Police fire tear gas as thousands mob Sri Lanka PM’s office; PM Ranil Wickremesinghe ‘to declare Emergency’
Police fire tear gas as thousands mob Sri Lanka PM’s office; PM Ranil Wickremesinghe ‘to declare Emergency’
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has authorised the Prime Minister to carry out presidential duties, the Speaker of Parliament said on July 13. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has declared an island-wide Emergency and a curfew in the Western Province, his office said, “using his powers as acting President”, although President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is yet to officially resign.
Sri Lanka is mired in a deep political and economic crisis, and on Wednesday, the country’s president flew out of the country days after a huge crowd of protesters stormed his residence in a likely prelude to his resignation after months of widespread protests against his island nation’s worst-ever economic crisis. Gotabaya Rajapaksa had promised at the weekend to resign on Wednesday and clear the way for a “peaceful transition of power” after fleeing his official residence in Colombo just before tens of thousands of protesters overran it.
The island nation of 22 million people has suffered months of lengthy blackouts, acute food and fuel shortages and galloping inflation in its most painful downturn on record.
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Here are the latest updates about the ongoing economic-turned-political crisis in the island nation.
July 13
4:13 pm
Sri Lanka’s Cardinal calls for peace, restraint amid political crisis
Sri Lanka’s Catholic Church Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith on Wednesday appealed for peace and requested all parties to act with restraint, warning that external forces could intervene in the country’s internal affairs during this vulnerable situation.
Cardinal Ranjith also called for the people to remain as they are, and to support the ongoing struggle, the News First Lanka portal reported. -PTI
3:50 pm
Sri Lankan MP calls for PM’s resignation
Opposition MP Mano Ganesan asks the Prime Minister to resign immediately.
In a tweet, he says, “Mr. Wickramasinghe can contest, if he wishes, for presidency inside parliament on July 20th, paving way for peaceful & democratic transition.”
3:45 pm
Sri Lanka PM tells military and police to ‘restore order’
Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe instructed the military and police “to do what is necessary to restore order”, he said in a televised statement Wednesday after protesters stormed his office.
The demonstrators “want to stop me from discharging my responsibilities as acting president”, he added. “We can’t allow fascists to take over.” -AFP
3:04 pm
Protesters break into Sri Lanka PM’s office: witnesses
Thousands of anti-government protesters stormed into Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s office Wednesday, hours after he was named as acting president, witnesses said.
Men and women breached military defences and entered the premier’s office to raise national flags, witnesses told AFP after police and troops failed to hold back crowds despite firing tear gas and water cannon. -AFP
2:50 pm
Sri Lanka President tells Speaker he will resign on Wednesday
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled to the Maldives on Wednesday, telephoned the Speaker of Parliament saying that his resignation letter will be sent later in the day.
“The President got in touch with me over the phone and said that he will ensure that his resignation letter will be received by me today,” Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said in a video statement.
“I appeal to the public to have confidence in the parliamentary process we have outlined to appoint a new president on the 20th and be peaceful.” -Reuters
2:44 pm
Maldives Foreign Ministry denies commenting on Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa’s presence in Male
The Maldives’ Foreign Ministry on Wednesday refused to comment on embattled Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s arrival in the country along with his wife and two security officers on board a military aircraft that took off from Colombo’s main international airport.
Maldives Foreign Ministry Communications Director Miuwan Mohamed refused to comment on Rajapaksa’s arrival in the country.
“The Foreign Ministry will not comment on this issue [regarding Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s arrival in the Maldives] at this time,” Mr. Mohamed said. -PTI
2:33 pm
Sri Lanka anti-government protesters break into state TV
Sri Lanka’s anti-government protesters broke into the main state television station Wednesday and briefly took over broadcasts, footage showed.
