Colombo: the protesters and a major business group in Sri Lanka Tuesday called for a new government to take control of the beleaguered country, while the president called for calm after clashes that have killed eight people and prompted his brother to step down as prime minister.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis in history, with a severe foreign exchange crunch that halted essential imports, including medicines and fuel.
For months, its crumbling economy has been largely supported by India, which has provided more than $3.5 billion in aid as the country began very late talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a rescue package and He also sought help from China.
China and India have long fought for influence over Sri Lanka, a strategically located island with a population of 22 million people at the southern tip of India.
But public patience ran out after supporters of the ruling party attacked an anti-government protest camp in the commercial capital Colombo on Monday, sparking clashes that killed eight people and injured more than 200.
Hours after the violence broke out, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa Resigned in the hope of forming a unity government and the police imposed a nationwide curfew till 7 am on Wednesday. The country’s cabinet fell.
Angered by the persistent shortage of fuel, cooking gas and electricity, protesters violated curfews to attack government figures, setting houses, shops and businesses of ruling party lawmakers and provincial politicians on fire.
President Gotabaya RajapakseThe former prime minister’s younger brother urged an end to the violence and his government outlined broad powers to the military and police to detain and interrogate people without arrest warrants.
“Within the constitutional mandate, all efforts will be made to restore political stability and resolve the economic crisis through consensus,” the president said in a tweet.
Masahiro Nozaki, head of the IMF Sri Lanka mission, said virtual technical talks with Sri Lankan officials on the loan package that began on Monday “will continue so as to be fully prepared for policy discussions once the new government is formed.”
Nozaki said in a statement that he was concerned about the escalating violence in the island country but was “committed to assisting Sri Lanka in line with the policies of the IMF.”
shooting orders
The country’s defense ministry ordered soldiers to shoot anyone who caused damage to public property or put their lives at risk.
But protesters continued to rally for the president to quit, including at the “Gota Go Gama” tent village, which was attacked by supporters of the ruling party on Tuesday.
“Now the whole island is supporting us,” said Lahiru Fernando, 36, who has camped at the site of an anti-government protest for weeks. “They kicked off the wrong generation.”
Some experts said the constitution outlines provisions for parliament to vote on a new leader if the president decides to step down in the face of mounting pressure.
“Therefore, a power would not be void. There is also a provision for MPs to appoint an interim government,” said Bhavani Fonseca, a senior researcher at the Center for Policy Alternatives think tank.
The Joint Apparel Association Forum, which represents Sri Lanka’s economically important apparel industry, called for political stability in Sri Lanka, where the government imposed a state of emergency late last week.
“It is important that a new government is immediately appointed to fill the existing political void,” the forum said in a statement.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters that Washington was concerned by the deployment of the military and added that the United States was deeply concerned by reports of violence against peaceful protesters.
Price called for a thorough investigation, arrest and trial of anyone who incited and engaged in acts of violence, and urged the government to address the discontent of the Sri Lankan people.
“We emphasize that peaceful protesters should never be subject to violence or intimidation, whether from military force or civilian union units,” he said.
day of violence
The attacks on government figures were apparently in retaliation for an incident hours before the prime minister’s resignation.
The prime minister spoke to hundreds of supporters gathered at his official residence on Monday following reports that he was considering resigning.
Following his remarks, several of them, some of whom were armed with iron bars, stormed a camp of those opposing the government, thrashed them and set their tents on fire.
Police fired water cannons and tear gas to disperse those who clashed, after initially making little effort to stop government supporters, according to Reuters eyewitnesses.
Thousands took to the streets to celebrate Rajapaksa’s resignation, but the mood quickly turned tense.
Protesters tried to break into the gates of his Temple Trees residence in the heart of Colombo, where broken glass and thrown shoes were scattered on the surrounding streets after some fierce night clashes on Tuesday.
Military soldiers patrolled an area where eight burnt vehicles were partially submerged in a lake. Vandalized files and sabotaged equipment of government officials led to sabotage.
