Sri Lanka: Prime Minister resigns after violent clashes
According to the authorities, many people were injured in clashes between government supporters and protesters calling for the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka, on May 9, 2022. AP - Eranga Jayawardena
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
On Monday May 9, 76-year-old Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned shortly after violent clashes between his supporters and anti-government protesters left 78 people injured, his spokesman said.
Advertisement
Read more
An indefinite curfew has been declared by the police in Colombo.
This measure follows very tense demonstrations in the Sri Lankan capital.
Government supporters have indeed crossed the ranks of the police this Monday, May 9 to destroy the camps of thousands of demonstrators who demand the departure of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
They were armed with sticks and truncheons.
The injured are numerous.
A “
new unity government
”?
The violence erupted when Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapksa, the president's younger brother, resigned and sent his letter of departure to his younger brother and president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, paving the way for a "
new government of unit
”.
Friday, May 6, the president had declared a second state of emergency which grants wide powers to the security forces, authorizing them in particular to arrest suspects and to detain them for long periods without judicial supervision.
Many unions have called for demonstrations every day from this Monday, May 9.
Prices are skyrocketing
They are calling in particular for the formation of an interim administration that would make it possible to overcome the worst economic crisis in the country, attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sri Lanka is indeed suffering from serious shortages of food products such as milk, fuel and medicines, in addition to being deprived of tourism.
Prices for vegetables and rice have skyrocketed in recent months and residents regularly report power cuts.
(
with AFP
)
►Also read
:
Sri Lanka: Prime Minister Rajapaksa booed by the crowd during a rare outing
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_EN
Sri Lanka
Gotabaya Rajapaksa