People clash with riot police as they demonstrate outside Sri Lanka President's home
The Guardian/AFP: Sri Lanka: protesters try to storm president’s house as economic crisis deepens
Curfew announced for Colombo after one person is injured during angry scenes as crowds demand resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa
A protest by hundreds of people trying to storm the home of Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa has turned violent, with at least one man critically wounded, as residents criticised the government’s handling of the country’s crippling economic crisis.
Security forces fired into the crowd – it was not immediately clear if they used live rounds or rubber bullets – and used teargas and water cannon to disperse the demonstrators, who were demanding Rajapaksa’s resignation.
Protesters set fire to an army bus parked across the lane leading to Rajapaksa’s home in Colombo’s Mirihana residential quarter, as well as a police vehicle. They also toppled a neighbour’s wall and used bricks to attack officers and troops.
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Protesters In Sri Lanka Try To Storm President's House As Economic Crisis Worsens
Sri Lanka: Protest at president Rajapaksa's home turns violent -- BBC
Lankan President Blames "Extremists" For Late-Night Protest: State Media -- NDTV
Sri Lanka imposes curfew after protests over economic crisis turn violent -- Reuters
As Sri Lanka crisis worsens, hundreds march to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s house -- The Hindu
Violence at Sri Lanka protests over crisis -- AAP
Curfew in Sri Lanka as protesters try to storm president’s house -- Al Jazeera
All those sweet deals with the Chinese that made short term benefits for local leaders are going to generate long term disasters. How will China handle it when all their small country debtors default? What will China do to distract their own population from the impact? The curse of living in interesting times is about to descend.
ReplyDeleteWow, things are not looking good in Sri Lanka. Looks to me that the government there has fucked things up beyond redemption. Why am I not surprised? I feel confident the Rajapaksa family has billions salted away in off-shore bank accounts. Further, I would guess the Rajapaksa family are safe and sound somewhere other than the nation they have plundered and mismanaged so badly.
ReplyDelete"The crisis, the worst in living memory, has caused massive discontent, with people unable to find gas for cooking, medicines, fuel and basic items of food such as milk powder because the country has run out of foreign currency to pay for imported goods."
"The Rajapaksa family rule the island. The finance minister, prime minister and agriculture minister are the president’s brothers. His nephew is sports minister."
"The economic meltdown has left the city’s roads eerily empty as fuel pumps run dry."
"With no air conditioners or fans, people are sweltering during the 10-12 hour power cuts. The government does not have the money to pay for the fuel needed by the power plants."
"The government’s decision to plunge into organic farming last year turned out to be disastrous. The ban on all chemical fertilisers, without preparing farmers, led to a surge in prices and food shortages. Although the policy was partially reversed later, the damage had been done.
"This year, Sri Lanka has to repay $7bn in foreign debt even though it does not have the foreign exchange to import milk powder. Of this debt, about 10% is owed to China.
"India has recently extended a $912m loan along with another US$1bn line of credit for Sri Lanka to purchase food and fuel. Sri Lanka is also seeking more loans from China. The government has said it is seeking a bailout from the International Monetary Fund."