(Colombo) Sri Lankan police on Sunday dispersed with tear gas thousands of students who tried to storm the residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, after weeks of demonstrations demanding his resignation.
Posted at 1:08 p.m.
Riot police used water cannons and then tear gas as protesters toppled yellow metal barricades on a street leading to the presidential residence in Colombo.
Nearby, thousands of women and men marched for the 51e day in a row, demanding the resignation of the leader of Sri Lanka, plunged into the worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe reached out to protesters on Sunday evening during an address on national television.
He announced the creation of 15 committees that will work with parliament to decide future national policies.
“I propose to appoint four young representatives in each of the 15 committees,” he added, specifying that they could be chosen from among the current protesters.
Mr Wickremesinghe was appointed prime minister after his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa, the president’s older brother, resigned on May 9 after weeks of protests and when no other politician wanted the post.
Photo DINUKA LIYANAWATTE, REUTERS
Protesters toppled yellow metal barricades on a street leading to the presidential residence in Colombo.
He is the only deputy of the United National Party (UNP), a once powerful formation, but which had almost disappeared in the legislative elections of August 2020.
Mr. Rajapaksa’s party, which had by then won two-thirds of the seats in the Assembly, offered him the support he needed to lead the country.
Sunday’s events come a day after similar clashes, when protesters attempted to enter the president’s official residence, where he has been holed up since thousands of people surrounded his private home on March 31.
Photo ISHARA S. KODIKARA, Agence France-Presse
Riot police used water cannons and then tear gas to disperse protesters.
Sri Lanka, which has 22 million inhabitants, lacks dollars to finance the import of basic necessities (foodstuffs, fuel, medicines, etc.). The unprecedented widespread shortages have sparked anger across the country.
Last month, the government asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for emergency financial assistance. Discussions are still ongoing.
The country is also in default of payment on its external debt (51 billion dollars, or 47.5 billion euros).
Its currency has collapsed 44.2% against the US dollar this year, and inflation has soared 33.8% in April alone.