The situation in Sri Lanka remains uncertain on Sunday, July 10, 2010. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has agreed to resign next Monday after being forced from his home by protestors following the massive demonstrations in Colombo.
A spokesperson for the State Department said that Sunday's United States appealed to future leaders to work quickly to find solutions to economic instability and popular discontent about worsening economic conditions.
"To ensure peaceful transition, president has said that he will step down from office on July 13," Speaker Mahinda Abeywardana stated on Saturday via television.
The president's two relatives, the head press service Sudewa Haettiarachchi (and Bandula Gunawardana), resigned immediately. He also resigned as head of presidential party.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, on his part, tried to make way for a government national unity by convening an urgent government crisis meeting with opposition parties, to which he submitted his resignation. However, this was not enough to placate the angry demonstrators who, in his absence set fire to his home and demanded his resignation.
After being in hot water for several months, President Rajapaksa was able to escape just a few minutes earlier as hundreds of demonstrators entered the presidential Palace, a symbol building that is normally reserved for receptions, but which he had moved in April following the storm at his private residence.
A defense source said that the president was taken to safety and boarded a ship bound for the territorial waters south of the island.
Sri Lanka was once a country of middle income with a standard living comparable to India. However, the loss of tourism revenue in 2019 and the Covid-19 pandemic have devastated the country.
This crisis, which is unprecedented in its history, was exacerbated by a series bad political decisions. The population has accused the president's clan, who has been in power since 2005, of causing the crisis.
Local TV stations broadcast footage showing hundreds of people scaling the palace's gates. The protesters streamed live video on social media from the crowds as they marched inside. Some were even seen relaxing in the presidential pool or their bedrooms.
Thousands of Sri Lankan protesters, angered by economic crisis, stormed into the president's official residence in ColomboHere are protesters swimming in the president's pool https://t.co/CmvkcrBCRf pic.twitter.com/db5LHKwuCe
Protesters also seized the presidential offices nearby, where demonstrators had been camping for over three months.
On Saturday, hundreds of thousands demonstrated to demand Mr. Rajapaksa's resignation. Protesters even forced railway authorities to transport them by train, even though the country is running out of gasoline.
Trois people were shot by bullets as the police attempted to disperse the large crowd in the capital's administrative district. They used a lot tear gas and had several officers use it.
Sri Lanka is facing rampant inflation and shortages. It lacks gasoline, electricity, food, medicine, and other essentials. The International Monetary Fund is helping Sri Lanka to negotiate a rescue plan. This plan could result in tax increases. According to the United Nations, around 80% of people are forced to skip meals.
Janith Malinga said, "My wife, and I have been eating one a day for the past two months to ensure our child has three meals." Janith Malinga was among the protestors in Fort Galle South West, where cricket events are continuing smoothly with Australia in the spotlight.
The protester said, "It's a complete chaos, and it's certainly not the Sri Lanka that I dreamed." According to authorities, around 20,000 police officers and soldiers were sent to Colombo in order to protect the president. During protests in May, nine people were killed while several hundred were injured.
