Dreadful photos of Sri Lanka in turmoil as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa refuses to quit

SUMMARY

In a late-night address to the nation, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa refused to quit, but promised to appoint a new prime minister and a young Cabinet this week which would introduce key constitutional reforms to curb his powers, amid protests over the nation's worst economic crisis that ousted his elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa.

By CNBCTV18.comMay 12, 2022 11:56:11 AM IST (Updated)

Sri Lanka's main Opposition SJB has split over the choice of the next prime minister as its leader Sajith Premadasa is unwilling to be the prime minister in the interim government under embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. In a late-night televised address to the nation, the President on Wednesday refused to quit, but promised to appoint a new Prime Minister and a young Cabinet this week which would introduce key constitutional reforms to curb his powers, amid protests over the nation's worst economic crisis that ousted his elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa who is under protection at a naval base following violent attacks on his aides.

The country is facing unprecedented economic turmoil and following weeks of protests, Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as Sri Lanka's PM on May 9. After Mahinda's resignation, his supporters attacked anti-government protesters, which resulted in a nationwide curfew being imposed and the Army being called out in the capital.

Meanwhile, an investigation was launched by Sri Lanka's jail authorities on the allegations that a group of inmates from a prison camp were used to attack anti-government protesters in Colombo this week.

Violence erupted in Sri Lanka on May 9 after supporters of former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa attacked peaceful anti-government protesters demanding his ouster over the country's worst economic crisis that led to acute shortages of staple food, fuel and power.

Meanwhile, the Opposition claimed that Rajapaksa had incited members of the ruling party to attack peaceful protesters in a speech on May 9.

During weeks of demonstrations, protesters across the island nation of 22 million people have demanded that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his elder brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, quit for mishandling the economy that led to acute shortages of staple food, fuel, and power.

Over 200 people have also been injured in the violence in Colombo and other cities. Footage posted on social media following the attack on peaceful protests showed locals detaining a group of men who later claimed that they were prisoners from the Watareka Open Prison Camp, reports said. Speaking on the violence, the President said what happened on Monday was very unfortunate. "The murders, assaults, acts of intimidation, destruction of property, and the series of heinous acts that followed cannot be justified at all," he said.