Colombo: Police Sri Lanka On Wednesday, curfew would continue in the southwestern region of Rambukkana, where one person was killed and 13 others injured in violence after police opened fire on unarmed anti-government protesters protesting against the latest fuel price hike. Went.
According to officials, at least three of the 13 protesters hospitalized in Rambukana, about 90 km northeast of Colombo, were in critical condition at Kegale Hospital. Fifteen police personnel have also been injured.
Police Chief Chandan Vikramaratne The police curfew imposed in the area would continue, he told reporters.
“The protesters turned violent yesterday and blocked the railway track. They were demanding fuel at old price due to long queue of fuel.
Wickramaratne said that when the police arranged for two fuel bowers, the protesters took out the battery of a vehicle, which blocked the railway track.
“Police used minimal force by releasing tear gas,” the police chief said.
The death of a demonstrator was the first during the ongoing protests over the worst economic crisis in the country’s history.
top bureaucrats in the ministry of public security Jagat Alvisi He said the protesters tried to set a fuel tanker on fire with 33,000 liters of fuel.
The police were forced to open fire to stop the protesters from setting Dhanush on fire.
Alwis said a three-member inquiry committee had been appointed to investigate whether the police had used excessive force to open fire on the protesters.
The embassies of the US, the European Union and the United Nations’ Resident Coordinator have issued statements condemning the police shootings.
The latest fuel price hike on Monday night triggered street protests in several areas on Tuesday.
Oil units in the island nation regularly hike prices due to fuel shortages.
Meanwhile, trade unions have collectively said that they will launch a black protest to force the government to resign over the ongoing economic crisis.
“We will launch a dharna campaign wearing black clothes,” teacher trade union boss Joseph Stalin said.
On Tuesday, the university teachers’ federation took a walk in solidarity with the main anti-government protest held in Galle Face at the entrance to the President’s Secretariat.
The Galle Face protest entered its 12th day on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka has been grappling with unprecedented economic turmoil since its independence from Britain in 1948. The crisis is due to a lack of foreign exchange, which means the country cannot pay for imports of staple foods and fuels, leading to acute shortages. and much higher prices.
The island nation is witnessing massive protests against the government’s handling of the debt-ridden economy – the worst economic crisis ever in the country’s history.
Protests demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his Sri Lanka poduzna (Peramuna)-led government has intensified as shortages continue and prices have gone up.
Last week, the Sri Lankan government said it would temporarily default on USD 35.5 billion in foreign debt as the pandemic and the war in Ukraine made it impossible to pay foreign creditors.
According to officials, at least three of the 13 protesters hospitalized in Rambukana, about 90 km northeast of Colombo, were in critical condition at Kegale Hospital. Fifteen police personnel have also been injured.
Police Chief Chandan Vikramaratne The police curfew imposed in the area would continue, he told reporters.
“The protesters turned violent yesterday and blocked the railway track. They were demanding fuel at old price due to long queue of fuel.
Wickramaratne said that when the police arranged for two fuel bowers, the protesters took out the battery of a vehicle, which blocked the railway track.
“Police used minimal force by releasing tear gas,” the police chief said.
The death of a demonstrator was the first during the ongoing protests over the worst economic crisis in the country’s history.
top bureaucrats in the ministry of public security Jagat Alvisi He said the protesters tried to set a fuel tanker on fire with 33,000 liters of fuel.
The police were forced to open fire to stop the protesters from setting Dhanush on fire.
Alwis said a three-member inquiry committee had been appointed to investigate whether the police had used excessive force to open fire on the protesters.
The embassies of the US, the European Union and the United Nations’ Resident Coordinator have issued statements condemning the police shootings.
The latest fuel price hike on Monday night triggered street protests in several areas on Tuesday.
Oil units in the island nation regularly hike prices due to fuel shortages.
Meanwhile, trade unions have collectively said that they will launch a black protest to force the government to resign over the ongoing economic crisis.
“We will launch a dharna campaign wearing black clothes,” teacher trade union boss Joseph Stalin said.
On Tuesday, the university teachers’ federation took a walk in solidarity with the main anti-government protest held in Galle Face at the entrance to the President’s Secretariat.
The Galle Face protest entered its 12th day on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka has been grappling with unprecedented economic turmoil since its independence from Britain in 1948. The crisis is due to a lack of foreign exchange, which means the country cannot pay for imports of staple foods and fuels, leading to acute shortages. and much higher prices.
The island nation is witnessing massive protests against the government’s handling of the debt-ridden economy – the worst economic crisis ever in the country’s history.
Protests demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his Sri Lanka poduzna (Peramuna)-led government has intensified as shortages continue and prices have gone up.
Last week, the Sri Lankan government said it would temporarily default on USD 35.5 billion in foreign debt as the pandemic and the war in Ukraine made it impossible to pay foreign creditors.