main entrance of parliament.  
The police fired tear gas at them last night but they continued with their sit-in even in heavy rains.  
They have set up the third protest village ‘Horu go home gama’ or ‘crooks go home village’ at the Parliament main entrance.  

Since April 9, the protesters have been staying near the presidential secretariat in the ‘Gota go home gama’ or Gotabaya Go home village and since April 26 the ‘Mynah go home village’ or ‘Mahinda Go Home Village’.  
The Inter-University Students’ Federation activists who occupy the parliamentary entrance say they would continue until the whole government resigned.  

Sri Lanka is currently in the throes of unprecedented economic turmoil since its independence from Britain in 1948.  

The crisis is caused in part by a lack of foreign currency, which has meant that the country cannot afford to pay for imports of staple foods and fuel, leading to acute shortages and very high prices.  
Thousands of demonstrators have hit the streets across Sri Lanka since April 9, as the government ran out of money for vital imports; prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed and there are acute shortages in fuel, medicines and electricity supply.  

Despite mounting pressure, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his elder brother and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa have refused to quit, taking responsibility for the economic crisis.  

On Thursday, they won a key election in Parliament when their candidate convincingly won the race for the post of Deputy Speaker.