Sri Lanka protesters will not stop until President Rajapaksa resign.
The day after the two men decided to retire, putting the nation in political uncertainty, leaders of Sri Lanka’s protest movement said they would occupy the president’s and prime minister’s homes until they eventually left their positions. This was on Sunday, July 10, 2022.
On Saturday, protests over their failure to solve a dire economic crisis exploded into violence.
Thousands of demonstrators assaulted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s house, office, and the prime minister’s official residence.
According to the parliament speaker, Rajapaksa will stand down on July 13 for an all-party interim administration to take office. Wickremesinghe has also declared his intention to do the same.
At a press conference held at the major protest location in Colombo, dramatist Ruwanthie de Chickera said, “The president has to resign, the prime minister has to quit, and the administration has to leave.”
She said that until then, the protesters would remain outside the president’s and prime minister’s official mansions. She was flanked by other figures assisting in organizing the anti-government campaign.
Despite Colombo’s streets being peaceful on Sunday, inquisitive Sri Lankans spent the whole day exploring the destroyed presidential residence. Security personnel were stationed outside the enclosure, some armed with assault guns, but did not deter visitors from entering
B.M. Chandrawathi, 61, a handkerchief vendor visiting with her daughter and grandkids, said to Reuters as she sat down on a comfortable couch in a first-floor bedroom, “I’ve never seen a house like this in my life.”
“While we struggled, they lived in incredible luxury. We were deceived. I wanted my children and grandchildren to see their wealthy lives.”
A few young guys were lounging nearby on a four-poster bed. In contrast, others competed for turns on a treadmill in front of huge windows that overlooked well-maintained grounds.
Eric is a professional news editor, writer, and blogger for the last 10 years. He is working with NewsGater as an off-beat news editor cum writer.