University students protest in front of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s house demanding his resignation. At that time, the students broke the police barricade and tried to enter the residence of the Prime Minister. The protests took place on Sunday in the island nation amid a worsening. . . . . . . . . .
In the last few months, hours of load shedding, record inflation and severe food and energy crises have led to growing public discontent in Sri Lanka. The country is facing its worst economic crisis since independence in 1947.
During the protests on Sunday, student leaders were seen entering the top of the walls of the Rajapaksa residence in Colombo. Earlier, police set up barricades on various roads in the capital to prevent other protesters from joining them. When the Prime Minister wanted to remove the barricade allowed to prevent the Prime Minister’s residence, the protesters clashed with the protesters.
A student leader standing on the wall was heard to say, “You can block the road, but you can’t stop our movement until the government is completely gone.”
Many were seen carrying placards with ‘Farewell Nao Gota’. It is the nickname of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s younger brother and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Some even wear the Guy Fox mask, a symbol of the anti-government movement.
According to police, Mahinda Rajapaksa, a top member of Sri Lanka’s ruling family, was not at the residence at the time. The protest ended peacefully.
Meanwhile, protesters have been gathering in front of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s seaside house every day for more than two weeks. They have been protesting for the resignation of the President and his brother (Prime Minister). Protesters have been seen trying to storm the homes and offices of government ministers and MPs across the country.
One of the police firing was killed while protesting the road in the middle city of Rambukkana this week. It was the first protest since the protests began last month.
The coronavirus epidemic has hit Sri Lanka’s economy with significant tourism and expatriate incomes. The country fails to finance imports of essential commodities. This reduces the supply of rice, powdered milk, sugar, flour and medicines. Unbridled inflation exacerbates misery.
Load shedding is taking place most of the day due to disruption of power generation due to energy crisis. Power is being supplied by sharing time. Every morning people have to wait in long lines at the service station for petrol and kerosene.
Meanwhile, the country’s finance minister Ali Sabri warned last Friday that Sri Lanka’s economic situation could deteriorate further. He is currently in Washington to negotiate with the International Monetary Fund for a loan to revive the economy.
