Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe stated that the ‘Aragalaya’ protest movement in Sri Lanka were suppressed through democratic means.

Wickremesinghe further commented: 

“Because we implemented everything, we were able to protect democracy in this country. There was a problem in Bangladesh as well. People took to the streets there, and ultimately, the government had to use force. But it was not as serious as the situation we faced. Look at Nepal, where issues arose over controlling social media. These were not comparable to our problems. We had far more serious challenges. Yet, we worked to safeguard democracy.”

He stated that foreign media such as the BBC and Al Jazeera reported that the ‘Aragalaya’ was suppressed to such an extent that he even lost the next presidential election.

“But I don’t think there has been such a successful suppression anywhere in the world,” Wickremesinghe said. 

He stated that the country needed to chart its own path and not act according to instructions from external parties. He added that there was a concern about whether forces from Asia were influencing our region, but he affirmed that they had managed to resolve their challenges independently without yielding to any of them. 

The former President also highlighted economic achievements during his tenure. He said that the widespread public demands for fertilizers, food, fuel, and all key requirements were addressed. 

“People asked us to protect democracy, and we did that. They demanded the elimination of corruption, and the Anti-Corruption Act was passed,” he said.

Wickremesinghe concluded highlighting: 

“Remember, Sri Lanka is the oldest democratic state in Asia. This is something we must value, protect, and advance. It is the duty of any government to uphold these principles. If a government fails to do so, it cannot claim that it is truly governing the country.”