Category: News

Dumbfounding constitutional pundits, the largely peaceful protestors in hundreds of thousands inspired by the three-month old ‘Aragalaya’ on Saturday forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to announce their resignations.

Defying shortage of fuel and public transport, anti-Rajapaksa people countrywide took to the street on Saturday and converged at GotaGoGama at Galle Face and Fort area and broke through barricades, withstood teargas and water cannon attacks and stormed the President’s House and Presidential Secretariat calling for his and interim-Government’s resignation over the failure to resolve the worst economic crisis in the country.

President Rajapaksa was not present in either of the locations and his whereabouts still remain a secret.

However, the besieged Gotabaya Rajapaksa conveyed to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena that he will step down as President on Wednesday whilst people questioned the reasons for dating his exit instead of making it immediate or in a day.

However, the announcement also followed all party leaders at a late evening meeting on Saturday requesting Rajapaksa to resign immediately.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe too told the party leaders that he was willing to resign as well and make way for an all-party Government to take over.

The Prime Minister’s media office quoted Wickremesinghe as saying he is taking this decision in view of the fact that countrywide fuel distribution is due to recommence this week, the World Food Program Director is due to visit the country this week and the Debt Sustainability report for the IMF is due to be finalised shortly. So as to ensure safety of the citizens, he is agreeable to this recommendation by the Opposition Party Leaders.

The GotaGoGama activists on Saturday presented six urgent demands including the immediate resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and all in interim Government. The activists made a statement addressing the people and media from the President’s House, which saw large crowds for the second consecutive day yesterday.

The impending ouster of the President and Prime Minister and the interim-Government came as the anti-Rajapaksa people’s movement via GotaGoHome and GotaGoGama marked its three months.

The ‘Aragalaya’ drew much praise as well as criticism apart from many doubting its effectiveness. Constitutional experts insisted President Rajapaksa cannot be ousted whilst he himself refused to resign stating he does not want to do so as a “failed President” and assured relief and development before his tenure ends by late 2024.

Global leaders and local activists yesterday called for a swifter and smoother transition of power as political parties scrambled to reach consensus on the way forward.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka yesterday urged all parties to understand the urgency of the situation and that a prompt and smooth transition of power is necessary to ensure important decisions relating to the economy and other areas are addressed. BASL also insisted the President’s resignation must not be delayed.

Several private sector associations also called for a smoother and faster transition urging all political parties to put national interest first and work together to bring immediate relief to people and ensure good governance.

Source: Daily FT

The Inter-University Students’ Federation says they will not hand over any buildings they occupied until the President hands over his letter of resignation.

Convener of the Union Wasantha Mudalige, addressing a media briefing from Galle Face said the President and the Prime Minister should have immediately resigned when the public demanded resignations.

He noted instead President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has claimed he would resign on the 13th of July.

The IUSF Convener reiterated that buildings and offices under the control of protesters will not be handed over to the government until the letter of resignation is submitted.

Wasantha Mudalige further said certain individuals are attempting to take advantage of the situation under the pretense of establishing an all-party government.

Mudalige noted necessary steps will be taken to provide solutions to the issues of the people adding that authorities have been notified that they should act accordingly.

Source: NewsRadio

The United States on Sunday urged Sri Lankan leaders to act quickly to seek long-term solutions after the President was chased from his residence and announced his resignation.

As President Gotabaya Rajapaksa prepares to step down, the United States calls on “the Sri Lankan parliament to approach this juncture with a commitment to the betterment of the nation — not any one political party,” a State Department spokesperson said on Sunday as Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Thailand.

“We urge this government or any new, constitutionally selected government to work quickly to identify and implement solutions that will achieve long-term economic stability and address the Sri Lankan people’s discontent over the worsening economic conditions, including power, food and fuel shortages.”

The United States warned against attacks on protesters or journalists, but also criticised violence on Saturday as a mob stormed Rajapaksa’s residence.

“The Sri Lankan people have the right to peacefully raise their voices, and we call for the full investigation, arrest and prosecution of anyone involved in any protest-related violent incidents,” the spokesperson said.

Rajapaksa has had a rocky relationship with the United States over his dismissal of allegations of war crimes in the bloody finale of Sri Lanka’s decades-long civil war and his close economic partnership with China.

Both the United States and China have offered in recent weeks to support the once-prosperous island as it grapples with unprecedented fuel and food shortages.

Source: Colombo Gazette

Pope Francis today appealed for peace in Sri Lanka and also urged the authorities not to ignore the cry of the poor.

The Pope expressed solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka who continue to suffer the effects of political and economic instability.

His comments came after thousands stormed the President’s House and also set fire to the private residence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

“I unite myself to the sorrow of the people of Sri Lanka who continue to suffer the effects of political and economic instability. Together with the country’s Bishops, I renew my appeal for peace and I implore those who have authority not to ignore the cry of the poor,” the Pope tweeted.

The Pope has been very vocal on Sri Lanka in recent times, especially on the investigations over the Easter Sunday attacks.

Source: Colombo Gazette

The game plan had always been to storm the President’s official residence. To do so, protesters marshalled by the Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF) needed to breach several layers of security, risking a maximum force response from heavily armed police and military guards.

But they advanced, undeterred by several rounds of teargas and firing of live ammunition into the air. The agreed time to break through the final barrier had been 2pm, to allow for the largest possible crowd. At the last gate, two demonstrators went rogue before the allotted hour and climbed into the premises. When a policeman was seen warding them off, the others stormed in.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had been evacuated. Once the protesters were in, the invasion took on the nature of a field trip. Groups stationed themselves in different locations, warning others not to cause damage. People took over the kitchen, making themselves tea and spooning rice and curry into plates before polishing it off.

The demonstrators were seen admiring the premises.

Some jumped into the pool. They took selfies in every corner of the house, even in the bathrooms and on a four-poster bed.

A single Special Task Force officer and one Ministerial Security Division officer watched passively as anti-Government and anti-President slogans were shouted inside the residence and derogatory songs were sung. There was dancing under the chandeliers, flags waving in the air. Anti-Government posters were hung out of windows. It was chaotic.

All the rooms were filled with people, some standing on balconies. There was a stampede to get into the residence as well as to leave it. In the garden, they unpacked their lunch and ate.

A short distance away, protesters also surged into the Presidential Secretariat and blocked three entrances. To do so, they broke through a human barrier formed by the armed forces. They couldn’t enter the offices as the security forces were guarding those entrances. The main entrance is still blocked.

There is endless chanting, calling for a system change and for the leaders to resign.

At night the protesters were preparing for a party in the garden of the President’s House.

Written by By Tharushi Weerasinghe and Yoshitha Perera