After protestors broke into his official mansion and set fire to the prime minister’s home, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said he would resign down.
The PM and the president were not present in the structures at the time.
After months of demonstrations over Mr. Rajapaksa’s economic incompetence, hundreds of thousands flocked to the capital city of Colombo to demand his resignation.
On July 13, Mr. Rajapaksa will leave office. Premier Wickremesinghe has consented to go down.
The president made the decision to stand down, according to the speaker of the house, “to facilitate a peaceful turnover of power,”. He urged people to “follow the law.”
The US advised Sri Lanka’s gov’t to act quickly to solve the nation’s fiscal woes
The news set up a display of joyous fireworks around the city. More discussions between political leaders are scheduled to negotiate a seamless transfer of power. The military of Sri Lanka has pleaded with the populace to assist law enforcement in maintaining peace.
Following the events of Saturday, the United States urged Sri Lanka’s government to take swift action to address the nation’s economic difficulties.
Protesters’ rage against the government
At the president’s residence, one protester, Fiona Sirmana, declared it was time “to get rid of the president and the prime minister. It is to create a new era for Sri Lanka.”
She told, “I feel very, very sad that they didn’t go sooner because there wouldn’t have been any devastation.”
A spokeswoman for Colombo’s major hospital told news agency that three individuals were being treated for gunshot wounds . It was during the demonstrations on Saturday. It left dozens of others hurt.
Huge crowds gathered outside President Rajapaksa’s official house
In the midst of the greatest economic crisis the nation has experienced in 70 years. Sri Lanka struggles to import food, gasoline, and medication. While also dealing with widespread inflation.
Due to a lack of foreign cash, it was forced to prohibit the sale of gasoline and diesel for private automobiles. Moreover, it resulted in days-long lines for fuel.
The shocking events of Saturday seemed to be the result of months of primarily peaceful rallies in Sri Lanka.
Huge crowds gathered outside President Rajapaksa’s official house, chanting and waving the national flag before bursting past the barriers and entering the building.
Videos posted online showed guests wandering the property
Videos posted online showed guests wandering the property and swimming in the president’s pool. While others went through the president’s possessions, emptied out a chest of drawers. They used his opulent bathroom.
The demonstrators were not unaware of the contradiction between the palace’s opulence and the 22 million citizens’ months of privation.
People have come here to relieve the pressure while the entire nation is under it. “It is clear from the amenities in this home that the owners are too busy to work for the country,” informed by Chanuka Jayasuriya.
Mr. Rajapaksa left his official house on Friday
In advance of the anticipated demonstrations, Mr. Rajapaksa left his official house on Friday, according to two sources in the defense ministry who spoke to Reuters.
Despite the fact that it is Mr. Rajapaksa’s official residence, he often resides in a different property close by.
Protesters also set fire to Prime Minister Wickremesinghe’s private residence
In a wealthy Colombo neighborhood, protesters also set fire to Prime Minister Wickremesinghe’s private residence.
However, he had previously stated that he is prepared to step down in order to protect people and clear the way for an all-party administration. But soon after making his statement, footage of his burning home began to circulate.
The prime minister resides in a private residence with his family and solely does official business there.
Unclear whether the expected resignations of the President and Prime Minister is enough to pacify the protesters
It’s not yet apparent if the Presidents and Prime Minister’s anticipated resignations would be sufficient to placate the demonstrators.
According to Bhavani Fonseka, a well-known human rights attorney in Colombo, “only two resignations alone will not fulfil the demands, the desire of a system change, but at least this is a start if the president and the prime minister quit.”
She urged caution, saying that a peaceful transfer of power must occur.
In conclusion, the situation has caused rolling blackouts, shortages of some goods, medicines, and gasoline, and angry protests by regular people who blame the Rajapaksa family and their administration.
