Police have imposed a curfew in Sri Lanka’s capital and surrounding areas after firing tear gas and using a water cannon at student protesters amid public discontent over the country’s worst economic crisis in seven decades.
Most important points:
- Sri Lanka struggles to pay for essential fuel, food and medicine imports
- Many people are calling for the resignation of the president
- According to the Bar Association, the curfew is clearly illegal and a violation of fundamental rights.
The island nation has been paralyzed by a shortage of foreign exchange that has left it struggling to afford essential imports of fuel, food and medicine.
The country’s 22 million inhabitants have been victims of record inflation, currency depreciation and power outages for months.
The students started their protest march from a university on the outskirts of the city and moved to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s official residence in the heart of the business district, which had been barricaded by the police.
Protesters planned to spend the night next to the police barricades until the second wave of protesters joined them on Saturday morning.
The protesters said they would besiege the president’s residence.
Police responded with tear gas and water cannons to push back the demonstrators.
Many protesters called for the resignation of Mr Rajapaksa, whom they blame for the economic crisis in the country – the worst since independence in 1948.
They also blame Ranil Wickremesinghe, who became prime minister two months ago, for not fulfilling promises to end the deficits.
Police said the curfew, which began at 9 p.m. Friday, would last in Colombo and its suburbs until further notice.
The curfew was criticized by opponents of the Sri Lankan government and Bar Association, who said the curfew was “clearly illegal and a violation of fundamental rights”.
The statement by the Bar Association asked police to immediately revoke what the association called an “illegal order” imposing the curfew.
Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa called the curfew “a fraud”.
Sri Lanka’s ‘Collapsed’ Economy
Sri Lanka is near bankruptcy and has suspended repayments of $7 billion ($10.2 billion) in foreign debt due this year.
It must repay more than $5 billion annually through 2026. Its foreign reserves are nearly exhausted and it cannot import food, fuel, cooking gas and medicines.
A lack of fuel to run power plants has resulted in prolonged daily power cuts.
People have to queue for hours to buy fuel and gas. The country has largely survived on credit lines extended by neighboring India to buy fuel and other necessities.
As a result of the economic crisis, inflation has risen and the prices of basic necessities have soared, dealing a severe blow to poor and vulnerable groups.
Due to the fuel and power shortages, schools have been closed for weeks and the government has asked government employees other than those in essential services to work from home.
The country is negotiating a rescue package with the International Monetary Fund, but Mr Wickremesinghe said this week the negotiations were difficult as Sri Lanka was effectively bankrupt.
He previously said the country’s economy had “collapsed”.
Months of anti-government protests
The economic crisis has led to political unrest, with widespread anti-government protests.
Protesters have blocked major roads to demand fuel, and people in some areas have fought over limited supplies.
Many people accuse the president and his powerful family, including several siblings who until recently held cabinet positions, of hastening the crisis through corruption and mismanagement.
Months of protests have nearly dismantled the Rajapaksa political dynasty, which has ruled Sri Lanka for most of the past two decades.
One of Mr Rajapaksa’s brothers resigned as prime minister last month, and two other brothers and a cousin have previously resigned from their cabinet posts.
Mr Rajapaksa has admitted that he has not taken any steps to avert economic collapse early enough but has refused to resign from office.
Under the Constitution, it is nearly impossible to impeach presidents unless they resign themselves.
ABC/wires