Sri Lankan protests

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa assumed emergency powers on midnight Friday amid widespread calls for public protests throughout the country on Sunday.

Under the emergency, the president can authorize detentions, seizure of property and searching of premises. On Thursday, angry crowds demonstrated along the roads leading to Rajapaksa’s private residence on the outskirts of Colombo and stoned two army buses that police were using to block their path. Sri Lanka faces huge debt obligations and dwindling foreign reserves, and its struggle to pay for imports has caused a lack of basic supplies.

The government's information head Mohan Samaranayake said that the curfew is being imposed under powers vested with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Under the emergency, the president can authorize detentions, seizure of property and search of premises. Total damage was estimated to be around $132,000 and the suspects will be charged with damaging public property, Rohana said. On Thursday, angry crowds demonstrated along the roads leading to Rajapaksa’s private residence on the outskirts of Colombo and stoned two army buses that police were using to block their path. Rajapaksa’s office blamed “organized extremists” within the thousands of protesters for the violence. Sri Lanka faces huge debt obligations and dwindling foreign reserves, and its struggle to pay for imports has caused a lack of basic supplies. The crisis has hit people from all walks of life.

Troops armed with sweeping powers were deployed in Sri Lanka Saturday with the near-bankrupt country on edge after the president declared a state of ...

Colombo (AFP) – Troops armed with sweeping powers were deployed in Sri Lanka Saturday with the near-bankrupt country on edge after the president declared a state of emergency to quell escalating protests against him. The state of emergency was for the "protection of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community", Rajapaksa said in a proclamation. Colombo (AFP) – Troops armed with sweeping powers were deployed in Sri Lanka Saturday with the near-bankrupt country on edge after the president declared a state of emergency to quell escalating protests against him.

Protesters take cover as police use tear gas to disperse them during a protest outside the Sri Lankan President's home on March 31, 2022. Read More.

There's a lot of hate and anger against the President and the cabinet. "I have been taking part in these protests and even though I was injured, I was not discouraged," he said. Inflation is pushing the price of food higher, putting pressure on people to earn more money to cover basic costs.What happens nextSri Lanka is now looking for outside help to ease the economic turmoil -- the IMF, India and China. During last month's address, President Rajapaksa said he had weighed the pros and cons of working with the IMF and had decided to pursue a bailout from the Washington-based institution -- something his government had been reluctant to do. "I have not had the chance to go and work anywhere," she said. "With the liter or two we receive, we cannot run hires and earn a living," said Perera, with tears in his eyes. "Leave alone looking after my mother, wife and two children, I cannot pay the installment for my taxi to the finance company," he said. "Earlier (in the week) they demanded the President to step down, (on Thursday) they were yelling and calling him names." He said it was wrong to say the government mismanaged the economy -- instead, Covid-19 was one of the causes. "They misdiagnosed the problem and felt that they had to give a fiscal stimulus through tax cuts," Jafferjee said. But while President Rajapaksa was new to the role, he wasn't new to government. Our daily life has been reduced to standing in a queue," said Malkanthi Silva, 53, as she leaned on a worn blue gas cylinder in Colombo's baking heat, where she had already been waiting for hours for the propane she needs to cook to feed her family. Like his neighbors, he was frustrated by the more than 10-hour power cuts that plunged Colombo into darkness, and a shortage of gas to cook with that made it hard for his family to eat.

COLOMBO — Sri Lankan soldiers with assault rifles and police manned checkpoints in Colombo on Sunday as the government blocked social media platforms after…

By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. “I’m very frustrated.” Western and Asian diplomats based in Sri Lanka said they were monitoring the situation and expected the government to allow citizens to hold peaceful demonstrations. “The social media block is temporary and imposed due to special instructions given by the Defence Ministry. It was imposed in the interests of the country and people to maintain calm,” Telecommunications Regulatory Commission Chairman Jayantha de Silva told Reuters. Internet monitoring organization NetBlocks said real-time network data showed that Sri Lanka had imposed a nationwide social media blackout, restricting access to platforms including Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube and Instagram as a state of emergency was declared amid widespread protests. Emergency powers in the past have allowed the military to arrest and detain suspects without warrants, but the terms of the current powers are not yet clear. COLOMBO — Sri Lankan soldiers with assault rifles and police manned checkpoints in Colombo on Sunday as the government blocked social media platforms after imposing a curfew to contain public unrest triggered by the country’s economic crisis. The latest restrictions come after the government on Saturday implemented a countrywide curfew as protests against the government’s handling of the economic crisis turned violent.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa barred gatherings and ordered internet service providers to restrict social media access, tightening curbs amid ...

Protesters rally in Colombo despite curfew, demand President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resign over worsening economic crisis.

The shipments will arrive on Wednesday and Thursday, it said. “Gota has to go home. Let someone who can run the country, do this,” said KD Lala Kantha, a former legislator. “Why is there a curfew? Is there a threat to national security? The energy ministry meanwhile said it expects to receive 6,000 tonnes of diesel from the Indian Oil Corporation and another 12,000 tonnes of diesel from the Indian government, under a credit facility.

(Bloomberg) -- Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa barred gatherings and restricted access to social media amid demonstrations calling for his ouster ...

He has also dropped resistance to seeking a bailout from the International Monetary Fund and is simultaneously in talks with nations including India and China for bilateral aid. Inflation has accelerated to almost 19%, the highest in Asia. The emergency declaration gives Rajapaksa sweeping powers to suspend laws, detain people and seize property.

Opposition politicians in Sri Lanka marched in the capital, Colombo, on Sunday, protesting against the president's move to impose a curfew and state of ...

The crisis has hit people from all walks of life. Protesters also point to mismanagement – Sri Lanka has immense foreign debt after borrowing heavily on projects that do not earn money. He can also change or suspend any law except the constitution.

Opposition lawmakers in Sri Lanka on Sunday marched in the capital, Colombo, protesting against the president's move to impose a nationwide curfew and state ...

The crisis has hit people from all walks of life. The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a heavy blow to the economy with the government estimating a loss of $14 billion US in the last two years. Sri Lanka faces huge debt obligations and dwindling foreign reserves, and its struggle to pay for imports has caused a lack of basic supplies. Protesters also point to mismanagement — Sri Lanka has immense foreign debt after borrowing heavily on projects that don't earn money. Gota is a shortened version of the president's first name. Under the emergency, the president can authorize detentions, seizure of property and search of premises.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Opposition lawmakers and thousands of people angered by the government's handling of Sri Lanka's worst economic crisis on Su...

President Rajapaksa said last month that he would seek help from the International Monetary Fund and other agencies and countries on deferring loan repayments. Under the decree, the president can authorize detentions, seizure of property and search of premises. Protesters also point to mismanagement — Sri Lanka has immense foreign debt after borrowing heavily on projects that don’t earn money. Why are you protecting a government like this?” ”You are violating the law. Apparently due to growing criticism, access to social media was later restored.