Former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Local broadcaster NewsFirst reported on Wednesday, citing a former ambassador, that the island nation would return next week after fleeing in July amid massive protests.
Udayanga Veertunga, a former Sri Lanka Ambassador to Russia who is associated with Rajapaksa, said – he will reach Sri Lanka Newsfirst reported on August 24.
Rajapaksa, the first Sri Lankan president to step down mid-term, is temporarily taking refuge in Thailand after escaping from Sri Lanka on a military plane to the Maldives and then spending weeks in Singapore.
He resigned from office in 1948 shortly after arriving in Singapore, facing public anger at his government over its handling of Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis since independence from Britain.
Rajapaksa has not made any public appearances or comments since leaving Sri Lanka. Reuters was not able to immediately contact him or Viratunga.
Office of Rajapaksa’s successor Ranili WickremesingheThose who suggested last month that the former president refrain from returning to Sri Lanka in the near future did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“I don’t think it’s time for him to return,” Wickremesinghe told the Wall Street Journal in an interview on July 31. “I see no sign of him returning soon.”
Udayanga Veertunga, a former Sri Lanka Ambassador to Russia who is associated with Rajapaksa, said – he will reach Sri Lanka Newsfirst reported on August 24.
Rajapaksa, the first Sri Lankan president to step down mid-term, is temporarily taking refuge in Thailand after escaping from Sri Lanka on a military plane to the Maldives and then spending weeks in Singapore.
He resigned from office in 1948 shortly after arriving in Singapore, facing public anger at his government over its handling of Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis since independence from Britain.
Rajapaksa has not made any public appearances or comments since leaving Sri Lanka. Reuters was not able to immediately contact him or Viratunga.
Office of Rajapaksa’s successor Ranili WickremesingheThose who suggested last month that the former president refrain from returning to Sri Lanka in the near future did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“I don’t think it’s time for him to return,” Wickremesinghe told the Wall Street Journal in an interview on July 31. “I see no sign of him returning soon.”