Soldiers On Bikes vs Cops At Protests As Sri Lanka Crisis Deepens: 10 Points

Public anger is at a fever pitch in Sri Lanka, where crowds have attempted to storm the homes of several government figures

Soldiers On Bikes vs Cops At Protests As Sri Lanka Crisis Deepens: 10 Points
Colombo: Special forces soldiers were seen being stopped by the police at protests in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo, prompting the Army Chief to call for an inquiry, as anti-government demonstrations intensified in the country

Here are the top 10 updates on this big story

  1. A group of masked soldiers with assault rifles drove through the crowd on unmarked bikes at a protest near Parliament, in which children, women and the elderly were also participating. This led to a verbal confrontation between the armed soldiers and the police when the officials tried to stop them, prompting Army Chief Shavendra Silva to call for an inquiry.

  2. Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa late Tuesday night revoked the state of emergency he had declared on April 1 with immediate effect, even as the government struggled to quell protests amid the nation's worst economic crisis in decades.

  3. The ruling coalition lost its majority in Parliament after at least 41 lawmakers walked out of the alliance, with former allies urging President Rajapaksa's resignation

  4. Although the government is now in the minority, there has been no clear signal that Opposition legislators will attempt a no-confidence motion to topple it immediately. However, Opposition parties have already rebuffed President Rajapaksa's call to join a unity administration.

  5. Finance Minister Ali Sabry resigned a day after his appointment and ahead of crucial talks scheduled with the International Monetary Fund for a loan programme. 

  6. The UN Human Rights Council said it was closely watching the deteriorating situation in Sri Lanka, which is already facing international censure over its human rights record.

  7. The cash-strapped country has decided to temporarily shut its embassies in Norway and Iraq, as well as the country's Consulate General in Sydney.

  8.  The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said that it is monitoring political and economic developments in Sri Lanka "very closely" as public unrest in the island nation grows amid its worst economic crisis in decades.

  9. There have been mass agitations against the ruling Rajapaksa family for its mishandling of the economic situation triggered by the foreign exchange crisis and the balance of payment issues. Public anger is at a fever pitch in Sri Lanka, where since the weekend crowds have attempted to storm the homes of several government figures.

  10. The South Asian nation is facing severe shortages of food, fuel and other essentials -- along with record inflation and crippling power cuts -- in its most painful downturn since independence from Britain in 1948. 



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