Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said on Wednesday that the country will have a new prime minister and cabinet “within this week,” two days after his brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, stepped down as prime minister. After Mahinda Rajapaksa announced his decision to step down earlier this week, the country, which is on the verge of bankruptcy, has been engulfed in violence. The Rajpaksas, once Sri Lanka’s most powerful political family, are in decline, owing to widespread public outrage and accusations of misgovernance. Meanwhile, human rights organisations have expressed grave concerns about the crackdown on demonstrators. The United States has stated that it is closely monitoring the situation. The Pope has also urged peace.
1. In a televised address on Wednesday, Gotabaya Rajapaksa said, “I am taking steps to appoint within this week a new prime minister who has the confidence of a majority in parliament, who can win over the confidence of the people, and a new Cabinet to control the current situation, to prevent the country from falling into anarchy, and to continue the government’s functions that are at a standstill.”
2. In addition to promising a “young cabinet free of Rajapaksas,” the 72-year-old stated, “I will make way for the new prime minister to present a new programme of work and implement it.” The opposition had previously turned down his invitation to form a unity government. People are struggling to meet basic needs, and Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been blamed for the country’s current economic challenges, which he has linked to international factors.
3. In the midst of the worst-ever economic crisis, the South Asian country was forced to suspend $7 billion in foreign loans this year, out of a total of $25 billion due by 2026. According to the Associated Press, the country’s total foreign debt is $51 billion.
4. “None of our officers wants to take control of the government.” It has never happened in our country, and it is difficult to do so here,” says the author. According to the Associated Press, Kamal Gunaratne, the Defense Ministry’s top official,
5. According to Navy Commander Nishantha Ulugetenne, Mahinda Rajapaksa is being protected at a naval base in Trincomalee on the northeastern coast. On Monday, tens of thousands of protesters attempted to break into his home, forcing security officials to evacuate the former prime minister and his family.
6. The Central Bank has urged the country to move forward with a stable government. “We need a stable type of government even to make progress on debt restructuring.” There must be a cabinet, a parliament, a prime minister, and a finance minister. It will be difficult for us to make any progress without that kind of administration,” Central Bank governor Nandalal Weerasinghe was quoted as saying in reports.
7. Security forces have been ordered to shoot those who damage public property amid widespread unrest. To put a stop to the protests, a strict curfew has been imposed. This week, nine people have died, including a lawmaker, and over 200 have been injured.
8. “Authorities in Sri Lanka must immediately revoke emergency regulations and shooting orders that give the police and military excessive powers, and take immediate steps to respect, protect, and fulfil the human rights of peaceful protestors,” said Amnesty International. “The authorities must also refrain from using the state of emergency as a pretext to restrict the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression in the country, including at protest sites like “Gotagogama,” it added.
9. “I address a special thought to the people of #SriLanka, especially the young,” Pope Francis tweeted on Wednesday. I implore everyone to maintain a peaceful attitude rather than resorting to violence. I appeal to all those in positions of authority to listen to the people’s wishes while upholding human and civil rights.
10. While India has announced a $3.5 billion aid package to its crisis-stricken neighbour, it has also denied reports that it is sending troops to Colombo. “The High Commission wishes to refute speculative reports in the media and on social media that India is sending troops to Sri Lanka. “These reports and such viewpoints are also inconsistent with the Indian government’s position,” the foreign ministry said.
