On July 9, thousands of protestors demanding Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation entered his official residence breaching security barricades. The leader is said to have left the compound and his secretary Gamini Senarath said he is unaware of Rajapaksa’s whereabouts.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday expressed concern over the evolving political situation in Sri Lanka. She said that the inflation, shortage of food, fuel and essential commodities were among the economic challenges that have caused distress among the island nation’s citizens and forced them to take to the streets.
“The Indian National Congress has been following with concern the evolving political situation in Sri Lanka. The economic challenges, rising prices and shortage of food, fuel and essential commodities have caused enormous hardships and distress among the people there,” the Congress chief said in a statement.
Over 22 million people in Sri Lanka are struggling under a severe foreign exchange shortage that has limited essential imports of fuel, food and medicine. The country’s inflation rate was recorded at 54.6% in June and it is expected to hit 70% in the coming months.
On July 9, thousands of protestors demanding Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation entered his official residence breaching security barricades. The leader is said to have left the compound and his secretary Gamini Senarath said he is unaware of Rajapaksa’s whereabouts. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe announced he will step down once a new government is elected.
The Congress chief hoped the Indian government will continue to assist the people and government of Sri Lanka. “The Congress party expresses its solidarity with Sri Lanka and its people in this moment of grave crisis and hopes they will be able to overcome it,” the statement added.
Sonia Gandhi urged the international community to extend all assistance and support to Sri Lanka.
The investigations into the arson attack on Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s private residence have been taken over by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The initial probe was carried out by the Kollupitiya Police.
Accordingly, further investigations will be carried out by the CID on the order of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and a group of investigative officers have been to the Prime Minister’s private residence today (10) to commence the operations.
Meanwhile, the suspects arrested in connection with the attack have been remanded till July 20 as per the order of the Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage.
The Kollupitiya Police reported to the Court that the suspects were arrested based on CCTV footage collected and eyewitness accounts.
An ID parade will also be held on July 20 as per the order of the Magistrate.
In terms of the Constitution of Sri Lanka, the President must address to the Speaker of Parliament a letter signed by him of his decision to step down, leading to the Prime Minister to take over the vacant position as the acting President, said the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), calling in a special briefing today (10) to elaborate on the process that should be followed by the President and the Prime Minister in vacating their posts.
Addressing the briefing, BASL President Saliya Peiris PC emphasised that if the Prime Minister is not able to act as President, then it would be the Speaker who would, adding that the post will only be available for a period of one month.
Within the month, Parliament should be electing a successor for the remaining period for the remaining period of the tenure of the President who vacated his post, Peiris noted.
He added that only the members of Parliament can vote to appoint a successor for the post of President and should more than one candidate be nominated to the post, the Candidate who wins the consent of 113 MPs will be suitable for the post.
Should any candidate fail to secure more than 50 per cent majority of votes, the preferences will have to be taken into consideration, Peiris PC went on, adding that the MPs, who are the voters, will have the opportunity to cast their preferences for four other candidates in addition to the candidate they are voting for.
Saturday the 9th of July was a moment of truth for our people. In coming together to Colombo in an unmistakable show of force, Sri Lankans brought to life the words of Albert Einstein that “in the midst of every crisis lies great opportunity.”
Sri Lanka has never faced a crisis of this magnitude, but I have no doubt that if our people can unite and remain singularly focused on the goal of saving our country, together, we will prevail. The whole country just came together to make clear that enough is enough. We have spoken with one voice against nepotism, graft, political witch hunts, ethnonationalism and brazen administrative incompetence.
Now it is time for professionals, policy makers and political leaders to do their part. This is not a time for vengeance or more violence. There should have been none in the first place. It is a time for the opposition to unite and do its duty, to send a message to the world that the Sri Lanka of tomorrow is a new Sri Lanka, one that is united, and ready to regroup and rebuild.
The image of a corrupt, ethnically divided, bankrupt nation at the mercy of strongmen and militarized rule must give way to a new brand for a pluralist, united nation on the path to recovery and prosperity. From now on, the institutions that form the pillars of order and justice must know that they cannot get away with blindly following illegal orders.
The vast majority of our people have not taken to the streets looking for perks, political patronage or other personal benefits. They are fighting to save our country and are doing that duty to give future generations of Sri Lankans a chance at a better life. The government has failed to protect its people and has failed to honour their oath to the people and the Constitution. The public service, especially the military, prosecutors and police, must not be the next to fail.
Never again can we tolerate an IGP, an Attorney General, military commanders or any of their subordinates who justify illegality by saying they were “just following orders.” This is the only way that they can restore their credibility and win back the faith of our people that has been squandered over a generation of cronyism.
