Colombo - Protesters in Sri Lanka stormed the president's official residence and office Saturday demanding his resignation, marking the latest turn in the deepening economic and political crisis in the island nation. Dozens of people were injured in clashes with the police, hospital officials said.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, whose family many hold responsible for the worst economic crisis in decades, was moved to safety Friday ahead of the planned protests, according to a defence services official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Thousands of people carrying the yellow and red Sri Lankan flag marched toward the President's home chanting “Gota, go home.” The police fired tear gas to deter the surging crowds. The crowd swept past the policemen and breached the barricades to break into the president's office and residence.
Visuals from local media showed people roaming through the president's house taking selfies and taking a dip in the swimming pool.
“We are desperate,” said Himantha Wickremerathne, a 34-year-old lawyer who joined the protests. “People from all walks of life have united with one intention - to demand that the corrupt president who clearly does not have a mandate, to step down.”
By the afternoon, people began to pour into Colombo from other regions travelling by trains. Sanath Jayasuriya, a former captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team joined protesters at a major protest site. Asking the president to step down he said, “The siege is over. Your bastion has fallen.”
Sri Lanka has been in the grip of an unprecedented economic crisis as fuel has nearly run out and food inflation has shot up to 80 percent. It's defaulted on its foreign debt repayment and is in talks with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout package.
For ordinary citizens it has become almost impossible to survive. More than 6 million people or about a fourth of the country's population is unsure of where the next meal will come from, the World Food Program said last week.
In May, the president's brother, Mahinda was forced to resign as the prime minister after his supporters clashed with anti-government protesters. A new prime minister and cabinet were sworn in but as the economic situation worsens, anger is beginning to spill over again.
The specter of more political instability threatens to send the embattled country into a deeper crisis and could undermine its efforts to secure a bailout.
The Washington Post