University students have launched a massive protest at Gahala Junction, Peradeniya, despite the ongoing curfew island wide.
The protest, despite being peaceful, has been pushed back with tear gas and water attacks launched by the Police.
Police officers have been deployed in large numbers in front of the Peradeniya University since this (03) morning.
MIAP
The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has urged the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) and internet service providers to lift the restriction imposed on Social Media immediately.
The Social Media restriction has made it difficult to inform the public about the power cuts, the PUCSL Chairman said, adding that it would be essential for people to use Social Media to become aware of the power outages.
Therefore, it would also be essential to lift the restrictions imposed on the use of Social Media, the PUCSL emphasised.
MIAP
Pakistan’s prime minister Imran Khan is facing a vote of no confidence which is expected to force him from office. But as Secunder Kermani reports, it’s unlikely to be the end of his political career.
At his barber shop in a middle-class neighbourhood in Islamabad, 32-year-old Mujahid Ali, dressed in a beige, traditional shalwar kameez, won’t be sorry to see Imran Khan ousted from office.
“I haven’t enjoyed his time,” he says ruefully.
The former cricketer turned politician won in this constituency in 2018. Mujahid voted for him, hoping he could deliver change as a new, third force in Pakistan’s politics, which has long been dominated by two rival established political dynasties. But now he blames Mr Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party for the rising cost of living.
“You work all day and earn 500 rupees ($2.70; £2.06),” he tells the BBC. “But now a kilogram of butter costs 500 rupees. Before it was 180.”
Khan’s likely replacement as prime minister would be Shehbaz Sharif. His brother is Nawaz Sharif, a three-time serving prime minister now convicted on corruption charges which he has always regarded as politically motivated.
Shehbaz too has faced allegations, which he denies, but Mujahid says that doesn’t put him off: “They might be corrupt, but at least they help poor people.”
Waiting for a haircut is 27-year old Ali Malik, a junior accountant. He too voted for Mr Khan in 2018, but remains supportive of him. “We have to endure this hard time,” he says of the economic situation. “Imran Khan has taken a stance and we should stand with him.”
Mr Khan has been a staunch campaigner against corruption, and has accused opposition parties of paying off members of parliament to vote against him, an allegation they deny.
The rising cost of living is a complaint of nearly all the voters we speak to at a handful of markets across the constituency. At the barber shop, the owner begins striking his head with palms of his hands in frustration. “The poor of this country have been ruined,” he shouts emotionally.
Some, like him, dismiss Mr Khan as “incompetent,” but others, such as housewives Iram and Noreen, browsing at a stall selling hairbands, accept his justification that prices have risen across the world following the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s everywhere, not just Pakistan,” they say, though another friend accompanying them disagrees.
The truth is, price rises have been significantly sharper in Pakistan than in most of its neighbours. Yet however disgruntled many may be with Mr Khan’s policies, the move to oust him is not based on a sudden wave of popular sentiment. It’s down to elite political manoeuvring.
Mr Khan is widely regarded as having come to power with the help of Pakistan’s army, but now observers say they have fallen out. His political opponents are seizing the opportunity to strike whilst he’s weak, persuading a number of his coalition partners to defect to them.
Mr Khan has a different, more outlandish explanation for his political troubles. He says he’s the victim of an international conspiracy attempting to bring about “regime change” in Pakistan.
He claims US officials warned Pakistani diplomats he would need to be removed from power because of his foreign policy decisions, such as recently visiting Moscow to meet President Vladimir Putin and his previous criticism of America’s “War on Terror”. Opposition politicians ridicule the allegation, and the US has denied there is any truth to it.
It appears Mr Khan is attempting build a populist, anti-Western narrative and many of his most ardent followers appear to be buying into it.
Sohail Akhtar, a 25-year-old working in marketing, is sitting at a plastic table in a small open-air restaurant smiling and chatting with a group of friends. All voted for Mr Khan in 2018, and all remain loyal to him. “I wanted Pakistan to be respected on the world stage,” he says. “And now that’s happened.”
