President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled from Sri Lanka, emailed his resignation on Thursday night, celebrating in Colombo
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled from Sri Lanka, emailed his resignation on Thursday night, celebrations took place in Colombo
After the President of Sri Lanka Gotabaya Rajapakse emailed his resignation letter On Thursday night, protesters in the island nation retreated from government buildings they had occupied as the country grapples with a severe economic crisis.
The office of the parliamentary speaker deferred an official announcement until Friday to verify the “authenticity and validity” of the document.
Mr Gotabaya, who came to power in 2019 with a thumping election victory, fled the country and sought refuge on two other islands as mass anti-government protests escalated over the past weekend. He was sent to Maldives in the early hours of Wednesday by a Sri Lankan military plane. He arrived in Singapore on Thursday evening, the country’s foreign ministry confirmed.
Mr Gotabaya was allowed to enter Singapore “on a private visit”, the city-state’s foreign ministry said. “They have not sought asylum, nor have they been granted any asylum,” the ministry said.
Due to the delay in the receipt of the President’s resignation letter, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abhayawardana’s office said that Parliament would not be convened on Friday, as had been announced.
here are the latest updates
8.45 am
Celebration in Colombo after Gotabaya’s resignation
As the news of the resignation spread, crowds gathered near the President’s office to rejoice. Dozens of people danced and cheered and waved the Sri Lankan flag, and two people sang in Sinhalese on a small stage.
The mood was festive, people were hooting and grooving to the music, while others said into the microphone that they wanted better governance.
“It’s too big to be validated like this,” said Viraga Pereira, an engineer who has been protesting since April. “Globally, we have led a movement that toppled a president with minimal force and violence. It’s a mixture of victory and relief.” – AP
14 July
Editorial: On the decline and fall of Gotabaya Rajapaksa
The world has been stunned by the unprecedented display of religious anger and courage by the citizens of Sri Lanka, as they channeled widespread anger against the devastation caused by the economic crisis on their day-to-day existence. As civil society has come together, it is fitting to see this as a revolutionary moment in which a greedy and apathetic political class has been oppressed by a people united by pain.
While outside observers see this as a moment of truth for authoritarian leaders, power-hungry politicians and those like them, it remains to be seen whether political leaders in Sri Lanka themselves have learned any lessons from it.
14 July
Gotabaya Rajapaksa sends resignation in Singapore
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa sent his resignation letter by email from Singapore on Thursday, the parliamentary speaker’s office said, postponing an official announcement on Friday to verify the “authenticity and validity” of the document.
Once accepted, Mr. Gotabaya’s resignation, taking responsibility for the country’s worst economic downturn since independence in 1948, was a resounding victory for civilian protests demanding “Gota go home”. will signal. The powerful leader was forced to flee and leave. Furious protesters stormed his office and home on Saturday as a deepening crisis engulfed citizens scrambling for essentials, amid acute shortages and hyperinflation.
Mr Gotabaya will be the last of Rajapaksa to resign following his brothers, including former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who had previously stepped down in the wake of fierce opposition from the ruling clan. – Meera Srinivasani
July 13
Here’s a timeline of events as of July 13