A police statement said 38 houses and 47 vehicles were torched across the country.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis in history, with a severe foreign exchange crunch that halted essential imports, including medicines and fuel.
For months, its crumbling economy has been largely supported by India, which has provided more than $3.5 billion in aid as the country began very late talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a rescue package and He also sought help from China.
China and India have long fought for influence over Sri Lanka, a strategically located island with a population of 22 million people at the southern tip of India.
But public patience ran out after supporters of the ruling party attacked an anti-government protest camp in the commercial capital Colombo on Monday, sparking clashes that killed eight people and injured more than 200.
Hours after the violence broke out, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa Resigned in the hope of forming a unity government and the police imposed a nationwide curfew till 7 am on Wednesday. The country’s cabinet fell.
Angered by the persistent shortage of fuel, cooking gas and electricity, protesters violated curfews to attack government figures, setting houses, shops and businesses of ruling party lawmakers and provincial politicians on fire.
President Gotabaya RajapakseThe former prime minister’s younger brother urged an end to the violence and his government outlined broad powers to the military and police to detain and interrogate people without arrest warrants.
“Within the constitutional mandate, all efforts will be made to restore political stability and resolve the economic crisis through consensus,” the president said in a tweet.
Masahiro Nozaki, head of the IMF Sri Lanka mission, said virtual technical talks with Sri Lankan officials on the loan package that began on Monday “will continue so as to be fully prepared for policy discussions once the new government is formed.”
Nozaki said in a statement that he was concerned about the escalating violence in the island country but was “committed to assisting Sri Lanka in line with the policies of the IMF.”
shooting orders
The country’s defense ministry ordered soldiers to shoot anyone who caused damage to public property or put their lives at risk.
But protesters continued to rally for the president to quit, including at the “Gota Go Gama” tent village, which was attacked by supporters of the ruling party on Tuesday.
“Now the whole island is supporting us,” said Lahiru Fernando, 36, who has camped at the site of an anti-government protest for weeks. “They kicked off the wrong generation.”
Some experts said the constitution outlines provisions for parliament to vote on a new leader if the president decides to step down in the face of mounting pressure.
“Therefore, a power would not be void. There is also a provision for MPs to appoint an interim government,” said Bhavani Fonseca, a senior researcher at the Center for Policy Alternatives think tank.
The Joint Apparel Association Forum, which represents Sri Lanka’s economically important apparel industry, called for political stability in Sri Lanka, where the government imposed a state of emergency late last week.
“It is important that a new government is immediately appointed to fill the existing political void,” the forum said in a statement.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters that Washington was concerned by the deployment of the military and added that the United States was deeply concerned by reports of violence against peaceful protesters.
Price called for a thorough investigation, arrest and trial of anyone who incited and engaged in acts of violence, and urged the government to address the discontent of the Sri Lankan people.
“We emphasize that peaceful protesters should never be subject to violence or intimidation, whether from military force or civilian union units,” he said.
day of violence
The attacks on government figures were apparently in retaliation for an incident hours before the prime minister’s resignation.
The prime minister spoke to hundreds of supporters gathered at his official residence on Monday following reports that he was considering resigning.
Following his remarks, several of them, some of whom were armed with iron bars, stormed a camp of those opposing the government, thrashed them and set their tents on fire.
Police fired water cannons and tear gas to disperse those who clashed, after initially making little effort to stop government supporters, according to Reuters eyewitnesses.
Thousands took to the streets to celebrate Rajapaksa’s resignation, but the mood quickly turned tense.
Protesters tried to break into the gates of his Temple Trees residence in the heart of Colombo, where broken glass and thrown shoes were scattered on the surrounding streets after some fierce night clashes on Tuesday.
Military soldiers patrolled an area where eight burnt vehicles were partially submerged in a lake. Vandalized files and sabotaged equipment of government officials led to sabotage.
A police statement said 38 houses and 47 vehicles were torched across the country.