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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka’s political parties met on Sunday morning, under intense pressure to quickly form an interim government after the country’s president and prime minister agreed to resign after fierce anti-government protests.
No new protests were recorded in Colombo, but people crowded into the president’s house, which was captured by protesters the day before, picnicking in the gardens and swimming in the pool.
Nuwan Bopege, a volunteer associated with the protest movement, told The Washington Post that protesters will occupy the homes of the two leaders until they formally resign.
Tens of thousands of people have flooded the streets of Colombo this weekend to demand the removal of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for the disastrous economic policies that have caused the country to collapse.
On Saturday, An enraged crowd stormed the residence and the presidential office and celebrated their victory by diving into the pool and resting in Rajapaksa’s bed. In the evening, Rajapaksa had informed the Speaker of Parliament of his decision to resign on 13 July. He had moved out of his house the day before the protests and his whereabouts are unknown.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also offered to resign to quell growing unrest, but his offer did not appease the furious protesters, who set fire to his home.
Announcements of the resignation bids marked a major victory for the protesters, but plunged the island nation into political unrest over what is happening next.
Sri Lankan president to resign next week, parliamentary spokesman says, after protesters storm residence
“This was a failed president and government,” said Faiszer Musthapha, a member of an opposition party that had previously allied with Rajapaksa.
He said the people who had suffered in the country had taken control. “It was the power of the people that was shown,” he said.
“It is a historic moment,” said Harini Amarasuriya, a member of the opposition in Parliament, “where a real citizen struggle ended with the government of an unpopular and unreliable government.”
At an all-night party on Saturday night, legislators decided to form an interim government until elections could be held. Discussions are underway to appoint a prime minister ahead of the president’s resignation on Wednesday.
“We can now move towards a more acceptable long-term trajectory for the country and for the international community,” said Eran Wickremerathne, leader of the main opposition party.
The United States is closely following developments in Sri Lanka, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters in Thailand on Sunday, urging the country’s political leaders to “quickly identify and implement solutions” for economic stability. long-term and address people’s discontent.
Blinken said the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine was felt everywhere and that it “may have contributed” to the crisis in Sri Lanka. The war in Ukraine has pushed up world energy and food prices, making it impossible for the almost bankrupt country to import what it needs, aggravating its economic struggle.
“Sri Lanka would be in crisis even if you didn’t have a war in Ukraine, but it’s aggravating everything,” Alan Keenan, an analyst at consulting firm International Crisis Group, told The Post in April. “This is the Ukraine effect: a line of credit for fuel that you thought might last two months now lasts one. Even if you get a ransom, you’re buying less food, less fuel, less medicine.”
What to know about the disorder in Sri Lanka
While the opposition is trying to reach a consensus on the next steps, the situation remains volatile, as people’s patience has been exhausted and no quick fixes are available.
In May, similar large-scale protests led to the resignation of Rajapaksa’s older brother, Mahinda, as prime minister and other family members. But the president held out, appointing a former prime minister to head a new government.
Anger at the continuing economic hardship spilled over again, this time with more force. The last few weeks have been marked by severe fuel shortages, long power cuts and rising food prices. Extraordinary circumstances forced authorities to close schools and offices and ask government workers to grow food in the backyards.
Signs of acute distress are evident everywhere: on mile-long lines at gas stations, where it can take up to three days to reach the front, and on desperate attempts by asylum seekers to reach Australia by sea.
Far from Ukraine, Sri Lanka is the epicenter of a global crisis
Experts say Sri Lanka is experiencing stagnation, a period marked by slow growth and high unemployment accompanied by rising prices. Some forecasts suggest that the economy could shrink by 4 to 6 percent by the end of this year, worse than the covid hit the economy by 2020.
Sri Lanka has been in rescue talks with international lenders, but continued political instability threatens to jeopardize this process.
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will resign on July 13. This comes after months of protests. (Video: Reuters)
Manjuka Fernandopulle, a lawyer specializing in debt restructuring, said creditors would like to deal with a government that is “credible and legitimate” and can “fulfill the promised reform.”
Local media reported that the International Monetary Fund said it expects a speedy resolution so talks can resume on a bailout package. Ganeshan Wignaraja, an economist at ODI, a UK-based global affairs think tank that has been involved in IMF talks, described the economic situation as “extremely difficult”.
The first step forward for Sri Lanka is the IMF program, Wignaraja said, which will include “higher taxes, raising interest rates to stabilize inflation and reduce public subsidies such as electricity and energy “.
“The second step is economic reforms [such as] reducing barriers to foreign investors, “he said.” My biggest fear is that this could be a lost decade and all the gains made in poverty reduction could be reversed. “
Aid groups say nearly a quarter of the country’s 22 million residents need food aid. Many have resorted to eating less or skipping meals altogether. Countries such as India and Australia have sent humanitarian aid such as food and medicine.
With the imminent removal of the president, many in Sri Lanka are hopeful that things can change.
Namal Ratnayake, 40, was part of the protesting crowd marching towards the president’s office. The last few months had been devastating for the wedding photographer, with the revenue having dried up and no fuel to move around for work.
“We had to get rid of these corrupt people who got us on their knees,” Ratnayake said. “My demand is that we have honest and polite people appointed from the current Parliament to get us out of this immediate mess.”
At the presidential residence, celebrations of the jubilant crowd continued.
Local media footage showed a stream of visitors walking up an imposing staircase to the president’s home. Advertisements were made not to steal or damage the property. Some picked up trash and cleaned up trash.
In a large conference room, people starred in a discussion with the IMF as a young man played the Rajapaksa campaign song on the president’s piano amid loud applause.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s campaign song “The Hero Who Works” performed by protesters in the President’s office pic.twitter.com/w9KlF6feov
– NewsWire 🇱🇰 (@NewsWireLK) July 10, 2022
Masih reported from New Delhi.