Sri Lanka’s President and Prime Minister have agreed to resign, hours after a crowd of angry protesters chased the president from his residence and set the prime minister’s home on fire, as months of frustration brought on by an unprecedented economic crisis boiled over.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he will leave office once a new government is in place, hours before the speaker of the Sri Lankan parliament said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa would step down on Wednesday.
Hundreds of thousands of people massed in the capital Colombo to demand the government take responsibility for 대형트럭매매 mismanaging the nation’s finances, and for crippling food and 대형트럭매매 fuel shortages.
Police had attempted to thwart promised protests with a curfew, then lifted it as lawyers and opposition politicians denounced it as illegal.
After storming the gates of the presidential palace, a throng of protesters walked through its rooms, with some among the boisterous crowd jumping into the compound’s pool.
Others were seen laughing and lounging in the stately bedrooms of the residence, with one pulling out what he claimed was a pair of Rajapaksa’s underwear.
Firefighters tackle the flames at the private home of the Sri Lankan prime minister in Colombo
Flames rip through the residence, after it was set ablaze by protesters in Colombo
Firefighters look up at a collapsing roof being eaten by flames following a protest
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s home was burned, having said that he will leave office once a new government is in place
Firefighters in action at the private residence of the Prime Minister
Firefighters in action at the private residence of the Prime Minister
At around the same time, the leader had boarded a naval craft at the Colombo port and was taken to the island’s southern waters, 대형트럭매매 where he let it be known he was finally bowing to months of calls for his resignation.
‘To ensure a peaceful transition, the president said he will step down on July 13,’ parliamentary speaker Mahinda Abeywardana said in a televised statement.
Mr Rajapaksa will remain temporarily to ensure a smooth transfer of power, Mr Abeywardena added.
‘There is no need for further disturbances in the country, and I urge everyone for the sake of the country to maintain peace to enable a smooth transition,’ the speaker continued.
Opposition legislator Rauff Hakeem said a consensus was reached for the speaker of Parliament to take over as temporary president and work on an interim government.
Wickremesinghe announced his own impending resignation but said he would not step down until a new government is formed, angering protesters who demanded his immediate departure.
‘Today in this country we have a fuel crisis, a food shortage, we have the head of the World Food Program coming here and we have several matters to discuss with the IMF,’ Wickremesinghe said.
‘Therefore, if this government leaves there should be another government.’
Wickremesinghe said he suggested to the president to have an all-party government, and called a meeting with political leaders where he said he was willing to step down to pave the way for a unity government.
But this failed to placate protesters, who stormed the premier’s private residence and set it alight after night fell.
Footage shared on social media showed a crowd cheering the blaze, which broke out shortly after a security detachment guarding Wickremesinghe attacked several journalists outside the home.
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