Sri Lankan President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has announced he will step down after protesters stormed his official residence, and also set the Prime Minister’s house on fire.
However, report suggests that neither the Prime Minister nor the President was in the buildings. Hundreds of thousands descended on the nation’s capital, Colombo, calling for Mr. Rajapaksa to resign after months of protests over economic mismanagement.
Mr. Rajapaksa is expected to step down on July 13, 2022. Prime Minister, Wickremesinghe on the other hand, has also agreed to resign. Parliamentary Speaker, Mahinda Abeywardana, disclosed that the President decided to step down “to ensure a peaceful handover of power”. Abeywardana said “I therefore request the public to respect the law and maintain peace.”
An Earlier Incident
Hours earlier, Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe’s home was on fire after protesters broke in and set it ablaze. Videos circulating on social media showed flames lighting up the night sky. Crowds earlier overrun the official residence of Mr. Rajapaksa, lounging in its staterooms and jumping in his pool.
The country is suffering rampant inflation and at the same time, is struggling to import food, fuel and medicine. Large numbers of protesters travelled to the capital from across the country, with officials telling the media that some even “commandeered” trains to get there. According to two Defence Ministry sources, Mr. Rajapaksa vacated his official residence on Friday, July 8, 2022, as a safety precaution ahead of the planned protests.
As it stands, reporters have been unable to confirm the President’s whereabouts. But a source close to the Prime Minister said he is in a “safe place”. Protesters made their way towards the President’s residence on Saturday (July 9, 2022) morning, before breaking through barricades. Hundreds of protesters made their way into the house, chanting slogans and waving the national flag.
Footage on social media showed people roaming through the house and splashing in the pool. Some could be seen emptying out a chest of drawers. Although it is Mr. Rajapaksa’s official residence, he usually sleeps at a separate house nearby.
Similar scenes could be witnessed at the Prime Minister’s house. His office later announced that he agreed to resign to make way for an all-party government. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said he is willing to quit to ensure the safety of civilians. But soon after his announcement videos started circulating of his house up in flames. The Prime Minister lives with his family in a private home, known as Fifth Lane. He uses his official residence, called Temple Trees, for official business only.
Comments from Protesters
One protester, Fiona Sirmana, who was at the protest at the President’s house, said it is time “to get rid of the president and the prime minister and to have a new era for Sri Lanka”, adding that “I feel very, very sad that they didn’t go earlier because had they gone earlier there wouldn’t have been any destruction”.
Bhavani Fonseka, a prominent human rights lawyer in Colombo, warned that the President’s announcement might not be enough to appease the people.
“Just two resignations alone will not satisfy the demands, the demand of a system change, but at least this is a start if the president and the prime minister depart. There has to be a peaceful transition of power which is yet to be seen.”
One of the protester, Fiona Sirmana
Last week, authorities suspended sales of petrol and diesel for non-essential vehicles, in an attempt to preserve the country’s dwindling fuel stocks.
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