Protest strike shuts schools, businesses
Thousands of shops, schools and businesses closed yesterday as public and private sector workers in Sri Lanka went on strike, demanding the president and the government step down for their mishandling of the island’s worst financial crisis in decades.
Hit hard by the pandemic, rising oil prices and tax cuts by the government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka has been left with as little as US$50 million (1.72 billion baht) in useable foreign reserves, the country’s finance minister said this week.
Shortages of imported food, fuel and medicines has led to more than a month of sporadically violent anti-government protests. Yesterday, shops were shuttered in major cities around the country and commuters were left stranded as private bus and train operators joined the strike.
The main train station in Colombo’s commercial capital was closed in the morning and only public buses were operational at the terminal nearby.
Healthcare workers also joined the strike, though emergency services remained operational.
Hundreds of university students and other protesters remained camped outside the main road to parliament where they started a sit-in on Thursday. Some hung their underwear on the barricades as an insult to the political leadership. Messages like “Gotta go home” — a rallying cry from the protests — were scrawled on some of the underpants and vests.
“We are here because we are sick and tired of politicians lying to us. We want the president and this government to go home,” said Purnima Muhandiram, 42.
Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa told parliament yesterday the opposition wants to move a no-confidence motion against the president and the government next week.
Mr Rajapaksa has refused to step down, instead calling for a unity government led by him.
“We have called multiple times for the formation of a unity government or an interim government,” chief government whip Prasanna Ranatunge told parliament.