Leader resigns, curfew imposed
SRI LANKA’S prime minister resigned yesterday, hours after clashes with proand anti-government demonstrators in the commercial capital Colombo amid the country’s worst economic crisis.
During weeks of demonstrations, protesters across the island nation of 22 million people have demanded that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his elder brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, quit for mishandling the economy.
The prime minister’s office said the 76-year-old had resigned. The prime minister said he was quitting to help form an interim, unity government.
His departure came during a day of chaos and violence which culminated in police imposing a curfew across the country. The confrontation began with hundreds of ruling party supporters rallying outside the prime minister’s official residence before marching to an anti-government protest site.
Police had formed a line on the main road leading towards the site but did little to stop protesters from advancing, according to a witness.
Pro-government supporters, some armed with iron bars, attacked anti-government demonstrators at the “Gota Go Gama” tent village that
sprang up last month and became the focal point of protests.
Police used tear gas and water cannon to break up the confrontation, the first major clash between pro-and anti-government supporters since the protests began in late March.
At least nine people were taken to Colombo’s National Hospital for treatment, a hospital official said.
Troops were deployed to keep both groups apart. The army said it had also deployed soldiers in the area.
“Strongly condemn the violent acts taking place by those inciting & participating, irrespective of political allegiances,” President Rajapaksa tweeted.
Hit hard by the pandemic, rising
oil prices and tax cuts, Sri Lanka had as little as $50 million (about R798m) of usable foreign reserves, the Finance Ministry said.
The government had approached the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout, and was expected to begin a virtual summit yesterday with IMF officials.
Long queues for cooking gas have frequently turned into protests as consumers blocked roads.
Domestic energy companies said they were running low on stocks of liquid petroleum gas mainly used for cooking.
Sri Lanka needs at least 40 000 tons of gas each month.