Sri Lanka: Ousted president Gotabaya Rajapaksa returns home after fleeing amid protests

After fleeing the nation in July, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the former president of Sri Lanka, arrived back home in the early hours of Saturday, according to a top security officer. According to UK-based media, the former president left the nation as the economic crisis stoked violent protests. After demonstrators enraged by a crippling economic situation attacked his office and home, Rajapaksa announced his resignation.

Following widespread protests demanding his resignation on July 9, the former president left the country. After violent protests broke out in Colombo and protesters enraged by the nation's economic difficulties stormed his official apartment and office, Rajapaksa left Sri Lanka in the early hours of July 13.

After arriving in Singapore, where he was given a 14-day visit pass, he announced his resignation as president. After escaping to Singapore through the Maldives, he recently spent time in Thailand. Nearly two months after running away to Thailand, he returns.

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On August 11, the former President reached Thailand following a request from the Sri Lankan administration. His Mirihana house has been given strict protection. However, Thailand has refuted claims that the former leader of Sri Lanka has applied for asylum there. According to the Thai Foreign Ministry, Rajapaksa requested to visit the nation without seeking for political asylum.

As a result of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna's (SLPP) request, President Ranil Wickremesinghe reportedly contacted Rajapaksa to discuss plans for his return to the nation, according to a source close to him who was quoted by the Daily Mirror. Earlier, Gotabaya's relative and former Sri Lankan ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga, indicated that Rajapaksa will return on August 24.

Rajapaksa fled his island nation last month amid widespread protests and sought temporary refuge in the Maldives before moving on to Thailand. On July 15, Rajapaksa's formal resignation was declared by Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament.

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Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the new president of Sri Lanka on July 21 in Parliament following the resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He was previously chosen to serve as Sri Lanka's interim president while Rajapaksa fled the country after violent demonstrators stormed his palace during the country's catastrophic economic crisis.

Following multiple COVID-19 waves, Sri Lanka is currently experiencing its biggest economic crisis since independence in 1948. This crisis threatens to reverse years of prosperity and seriously jeopardises the nation's capacity to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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(With inputs from ANI)