Members of the island’s Sri Lankan community gathered in Victoria Park this afternoon to engage in a silent, peaceful demonstration protesting the current regime in Sri Lanka.
“ At the moment, Sri Lanka is facing a financial and political crisis and there is a lack of basic needs in the country, so we are asking our government to take immediate action to get rid of this issue,” Joseph Ariyawansa, one of the demonstrators, told TNN.
Demonstrators signed a petition expressing their grievances and intended to hand it to Governor Rena Lalgie, Premier David Burt, Opposition Leader Cole Simons and the U.S. Consulate in Bermuda. Mr. Ariyawansa believes that these parties can also help convince the Sri Lankan government to make immediate changes.
“ We are short of fuel of every kind in Sri Lanka right now, we lack milk powder, we experience blackouts for 10 to 12 hours per day due to energy problems, so a lot of people [there] are suffering at the moment,” Mr. Ariyawansa said.
“ For us working outside of Sri Lanka, we are concerned about our families, friends and other loved ones over there, so this is one small thing that we can do for them here in Bermuda.”
“ Right now, we will see what we can do, but we are also trying to raise funds for the poor families over there, but we will do everything step by step and this protest is the first step that we have taken,” he said.
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