On February 13, 2025, a nationalist group known as the “Coalition Against Partition of Sri Lanka” organized a protest outside the U.S. Embassy in Colombo. The demonstrators Demanded the removal of U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung, coining the slogan “#JulieGoHome.” They also urged U.S. President Donald Trump to investigate whether USAID funds were used to support the 2022 protests that led to the ousting of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The protest was peaceful, with participants displaying placards and chanting slogans expressing their concerns. They also wrote a letter signed by many and addressed to US President Donal Trump providing their concerns.
The U.S. Embassy has not yet issued a statement regarding the demonstration.
During a protest, Oshala Herath, social activist and a former Presidential candidate of the New Independent Front Party, addressed the media, stating, “We can start any protest and even chase out a president of the country, but we don’t need funds from the USA to do that. This has to stop here. Tomorrow, if the US wants, they can then chase away our current President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and have Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who is more in sync with their tunes, as the President of the country. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s interest is at stake. In the past, towards the tail end of the Yahapalanaya government’s term, these ploys began, and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was removed, and Ranil Wickremesinghe was brought in as the President of the country. Then, not much emphasis was drawn as to what was happening. But now, after US President Donald Trump was voted in as the new President, all of these have now come to light. There was a colossal amount of money, US $7.9 million, that had been sent to Sri Lanka. This needs to be investigated further. Who received these monies, and for what purposes was it given? This was all done when the US Democratic Party was in power. Donald Trump is from the Republican Party.”
Other protesters expressed concerns that USAID funds were being used to alter the country’s cultural values by promoting the LGBTQI community and influencing media, particularly social media, to develop assets that could serve U.S. interests in the future. They argued that such interventions are more feasible in open societies compared to closed nations like China, Russia, or North Korea.
Many are of the belief is that USAID is money provided by the US for humanitarian purposes, such as a grant or a gift.
However USAID actually stands for United States Agency for International Development and its aims and goals are completely different. Its simply capacity building for both local and foreign purposes across the globe.
The USAID has a bigger budget than the State Department alleged to be around US $ 50 billion. USAID carries out US foreign policy, advances US national interests by promoting broad scale human progress. At the same time it expands stable, free societies, creates markets and trade partners for the US and fosters goodwill abroad.
This event highlights ongoing tensions between certain Sri Lankan groups and the U.S. diplomatic mission, reflecting broader debates over cultural influence and foreign involvement in domestic affairs.
We are in agreement with the contents indicated here in and wish you that that this ambassador was unnecessarily interfered our internal affairs such as political,religious, cultural activities which has led to worse situations of the country.
Although we belonged to tiny nation,we have had great and proud history over 2600 years.
As such ,we shall be glad if you would kindly look in to these matters and,take appropriate action in this regards early
Thank you,With best regards.