A demonstrator walks in the garden at the Prime Minister's residence on the following day after demonstrators entered the building, amid the country's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka July 10, 2022. (Reuters)Sri Lanka crisis Live Updates: Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa informed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that he will resign, as previously announced, the Prime Minister’s Office said Monday. Rajapaksa had decided to step down on Wednesday, following violent protests in Colombo, which saw protesters storming his official residence.
Wickremesinghe, too, announced that he would resign as soon as a new government is formed. Opposition parties met on Sunday to discuss the formation of the new government. Ranjith Madduma Bandara, a leader in the Opposition party, United People’s Force, stated that separate discussions were held with other parties and lawmakers who broke away from Rajapaksa’s ruling coalition and more meetings were planned, news agency AP reported.
Meanwhile, the protesters will continue to occupy the residences of the President and the PM until the two quit office, the anti-government protest leaders said on Sunday.
A man stands in the swimming pool as people visit the President's house on the day after demonstrators entered the building, after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled, amid the country's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka July 10, 2022. (Reuters)
The Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka has categorically dismissed for the second time in as many months the speculative media reports about New Delhi sending its troops to Colombo, where thousands of angry protesters stormed embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's official residence and set Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's house on fire amidst the ongoing economic crisis.
"The High Commission would like to categorically deny speculative reports in sections of media and social media about India sending her troops to Sri Lanka. These reports and such views are also not in keeping with the position of the Government of India," the Indian High Commission said in a tweet late on Sunday. "The Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs of India clearly stated today that India stands with the people of Sri Lanka as they seek to realise their aspirations for prosperity & progress through democratic means & values, established institutions & constitutional framework," it said.
Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is in hiding, having fled from his own people. There were rumours on Saturday that he had left the country by a naval ship or aircraft, or that he is holed up at a military camp.
Gotabaya has not been seen in public since Tuesday (July 5), when he was booed out of Parliament. He was not present at the presidential home when protesters took over the Dutch-built residence that was once used by colonial governors. The protesters bathed in its swimming pool, ate in the kitchen, and took selfies on an antique four-poster bed.
How did the Rajapaksa family rise to the pinnacle of power in Sri Lanka? What went wrong for Gotabaya? And what's next? We answer here
Sri Lanka's Opposition parties will resume talks on Monday to form an all-party interim government after the president and prime minister offered to resign as unprecedented protests broke out and thousands of enraged demonstrators stormed the leaders' homes over their mishandling of the country's worst economic crisis.
Opposition parties on Sunday held talks and decided to form an all-party interim government after President Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe agreed to resign.
A special meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Affairs is scheduled to be held on Monday at 2.00 pm (local time) under the chairmanship of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to discuss the future political affairs of the country, the Colombo Page reported. (PTI)
Kaushalya Kumarasinghe writes: It is true that the economic crisis that has spread across the country played an essential role in moving people to protest. But the political aspirations of the people cannot simply be confined to the return of the old normal where shortage of fuel, gas, medicine, food and power cuts were not an everyday reality. Political aspirations are extremely high even though imagining a new country while it is facing economic bankruptcy may sound a bit odd. It is apparent, however, that a new citizen identity, which has experienced the people’s power in historic ways, has emerged. Read more
Will resign on July 13 as previously announced, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa officially informs PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. Rajapaksa had decided to step down on Wednesday, following violent protests in Colombo, which saw protesters storming his official residence. (PTI)
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have both agreed to resign following violent protests on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Opposition in the country seeks to form the new government.
Stay tuned as we bring you the latest updates on the Sri Lanka crisis.