Sri Lanka Police fire tear gas on Marxist party protest

Sri Lanka police today fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse a protest march organized by the Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) in Colombo to protest the recent fuel price hike by the government. Thousands of party members and supporters of JVP took to the streets of Colombo today against the increase in fuel prices and its adverse impact on the masses.
The JVP protest commenced from Maligawatte at 3.30 p.m. and proceeded towards Colombo Fort. JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath said the activists were peacefully marching towards Fort and when the marchers did not back away from the barriers set up by the police, the police fired tear gas and water cannons. The JVP parliamentarian Sunil Handunneththi has received minor injuries during the melee, Herath said. The protesters has later held a meeting and dispersed peacefully, he added. Herath said that the government was trying to mislead the public with its talks about granting subsidies. He noted that it was the mismanagement of the government that has led to the massive fuel price hike. The JVP maintains that the masses have been adversely affected by the fuel price hike. The government raised diesel prices by 37 percent to Rs. 115 per liter, kerosene prices by 49 percent to Rs. 106 per liter, and petrol prices by 9 percent, effective from Sunday. Herath says that the JVP would continue to agitate and take to the streets protesting against the government. Government spokesman Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said the government has to raise the oil prices in line with the world oil prices and the government has pledged to provide fuel subsidies to those who were severely affected by the price hike. The Sri Lankan government said it will allocate 1.9 billion rupees per month to provide fuel subsidy from Tuesday to Sri Lanka Transport board buses, the Railways, private buses, three wheelers, school transport services and fisheries boat owners. In addition households that don't have electricity will get a kerosene subsidy.