Sri Lanka Live | 'Rajapaksa Must Quit Immediately': Former President Sirisena
Catch all the latest updates on the Sri Lankan political crisis here.
Protesters stand on a vandalised police water canon truck and shout slogans at the entrance to the president's official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, 9 July.
(Photo: PTI/Eranga Jayawardena)
Former Sri Lankan President and chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Maithripala Sirisena said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe have "no moral right" to remain in power and warned that "a very dangerous situation" will arise if they don't quit immediately.
A day after anti-government protesters stormed Gotabaya Rajapaksa's residence, the police arrested three persons for setting Prime Minister Wickremesinghe's house on fire, local media stated on Sunday, 10 July.
Sri Lanka's army chief, General Shavendra Silva, meanwhile, appealed to people to support the military to ensure that the crisis is peacefully resolved.
Rajapaksa is set to resign on 13 July, the country's parliamentary speaker said. His whereabouts, however, are still unknown.
Amid the worsening economic crisis in Sri Lanka, Minister of Investment Promotion Dhammika Perera resigned from his position on Sunday
He is the fourth minister to resign from the Cabinet after Harin Fernando, Manusha Nanayakkara, and Bandula Gunawardena
The International Monetary Fund on Sunday said that it was closely monitoring the situation, hoping for talks on a bailout deal to resume
Thousands stormed the residence of Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Colombo on Saturday
At least 30 people were injured in the unrest
Protesters also torched the private residence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe even as he offered to resign.
Sri Lanka is going through the worst economic crisis since Independence in 1948 and needs at least USD 4 billion to tide over the shortage in foreign exchange reserves.
Police use water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protesters in Sri Lanka, on Saturday, 9 July. Sri Lankan protesters demanding that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resign, forced their way into his official residence on Saturday.
Protesters sing and dance after storming the Sri Lankan president's official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Saturday, 9 July.
Protesters sit after storming the Sri Lankan president's residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Saturday, 9 July.
Anti-government protesters swim in a pool at the president's official residence after laying siege to it, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Saturday, 9 July.
Firefighters try to douse a fire at the Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's private residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Saturday, 9 July.
Protesters gather on the premises of the Sri Lankan president's official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Saturday, 9 July.
Protesters react after police fired tear gas to disperse them in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Saturday, 9 July.
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Rajapaksa to Step Down on 13 July, Speaker Confirms
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, whose residence was stormed by protesters on Saturday, 9 July, will resign from his post on Wednesday, the country's parliamentary speaker said.
Consequently, the House Speaker will become the president for the next 30 days until Parliament elects a new president.
IMF 'Closely Monitoring' Situation
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Sunday said that it was closely monitoring the ongoing developments in Sri Lanka and hoped that the political crisis would be resolved soon to allow for the resumption of dialogue on an IMF-supported programme in the cash-starved country.
Sri Lankan Army Chief Calls for Peace
Hours after Rajapaksa's resignation was announced, Sri Lanka's Army chief General Shavendra Silva said that an opportunity to resolve the current crisis in a peaceful manner was available.
He requested that people support the military and the police to ensure that peace was maintained.
Millions Recovered From President's Residence, Say Protestors
Protesters who stormed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s residence on Saturday claimed to have recovered a large sum of money from the mansion, ANI quoted local media as saying.
As per local newspaper Daily Mirror, it was reported that the recovered money was handed over to the security units.
A purported video showing the protesters counting the currency notes that were unearthed is being circulated on social media.
Protestors Continue to Occupy President's House
A day after the mass protests, anti-government protesters in Sri Lanka continued to occupy the residences of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, news agency PTI reported.
US Urges Sri Lankan Govt to Hasten Solutions Amid Unrest
United States urged the Sri Lankan political leaders on Sunday to hasten the solution needed to resolve the economic and political crisis and appease the growing discontent among Sri Lankans.
A US State Department spokesperson said, "We urge this government or any new, constitutionally selected government to work quickly to identify and implement solutions that will achieve long-term economic stability and address the Sri Lankan people’s discontent over the worsening economic conditions, including power, food and fuel shortages."
Police Arrest 3 People for Torching PM's House
Three persons have been arrested by the Kollupitiya Police in connection with the arson attack on Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe's private house in Colombo on Saturday, police told Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror.
'We Are Trying To Help Sri Lanka': EAM Jaishankar
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on Sunday and said, "We have been supportive of Sri Lanka, are trying to help and have always been helpful. They are working through their problem, we will see what happens. There is no refugee crisis right now."
