The leaders of the anti-government revolt in Sri Lanka, who have prompted the president to flee to the Maldives and then to Singapore, following violent public revolt occupying the president’s official residence and set fire to the minister’s home in Colombo. He has emailed his resignation to the speaker of the parliament.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who has been acting at President has called for a curfews to quell protests. The Parliament will meet on Saturday. The newly-elected president is likely to appoint a new prime minister, who would then have to be approved by Parliament.
Protesters, consisting of mainly young people, have camped out outside the president’s office for more than two months. They are demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, holding him and his family responsible for the country’s economic crisis.
They also want a governance overhaul, saying successive administrations since independence from Britain in 1948 have misruled the country leading to economic and social crises.
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