Here are the latest developments from the economic and political crisis in Sri Lanka on July 14
Here are the latest developments from the economic and political crisis in Sri Lanka on July 14
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is reportedly waiting for a private jet to fly out of Maldives to Singapore, as the country waits for him to resign as promised. It is unclear whether Singapore is Mr. Rajapaksa’s final destination or another transit point.
Amid a crushing economic crisis and violent protests, Mr. Rajapaksa and his wife flew on a military jet to the city of Male, the capital of the Maldives on Wednesday. This came days after a huge crowd of protesters stormed his residence in a likely prelude to his resignation. He then appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as Acting President.
Late in the day, a gazette notification was issued by the President appointing Mr. Wickremesinghe to “exercise, perform and discharge the powers, duties and functions of the Office of President” with effect from Wednesday, during his absence from Sri Lanka.
The Prime Minister, exercising his newly conferred powers, imposed an overnight curfew. The order bars anyone from being on any public road, railway, or any public ground or the sea-shore from midnight to 5 a.m. on Thursday, without a written permit.
Here are the latest updates
9.20 a.m.
Morning update from The Hindu correspondent in Colombo
1. President yet to send resignation letter, says Speaker
2. President yet to leave Maldives, reportedly
3. Citizen in fuel queue yet to get petrol, evidently
9.10 a.m.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa still in Maldives, awaits private jet to depart for Singapore: Report
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa could not board a scheduled Singapore Airlines flight from Male to Singapore due to security concerns and is now waiting to travel on a private aircraft, according to a media report on Thursday.
Mr. Rajapaksa, his wife Loma and their two security officers were expected to leave for Singapore on board SQ437 from Male on Wednesday night but did not board the aircraft due to security concerns, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported.
He instead will now await to travel on a private aircraft, the newspaper said quoting sources. Talks are now ongoing to secure a private aircraft for the embattled Sri Lankan President to depart from the Maldives to Singapore, it said. – PTI
8 a.m.
U. S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka urges for peaceful transfer of power
U. S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung urged Sri Lanka’s political fraternity to ensure peaceful transfer of power and called for the rule of law to be upheld in the crisis-hit island nation.
“We urge all parties to approach this juncture with a commitment to the betterment of the nation and to work quickly to implement solutions that will bring long-term economic & political stability,” Chung said in a tweet.
July 13
Video of protesters occupying Presidential Secretariat
The Hindu correspondent Meera Srinivasan shares visuals of protesters who occupied the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo:
July 13
The rise and fall of Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Before he fled Sri Lanka on July 13, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the last of six members of the country’s most influential family still clinging to power.
His departure comes four days after massive crowds broke into his official residence and occupied his seaside office, and he pledged to leave the country. Protesters also stormed the residence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has said he will leave once a new government is in place.
Here is a closer look at the rise and fall of Mr. Rajapaksa
July 13
Sri Lankan troops stand by as protestors occupy PM’s office
Sri Lankan troops stood with their weapons lowered in the grounds of the prime minister’s office on Wednesday, doing nothing to halt the huge mass of people wandering through the compound, despite orders to “restore order”.
Some of the civilians sang or waved the Sri Lankan flag, with its motif of a golden lion brandishing a sword, after they lobbed back tear gas canisters and pushed past elite commandos on Wednesday to occupy the premises in the capital Colombo.
Thousands of people cheered as they breached the walls of the colonial-era compound on a leafy boulevard, opening yet another symbol of state power to the public.
The office was the fourth government building occupied by protesters in as many days, following the seizure of the president’s seafront office and the official residences of Sri Lanka’s two most senior elected officials. – AFP
