Sri Lankans are now tired of daily power cuts, shortages of essential goods and drastic price increases. The protests, which have been going on for weeks, escalated completely on Thursday. Hundreds of protesters tried to storm the president’s house. Police tried to disperse the crowd with tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons. Live ammunition was also reported on social media. There were injuries on both sides.
Stones were thrown at President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s home and buses and police vehicles were set on fire. At least 54 people have been arrested and more than 50 injured, according to the government. Rajapaksa accused the protesters of wanting to bring about an “Arab Spring” like in the Middle East. “Thursday night’s protests were led by extremist forces to create instability in our country,” the president’s office said. According to official sources, Rajapaksa was not at home during the protest.
President and his family asked to resign
Videos circulating on online networks show men and women shouting “crazy, crazy, go home” demanding the resignation of all members of the powerful Rajapaksa family. An older brother of the president, Mahinda, is prime minister, while the younger Basil is finance minister. His eldest brother and cousin also hold cabinet posts.
Sri Lanka’s economic situation has been exacerbated by the corona pandemic. Tourism and foreign transfers were not forthcoming. Economists believe the situation has been exacerbated by government mismanagement and years of credit accumulation.
More protests announced
The country is heavily indebted and in dire need of US dollars to import fuel, gas, food and medicines from abroad. The country is currently in need of more and more loans from China and India and is also asking the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for help. Further protests have been announced for Sunday.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