It was chilling last night, to watch police officers outside Ranil Wickremasinghe’s private residence targeting and brutally assaulting journalists, including a young woman, on live television. They thrashed reporters for simply doing their job under extremely difficult circumstances. As outrageous and barbaric as this attack was, it tragically and inexcusably gave way to one of the most disgusting acts of vandalism in our lifetimes. I was not alone in being shocked, devastated and enraged to see the historic home of one of our most senior political leaders set ablaze.
No matter how much anyone agrees with or opposes the policies of individual politicians, there is no justification for violence or arson. It is barbaric and unbecoming of anyone who claims to be fighting against what the Rajapaksas stood for. For better or worse, places like Medamulana and 55 5th Lane are iconic symbols of our democratic history and home to some of the most consequential decisions that charted the course of our nation.
They are home to politicians who at different times were elected by large majorities of our people. In a democracy, when such popularity weans, we speak with our votes and our voices on the street. You only need to look anywhere in the world to see that when regimes are dislodged through bloodshed, generations of bloodshed will follow. It is time that we stopped letting violence dictate the course of events.
The Rajapaksas were the capstone of a political culture in which far too often, Sri Lankans resorted to enacting political ends through violence and destruction. They bombed and burned buildings and left several journalists dead and ended the careers of many others through thuggery and brutality. At least now that the Rajapaksas are almost gone, it is imperative that we condemn all violence, especially attacks against people’s homes and against media personnel, in the strongest possible terms.
Never again should anyone in Sri Lanka have to fear taking a political position or expressing an opinion, whether right or wrong, for fear of being abducted, assaulted, tortured, killed, or have their home or office bombed or burned. As the Rajapaksas go, their signature culture of violence must go with them and play no part in the next chapter of our country’s journey.
Now that the government has collapsed, we must move swiftly to show the world that Sri Lanka will not descend into the kind of anarchy that plagued the countries who threw out strongmen during the Arab Spring. We have a proud tradition of constitutional rule and lawful transfer of power dating back to independence. Just as we had never defaulted on our debt before the Rajapaksas, we had never had a successful change of government or leadership that was not dictated by law. We must ensure that there is no question that the present regime lawfully ceases to hold power, and lawfully makes way for a democratically credible caretaker regime consisting of leaders with the necessary integrity and competence to stop the bleeding in the economy and to enact meaningful constitutional reform and put the country on the path to recovery.
This will be a long, arduous struggle. No sooner our political leaders make it possible, the people must get a chance to vote on who we want to be led by, and how we should be governed. It is essential that the new constitution doesn’t leave room for another executive president who can overstay his welcome through fear or force. Under such a system, we will all have to rely on a dwindling number of talented professionals and courageous leaders to try and right the ship and mitigate the suffering of our people.
Rebuilding the credibility of our nation, demonstrating our stability to the world, ending the poverty and famine that has struck the poorest Sri Lankans must be the number one priorities of the next government, but these things will take time. We will have to think very carefully about who we elect and what policies they put forward. We must respect the decision of our people and give our new leaders time to deliver. The entire world believes that it will take generations to repair the damage done by the Rajapaksas to the fabric of our society and to rebuild Sri Lanka into a functional state.
But the entire world also thought that the Mahaweli project would take decades. Sri Lanka did it in five years. No one thought that a country could win the cricket world cup less than a decade after building its national cricket infrastructure. In 2015, no one thought the Rajapaksas could be defeated. And in 2018 during the 52-day coup, no one believed that the people of our country could take the reins of government back from the Rajapaksas. And as recently as a few months ago, no one could have predicted that the Sri Lankan people would have the courage to rise up against a regime that commanded a two-thirds majority in Parliament with an iron fist and send them packing in less than two and a half years. On each of these occasions, the Sri Lankan people stunned the world by doing the impossible.
Each one of us too can play a role by showing each other and the world that we stand united in times of need and crisis. The immediate task before us is to work together to stop our people from dying on the street, desperate for food, fuel and medicine. Even today, while some are desperate for these things, many live in abundance. Now we must realize that our country cannot be saved without hard work, courage and most importantly, personal sacrifice.
If you see someone in desperate need of the essential items that our government has turned into luxuries, do what you can to share. Today, every ounce of fuel or handful of food makes a difference and can mean the difference between life and death for so many ordinary people.
For all the misfortune Sri Lanka has suffered at the hands of a few, our country and our people have a habit of surprising the world by outperforming expectations. We need to do so now more than ever. If we succeed in turning a new leaf and starting a new chapter, we can manifest the reality we want to see for our children.
