Sri Lankan President flees to Maldives amid protests, Prime Minister declares state of emergency

Asia-Pacific, News July 13, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

The Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives on a military jet hours before he was due to resign, the country’s prime minister’s office has confirmed.

Rajapaksa, 73, left for the Maldives amid widespread protests over his handling of a devastating economic crisis and a severe shortage of food, fuel, medicines, and power crisis.

Later in the day, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe declared a state of emergency and a curfew with immediate effect as several hundred people surrounded his office in Colombo, demanding his resignation. The prime minister’s office spokesperson said “an islandwide state of emergency has been declared with immediate effect” in Sri Lanka.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the commercial capital Colombo. Police fired several rounds of tear gas and a military helicopter briefly circled overhead at the people marching towards Prime Minister Wickremesinghe’s office. But the protesters appeared undeterred as seen in dozens of videos shared on social media by Sri Lankan journalists. Protestors said they would continue to protest until the prime minister resigns.

*^{An anti-government protester outside president Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s office in Colombo on July 13, 2022, as crowds awaited his official resignation. (Image Credit: AP/Eranga Jayawardena)}*

Protests against the crippling economic crisis have simmered for months and came to a head last weekend when thousands of protesters stormed the president’s official residence and set the prime minister’s private residence on fire. Hundreds are still occupying the official residences of the president and prime minister.

Sri Lankans blame the Rajapaksas and their allies for runaway inflation, corruption, and a severe lack of fuel and basic amenities. The protests turned violent amid public anger over the deepening economic crisis as the country of 22 million people is facing severe food, fuel, and power crises. This is the country’s worst financial turmoil in seven decades. Local reports said that the people are “absolutely fed up without food, gas or fuel.”

^{Protesters in Sri Lanka clash with police during protests as people are outraged over the country’s lingering food and fuel shortages. This photo was taken on July 9, 2022. (Image Credit: REUTERS)}

Sri Lanka crisis summarized:

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has fled the country amid the worst economic crisis.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has declared a state of emergency.
Thousands are protesting demanding the resignation of the president and prime minister
Sri Lankans blame the Rajapaksa family for high-level corruption and economic mismanagement that led to bankruptcy.
Protesters continue to occupy the official residences of the president and the prime minister after both buildings were stormed on Saturday.
Sri Lanka is facing a severe shortage of fuel and other essential supplies and is seeking a bailout from IMF