Dhamika Perera Resigns From Ministerial Post
Minister of Investment Promotion Dhammika Perera has resigned from his position, reported NDTV. He is the fourth minister to resign from the Cabinet.
Protestors Tour the Grounds at Presidential Palace
Protesters are refusing to budge, touring the grounds, and having lunches in the Presidential Palace, Colombo, reported ANI.
India Lends Over 44,000 MT of Urea to SL
India on Sunday handed more than 44,000 metric tonnes of urea under a credit line extended to crisis-ridden Sri Lanka, as part of New Delhi's ongoing efforts to support the island nation's farmers and help bolster bilateral cooperation for food security, the Indian High Commission here said.
"High Commissioner met the Honourable Agriculture Minister and informed him about the arrival of more than 44,000 MT of urea supplied under a credit line extended by India to Sri Lanka," the Indian High Commission said in a tweet.
‘Hope India Will Continue to Assist’: Congress Expresses Solidarity With SL
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi issued a statement on Sunday on the spiraling economic crisis in Sri Lanka and said, "Congress expresses its solidarity with Sri Lanka and its people in this moment of grave crisis and hopes they'll be able to overcome it. We hope India will continue to assist people and the government of Sri Lanka as they deal with difficulties of the current situation."
Protesters Take Over Presidential Palace
Protesters have broken into the Presidential Palace and the prime minister's private residence in Colombo. Pictures have surfaced of protesters strolling the grounds, taking a dip in the pool, and lounging in the premises.
Protesters sing and dance after storming in at the Sri Lankan President's official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Saturday, 9 July.
Protesters walk around and spend time a day after storming into the President's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday, 10 July.
Anti government protesters take a dip in a swimming pool of the Sri Lankan President's official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Saturday, 9 July.
Protesters rest on sofas in the living hall of Prime Minister's official residence a day after vandalising it in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday, 10 July.
Protesters sit and walk around the Sri Lankan President's office, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Saturday, 9 July.
A protester rests on a sofa in the living hall of Prime Minister's official residence a day after vandalising it in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday, 10 July.
Protesters look around at the Sri Lankan President's official residence a day after it was stormed in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday, 10 July.
'Closely Monitoring Development in Sri Lanka': Malaysia
The Malaysian foreign ministry issued a statement saying that it's closely monitoring the developments in Sri Lanka.
"All Malaysians currently in Sri Lanka must immediately register with the High Commission to get necessary consular assistance," a press release by the ministry read.
Pope Expresses Solidarity With People of Sri Lanka
Amid the crisis, Pope Francis on Sunday, 10 July, expressed solidarity with people of Sri Lanka. While appealing for peace in the country he said that the leaders must not "ignore the the cry of the poor and the needs of the people."
"Together with the bishops of the country, I renew my appeal for peace. May God show the way to end this insane war," he said.
'India Stands With People Of Sri Lanka': MEA
Responding to the situation in Sri Lanka, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement saying that being Sri Lanka's closest neighbour, India stands with the people of Sri Lanka as they "seek to realise their aspirations for prosperity and progress through democratic means."
President Rajapaksa Orders Officials To Ensure Smooth Distribution of Cooking Gas
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, whose location is still unknown since the protesters overran both his office and the official residence, has ordered officials to ensure the smooth distribution of cooking gas after the fuel-starved country received 3,700 metric tonnes of LP gas, his office said on Sunday, 10 July.
'A Very Dangerous Situation': Former Sri Lankan President Asks Rajapaksa, Wickremesinghe To Quit Immediately
Former Sri Lankan President and chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Maithripala Sirisena said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe have "no moral right" to remain in power and warned that "a very dangerous situation" will arise if they don't quit immediately.
"It is clear that a very dangerous situation is likely to arise in the country if they continue to act without understanding the opposition coming from the people,” he said.
'We Have Pledged $3.8 Billion in Support to Sri Lanka': EAM Jaishankar
Calling the crisis in Sri Lanka a "serious matter", India's External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar said on Sunday, "It is something which has been built over a period of time. PM Modi has a policy called 'Neighbourhood First.' We try and support our neighbours in a way which meets their requirements."
He added that India had "given Sri Lanka a line of credit, which has kept essential commodities flowing to them for the past several months. We have also provided them a line of credit for the purchase of fuel. This year alone, we have pledged $3.8 billion in support to Sri Lanka," ANI reported.