Omalpe Sobhitha Thero makes a request from protesters

Venerable Omalpe Sobitha Thero has requested the protesters who are occupying the President’s House, Presidential Secretariat and the Temple Trees to vacate the compounds once Gotabaya Rajapaksa steps down from the presidency.

Addressing a special media briefing earlier today, he stressed that the safety of these premises needs to be ensured.

He added that following the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa tomorrow (July 13) as anticipated, the people of the country should be satisfied to some extent that their demand is being fulfilled.

Hence, the aforementioned occupied compounds should be vacated as the security of the country is not ensured while the presidency remains inactive, he pointed out.

“The people are in charge of security,” Ven. Sobitha Thero said further, noting that maintaining security under such circumstances will be a serious problem in the future. “Conspiracies that we do not even know about, might be orchestrated to destroy these important national properties.”

He requested that these compounds be handed over to the security forces.