Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam claims the country is facing a more dangerous situation today than during the time when the LTTE was active.

Speaking at a press conference held at the party’s headquarters, Kariyawasam accused the current government of normalising killings and suppressing dissent under a fascist-style regime.

He cited the recent killing of Dan Priyasad — the individual who first exposed the controversial container scandal — as a sign of the lawlessness gripping the country. “He was murdered inside his own home. This is not an isolated case. We are now seeing people being gunned down inside courtrooms, in front of police stations, and inside their homes,” he said.

Kariyawasam alleged that the government is deliberately downplaying such killings by labelling victims as drug traffickers or underworld members. “This is a tactic to justify state inaction and avoid accountability,” he said.

He went on to draw comparisons with past periods of violence in Sri Lanka. “We have gone beyond the dark days of LTTE terrorism and are now heading towards conditions similar to the 1988–89 JVP insurrection. The government’s response to these killings points to the rise of a fascist regime,” he warned.

Kariyawasam also claimed that these acts of violence are being used to lay the groundwork for silencing political opponents. “When fascist regimes can’t contain opposition through legal means, they turn to anonymous gunmen. That’s exactly what we are starting to see,” he added.