Colombo:On Saturday (9th July), thousands of people descended upon the presidential palace of Sri Lanka’s president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in a display of outrage over the island country’s deteriorating economic situation.
On Friday, a day before an irate mob broke through police barricades and entered the compound, Rajapaksa left his official residence in Colombo.
Due to the country’s dire economic situation, protesters have been calling for the president’s resignation. The Speaker, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, was asked to call a special meeting of all party leaders by the Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe.
In order to promote a “all-party government,” Ranil Wickremesinghe decided to step down and resign.
By late at night, protesters had started to march toward Ranil Wickremesinghe’s home, where they set it ablaze.
Meanwhile, the Speaker announced that President Rajapaksa had consented to step down on July 13.
As per what hospital sources have told Reuters; during the protests, at least 39 people, along with two police officers, were hurt and hospitalised.
In order to decide what actions to take in response to the unrest, Wickremesinghe met with the leaders of various political parties.