“Look out how he has spoken out against Islamophobia,” chimes in Mohammad, a civil servant. “Before we used to be like slaves.”
When talk turns to the Pakistani military’s stance on Mr Khan and whether they’re really responsible for his change in fortunes, there’s a slight hesitation amongst the group at the restaurant.
Until recently, Imran Khan proudly proclaimed he and the army were on “the same page,” and many of his followers view themselves as “patriots” who firmly back the military.
“Well you can’t form a government without their support,” admits 25-year-old Shafqat, but he remains convinced of the international conspiracy Mr Khan has talked about. He and his friends say they all plan on attending a rally close to parliament on the day of the vote of no confidence.
No Pakistani prime minister has ever completed their full five-year term, and it looks likely Mr Khan won’t either.
However, whilst, the poor state of the economy has undoubtedly diminished his popularity, Mr Khan looks set to remain a formidable force in the country’s politics.
BBC
The government of Sri Lanka has taken the measure to declare a state of emergency and an islandwide curfew to ensure the public’s security, the Department of Government Information said in a press release.
Emphasising that the government is committed to protecting the people’s democratic right to speech, right to freedom of expression, right to assembly and right to protest, the statement added that the incumbent President has never launched a baton assault, tear gas or water against a peaceful protest since he assumed office.
It added that in some cases, representatives of the demonstrators were called in to the Presidential Secretariat to discuss issues and resolve them and even an agitation site has been reserved near the Office for protests and demonstrations.
“During the protest organised in the Mirihana area on Thursday, March 31, some people behaved in a riotous manner and caused damaged to public and private property, while some people were injured,” the statement added.
The press release by the Info Dept also claimed that the damage done to the properties due to the riots is Rs. 39 million.
The state of emergency and curfew were imposed in accordance with accepted legal provisions with the aim of protecting public life, public order and public and private property, the statement further noted.
MIAP
Diesel stocks are now being dispatched for fuel stations island wide, revealed the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO).
It has been decided to release 3,500 metric tonnes of diesel for power generation on a daily basis, in a move to curb the power interruptions, which at present are exhausting the general public.
The CEYPETCO had suspended the supply of diesel in recent days due to non-availability of stocks and the absence of dollars required for purchases and this had led to the closure of many fuel sheds across the country.
The power cuts approved in response to the fuel shortage had exceeded 13 hours a day.
In the backdrop, the public uprising against the government hit a fever pitch, later to be met with an island wide curfew effective from 06 pm yesterday to 06 am tomorrow. However, demonstrations are still taking place in some parts of the island regardless of the curfew.
MIAP
A heated situation has arisen at the Independence Square, Colombo today, as a group of SJB activists including MPs who are trying to enter the premises for a peaceful protest is blocked with tightened security.
Journalists too were not allowed to enter the premises since this (03) morning.
The SJB activists nevertheless are insisting the security forces that they should be allowed to enter the premises to stage their peaceful demonstration.
MIAP
The Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association (SLRA), the apex body for organised retail in Sri Lanka, is requesting landlords, lessors, and business partners to reduce leases and rentals for the association’s membership.
President of SLRA, Murali Prakash appealed to landlords and lessors to provide a 50 per cent concession on rentals and leases on all forms of physical infrastructure on properties leased and rented by SLRA members for the next one year.
Furthermore, the association appeals to all business partners to share other costs where possible, to ensure that the sector, as a whole, is sustainable through these difficult times to safeguard the entire ecosystem.
The unfavourable forex situation has plunged many retail businesses into a new low after battling the COVID-19 pandemic for over two years with reduced operability.
This has significantly eroded the business sustainability, given that most retailers heavily rely on imported products and raw material.
The ongoing dollar crisis could continue to significantly reduce the revenues, impede growth and impact all operational levels to a point where maintaining physical infrastructure would be challenging. Increasing the cost base has further dampened these conditions.