The President has instructed the authorities to make arrangements to immediately distribute gas stocks which are due on arrival, a statement by the President’s Media Unit revealed.
A ship carrying 3,700 metric tonnes of LP gas are due to arrive in Sri Lanka today.
The statement by the President’s Media Unit further revealed that another ship carrying 3,740 metric tonnes of LP gas will arrive in the island tomorrow, as part of the LP gas stock of 33,000 metric tonnes allocated for Sri Lanka.
The President, accordingly, believes that the current gas crisis in the country may end within the next few days, it added.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa secretly fled the President’s House during the protests held yesterday and is currently residing in a secret place. He has decided to resign from his post in response to the growing public objections and has confirmed that his resignation will be officially announced on July 13.
The arson attack on Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s residence is a very disgraceful act under the guise of the people’s struggle and a private media body and a political party are behind the attack, said Secretary General of the United National Party (UNP) former MP Palitha Range Bandara, speaking to reporters today (10).
Accordingly, all the facts related to the arson attack and the political background to it will be disclosed in the future, the former MP added.
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has announced he will step down after protesters stormed his official residence and set the prime minister’s house on fire.
Neither the PM nor the president were in the buildings at the time.
Hundreds of thousands descended on the capital Colombo, calling for Mr Rajapaksa to resign after months of protests over economic mismanagement.
Mr Rajapaksa will step down on 13 July. PM Wickremesinghe has agreed to resign.
The speaker of parliament said the president decided to step down “to ensure a peaceful handover of power” and called on the public to “respect the law”.
The announcement triggered an eruption of celebratory fireworks in the city.
Political leaders are due to hold further meetings to discuss a smooth transition of power. Sri Lanka’s military has appealed to people to cooperate with security forces to maintain calm.
After Saturday’s events, the United States appealed to the Sri Lankan leadership to act promptly to resolve the country’s economic crisis.
One protester, Fiona Sirmana, who was demonstrating at the president’s house, said it was time “to get rid of the president and the prime minister and to have a new era for Sri Lanka”.
“I feel very, very sad that they didn’t go earlier because had they gone earlier there wouldn’t have been any destruction,” she told Reuters.
Dozens of people were injured in Saturday’s protests, and a spokesperson for Colombo’s main hospital told AFP news agency that three people were being treated for gunshot wounds.
Sri Lanka is suffering rampant inflation and is struggling to import food, fuel and medicine amid the country’s worst economic crisis in 70 years.
It has run out of foreign currency and has had to impose a ban on sales of petrol and diesel for private vehicles, leading to days-long queues for fuel.
The extraordinary events of Saturday appeared to be the culmination of months of mainly peaceful protests in Sri Lanka.
Huge crowds converged on the official residence of President Rajapaksa, chanting slogans and waving the national flag before breaking through the barricades and entering the property.
Footage online showed people roaming through the house and swimming in the president’s pool, while others emptied out a chest of drawers, picked through the president’s belongings and used his luxurious bathroom.
The contrast between the luxury of the palace and the months of hardship endured by the country’s 22 million people was not lost on the protesters.
“When the whole country is under such strain people have come here to release that pressure. When you see the luxuries in this house it is obvious that they don’t have time to work for the country,” Chanuka Jayasuriya told Reuters.
Ousted in a day of fury
By Ethirajan Anbarasan, BBC News, Colombo
These are some extraordinary times for Sri Lanka.
After a day of fury and violence, the two senior leaders of the country have agreed to step down.
The news triggered jubilation at the main protest site in Colombo. Firecrackers were set off in many parts of the city.
I am at the Galle Face protest site – many protesters have started returning home, thousands are still present. Some have been singing and playing musical instruments, celebrating.
What a turnaround of events. A few days ago a photo of President Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe smiling in parliament was widely shared on social media.
Many vented their anger, saying the two men appeared to be happy while millions were struggling to eat three meals a day. But a week is a long time in politics.
Mr Rajapaksa vacated his official residence on Friday as a safety precaution ahead of the planned protests, two defence ministry sources said, according to Reuters.
Although it is Mr Rajapaksa’s official residence, he usually sleeps at a separate house nearby.
The BBC has been unable to confirm the president’s whereabouts.
Image caption, Many protesters posed for selfies after entering the palaceImage caption, Protesters cheer inside the president’s residence in Colombo
Protesters also set fire to Prime Minister Wickremesinghe’s private home in an affluent neighbourhood of Colombo.
He said earlier that he was willing to resign to ensure the safety of civilians and to make way for an all-party government, but soon after his announcement videos started circulating of his house up in flames.
