• The military and security forces are here to protect and uphold democracy for its own people 
• We’ve called on the security forces, both police and military, to use its full restraint   

By Kelum Bandara   

U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung said people had the right to protest, and, at the same time, they should not resort to violence or destroy property.   

During a press interaction on Thursday, she said the military and security forces are here to protect and uphold democracy for its own people.    

“So we are constantly monitoring the situation and how the security forces are reacting to these protests. But this is where we have continuously called for restraint by those forces. We’ve called on peaceful protests from the very beginning when we saw the protests starting. And we’ve called on the security forces, both police and military, to use its full restraint.   

I think people have the right to protest. At the same time, we know that law and order must be kept, that people should not resort to violence or destroy property. But I think when you see incidents like this week with the military kicking individuals standing in the fuel queue, and other issues of aggressive actions, I think that is not a good signal for the rest of the country. The military and security forces are here to protect and uphold democracy for its own people, so we are constantly monitoring the situation and how the security forces are reacting to these protests. But this is where we have continuously called for restraint by those forces,” she said. 

• US envoy says they are constantly monitoring the situation and how the security forces are reacting to these protests