Sri Lanka's top defense official on Wednesday (May 11) ruled out a military coup, despite the country's political stalemate and the deployment of thousands of troops to maintain order after two days of deadly clashes.
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A curfew is in effect across the country and troops are patrolling the streets with instructions to shoot on sight anyone attacking property or committing acts of violence.
Armored vehicles carrying soldiers circulate on the streets of the capital Colombo and have raised fears of an impending coup, shared on social networks.
"
When there is a dangerous situation in the country, powers are given to the military to deal
with it," Kamal Gunaratne, secretary of Sri Lanka's defense ministry, told reporters on Wednesday.
“
Never think that we are trying to take power.
The military have no such intentions
,” he said.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who remained in office, enjoys extensive powers and command of the security forces.
"
Violence is provoked (by the authorities) in order to establish a military regime
", denounced opposition leader Sajith Premadasa a little earlier on Twitter, and demanded that "
the rule of law
" be "
maintained by the constitution and not by ARMS
”.
Resignation of former prime minister
Kamal Gunaratne, one of the main victorious commanders in 2009 of the separatist rebels, the Tamil Tigers, explained that he had asked the soldiers to come in to reinforce the police because of the “
dangerousness of the situation
”.
The island's population is overwhelmed by months of severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine and power cuts.
Peaceful protests have been calling for the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for weeks.
On Monday, government supporters, sent from the provinces to the capital Colombo and galvanized by his brother, the resigning Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, set fire to the powder by attacking the demonstrators.
Kamal Gunaratne said the former prime minister, exfiltrated Tuesday by the army from his besieged official residence, had been taken to a naval base in Trincomalee (northeast), where he was still on Wednesday.
"
We will ensure his safety for as long as he wishes
," he said.
"
But I'm hopeful he can leave Trincomalee base in a few days
."
Read alsoAttacks in Sri Lanka: “The population is very angry with political leaders”
President Rajapaksa has been confined to his tightly guarded official residence as thousands have protested outside his seaside office since April 9 demanding his resignation.
In 1962, a coup d'etat, fomented by a few colonels against then Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike, was foiled without a single shot.
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