An unidentified man barged into the studio of Rupavahini network during a live programme and ordered that only protest-related news should be broadcast. The transmission was cut off and replaced with a recorded programme. -AFP
2:10 pm
Security personnel push a man away as demonstrators gather outside the office of Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, amid the country’s economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on July 13, 2022.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
1:46 pm
U.S. Embassy in Colombo cancels consular services for 2 days
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo on Wednesday cancelled its consular services as a precaution for the next two days, amidst the deepening political turmoil and economic crisis in Sri Lanka.
“Out of an abundance of caution, Consular is canceling our Wednesday afternoon services (American citizen services and NIV passback) as well as all consular services on Thursday,” the embassy tweeted.
“We apologise for any inconvenience and will reschedule all canceled appointments,” it added. -PTI
1:31 pm
Sri Lanka PM Wickremesinghe appointed acting President: Speaker
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has authorised the Prime Minister to carry out presidential duties, the Speaker of Parliament said on July 13 after the President fled to the Maldives amid protests.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa notified him of the change. -Reuters, AFP, AP
1:06 pm
Leader of Opposition Premadasa says the PM cannot declare emergency
Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa says, “PM becomes acting President only if the President appoints him as such, or if the office of President is vacant, or if the CJ in consultation with the Speaker forms the view that the President is unable to act.
“In the absence of any of these, the PM cannot exercise the powers of President, and cannot declare curfew or a state of emergency.”
12:50 pm
Police fire tear gas as thousands mob Sri Lanka PM’s office
Sri Lankan police fire tear gas to hold back thousands of demonstrators mobbing the premier’s office in Colombo on Wednesday, AFP reporters at the scene saw.
The protesters were demanding that Ranil Wickremesinghe step down along with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who has promised to do so on Wednesday and earlier flew to the Maldives. -AFP
12:40 pm
PM Ranil Wickremesinghe ‘to declare Emergency’
Prime Minister’s office “clarifies” earlier announcement, saying Mr. Wickremesinghe will declare an Emergency “when he becomes acting president”.
12:04 pm
PM Ranil Wickremesinghe declares Emergency in Sri Lanka, curfew imposed in Western Province
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has declared an island-wide Emergency and a curfew in the Western Province, his office said, “using his powers as acting President”, although President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is yet to officially resign.
The move came as thousands of angry protesters gathered outside the PM’s office, official and private residences, and several other locations in capital Colombo Wednesday morning.
12 pm
Sri Lanka president flees to Maldives ahead of expected resignation
Sri Lanka’s embattled president flew out of his country to the Maldives early Wednesday, in a likely prelude to his resignation after months of widespread protests against his island nation’s worst-ever economic crisis.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa had promised at the weekend to resign on Wednesday and clear the way for a “peaceful transition of power” after fleeing his official residence in Colombo just before tens of thousands of protesters overran it.
As president, Mr. Rajapaksa enjoys immunity from arrest, and he is believed to have wanted to go abroad before stepping down to avoid the possibility of being detained.
He, his wife and two bodyguards were the four passengers on board an Antonov-32 military aircraft that took off from Sri Lanka’s main international airport, immigration sources told AFP. -AFP
July 13
Maldivian Parliament Speaker Nasheed negotiated President Rajapaksa’s escape from Sri Lanka: Sources
Media reports said the Maldives’s Parliamentary Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed received Mr. Gotabaya at the airport, but there is no official word from Male so far.
Mr. Nasheed has maintained close friendships with all Sri Lankan leaders, across the political spectrum. In May, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed Mr. Nasheed as the “coordinator” for securing foreign aid to Sri Lanka.
July 13
India denies ‘baseless and speculative’ media reports about facilitating President Gotabaya’s visit to the Maldives
India on Wednesday categorically denied “baseless and speculative” media reports that it facilitated the travel of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who fled to the Maldives on a military jet in the face of a public revolt against his government for mishandling the country’s economy.
“The High Commission categorically denies baseless and speculative media reports that India facilitated the recent reported travel of @gotabayar @Realbrajapaksa out of Sri Lanka,” the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka tweeted. -PTI