The prime minister lives with his family in the private home and uses his official residence for official business only.
Whether or not the president’s and the prime minister’s planned resignations will be enough to appease the protesters is not yet clear.
“Just two resignations alone will not satisfy the demands, the demand of a system change, but at least this is a start if the president and the prime minister depart,” said Bhavani Fonseka, a prominent human rights lawyer in Colombo.
“There has to be a peaceful transition of power which is yet to be seen,” she warned.
Investment Promotion Minister Dhammika Perera has tendered his letter of resignation to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
In his letter, Mr. Perera said that he always acts to the best of his country and in order to facilitate such action, he will be resigning from his post with immediate effect.
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) the Ruling Party in Sri Lanka is being torn apart against the current crisis situation in the country, political sources disclosed. The members of the Rajapaksa family, who were together against all odds, have also split due to various reasons, according to sources.
Not very long ago, the minor parties representing the government led by Wimal Weerawansa, Udaya Gammanpila and Vasudewa Nanayakkara left and another MP group including Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Nimal Lanza became independent. Fueling the crisis, MPs including Dallas Alahapperuma and Channa Jayasumana formed a separate group and they had sent a letter to President Rajapaksa yesterday urging him to step down.
Meanwhile, Ruling Party MPs including Prasanna Ranatunga, Keheliya Rambukwella and Mahindananda Aluthgamage are holding discussions to form another political movement and have already selected one of the registered parties at the Election Commission, sources told LNW.
The said group has also discussed at length whether the Rajapaksas should be welcomed to the party, and many members are of the opinion that no Rajapaksa other than Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Shasheendra Rajapaksa should be allowed to join, sources added.
However, it is very unlikely that Gotabaya Rajapaksa will ever be in the political arena again following the historic opposition grown from the end of the public. Rajapaksa has already confirmed that he will announce his resignation on July 13 and chances are high that he will leave for the United States thereafter.
Debt-ridden Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) is to be restructured as the entity is faced with severe cash flow problems with no rupees or dollars to continue its operations, top senior officials disclosed.
Total liability payable to the two state banks as at April 30, 2022 reached Rs. 1,223.63 billion, latest Finance Ministry data shows.
CPC’s accumulated losses and negative net worth amounted to Rs. 1,047.39 billion and Rs. 985.88 billion, respectively as at end April 2022.
A depreciation of the rupee resulted in added foreign exchange losses for the CPC weakening its bottom line.
The exchange rate loss during the first four months of 2022 was Rs. 549.95 billion compared to Rs. 26.74 billion recorded in the same period of 2021, resulting in an overall loss of Rs. 628.38 billion at the end of April 2022.
Under this set up the corporation is unable to pay the excessive loans it borrowed from state banks and no dollars or rupees to import petroleum products at present compelling it to request Rs. 217 billion from the Treasury to buy dollars and open LCs to procure fuel from international suppliers, Central Bank Governor Dr Nandalal Weerasinghe told a media conference on Thursday.
CPC reforms will be implemented under a new plan of divesting a major stake to a foreign company or investor to take up its management in a joint venture or handing over the majority of its fuel filling stations countrywide along with the Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Ltd or the Common User Facility, the storage and distribution arm of the local petroleum industry.
As an initial step of this reform plan the Power and Energy Ministry is to call for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from prospective foreign firms of oil producing nations to import and sell fuel in the local market, a senior official said.
However, he noted that there was no plan whatsoever to hand over the Sapugaskanda oil refinery to a foreign firm although cabinet approval was given to divest a certain stake of the CPC in the selected international oil firm who will be taking up the importing and retailing fuel in the local market.
The government will pay special attention to state banks sucked dry by loss- making state enterprises. As of March 31, 2021, SriLankan Airlines owed Rs. 1.46 trillion to two state banks, official sources revealed.
In April 2022 , the Sri Lankan Cabinet agreed to amend the Petroleum Products Act making provisions to issue licenses to properly identified parties to import fuel which will end an import monopoly held by the CPC
The Sri Lankan Cabinet recently granted to open fuel imports and retail sales market to companies from oil-exporting nations after the country ran out of fuel
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said that the companies will be selected upon their ability to import fuel and operate without Forex requirements from the CBSL and banks for the first few months of operations, reported Daily Mirror Online.
He said the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC/ CEYPETCO) will be the service provider for logistics, stocking and distribution with a service fee levied from those companies.
“Selected outlets of the existing 1,190 CEYPETCO and new outlets will be made available for LIOC and new companies which would be selected. Refinery will remain under CPC’s purview,” said Wijesekera.