Due to this situation, there is a sense of urgency for the retailers to forge partnerships and implement cost sharing in all areas to wade through the challenges. SLRA believes that retailers and their business partners could overcome such adverse conditions only through a shared vision.
If they stand together, all costs can be shared and the businesses could continue to operate. The alternative would force retailers to consider reduced business locations, which could hurt many landlords and business partners and result in zero income.
A similar impact will befall other business partners, should retail customer points are reduced. Therefore, it is in the interest of everyone, that a shared cost strategy is established.
“SLRA is optimistic that landlords, lessors, and other business partners would share part of the costs through reduced rentals and other cost-sharing options; thus, striving to create a better tomorrow.
It also understands the impact this would have on the lessors and landlords and other business partners and suppliers.
However, the industry needs to stay afloat for all parties to benefit in the future, and therefore a collective action is indeed the way forward,” Mr Murali Prakash said.
Namal Rajapaksa, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs has stated that he does not approve of the government blocking social media networks is completely futile when VPN apps and software exist.
He said in a Tweet using a VPN that he was requesting the authorities to reconsider the decision in a more progressive manner.
Sri Lanka government will seek international sovereign bond payment extensions from Paris Club lenders and other creditors following its decision to work out a debt restructuring plan with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), official sources said.
The round table negotiations with sovereign bond holders will be carried out in New York or France in accordance with the convenience of those creditors, he disclosed. Ten per cent of Sri Lanka’s creditors are members of the Paris Club, with Japan being the main bilateral creditor for Sri Lanka.
Negotiations with bond holders in China and India, who are not Paris Club partners, have to be conducted outside the Paris Club.
No final decision has been taken on Sri Lankan officials who will be participating at these negotiations.
Sri Lanka is also exploring the possibility of working out a debt financing package to secure foreign exchange inflows into the country including remittances, a senior Finance Ministry official said.
One of the other alternate strategies is to raise funds from investors to deal with the upcoming debt payments, he added. All these suggestions included Sri Lanka’s plan of bridging finance proposals will be presented to the IMF during discussions to seek their assistance.
He disclosed that official talks were held with bankers from Rothschild & Co. and Lazard on these financing proposals including the debt financing package.
Sri Lanka will hire a global law firm to provide technical assistance on debt restructuring ahead of talks with the IMF on the country’s economic crisis, Cabinet spokesman Minister Ramesh Pathirana said.
In a movement of unity, 12 opposition MPs have called on the Sri Lankan government to negotiate a postponement and restructuring of its $25 billion debt repayments due between now and 2026.
Issuing a joint statement recently they noted that the “only way forward for Sri Lanka is to immediately initiate a multi-step process towards an orderly negotiated postponement and restructure of repayment of its sovereign debt”.
Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa will be visiting Washington next month to present Sri Lanka’s plan of bridging finance proposals to senior IMF officials, a senior Finance Ministry official revealed.
He will be accompanied by the Treasury Secretary, Central Bank Governor, two top officials each from the Finance Ministry and the Central Bank for these IMF spring meetings, he said.
The government will seek IMF assistance for debt restructuring, foreign exchange crisis, revenue generation and reforming state-owned enterprises, according to Sri Lanka bridging finance plan.
According to former Central Bank Deputy Governor W.A. Wijewardena to rescue Sri Lanka from the present acute foreign exchange crisis, there is no alternative other than getting a longer-term loan of at least $4 billion from the IMF.
It is estimated a total of $5 billion will be need to service debt obligations (principal + interest) and other commitments in 2022, Finance Ministry data showed.
The debt restructuring suggestion was discussed widely in local media and various other public forums during the past one and half years. But it went unheeded up to now.
Oshadha Senanayake, Chairman of the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) has resigned.
It is said that he has resigned from his post this morning (03).
Oshadha Senanayake was a strong activist in the Wiyatmaga organization.
