Sri Lanka imposes curfew in capital as police fire tear gas at protesters

Issued on: 09/07/2022 – 03:51

Hours before the curfew announcement, police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse thousands of protesting students wearing black clothes, holding black flags, shouting anti-government slogans and carrying banners that read “Enough — go now.”

The protesters and other critics have said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is responsible for the economic crisis, the worst since the country’s independence in 1948. They also blame Ranil Wickremesinghe, who became prime minister two months ago, for making promises to end to make up for the shortfalls has not been met. †

Citizens’ and opposition activists have announced that thousands more protesters will gather in Colombo on Saturday. But the police announcement of the curfew said it came into effect at 9 p.m. and will last until further notice in Colombo and its suburbs.

The curfew announcement was criticized by opponents of the Sri Lankan government and Bar Association, who said the “curfew is blatantly illegal and a violation of fundamental rights”.

The statement by the Bar Association asked police to immediately revoke what the association called an “illegal order” imposing the curfew.

Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa called the curfew ‘a fraud’.

‘Go out on the street tomorrow. Defy the dictatorship and join the people to make democracy triumph. Yes, we can,” he said in a tweet.

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung asked people to protest peacefully and asked the military and police to “give peaceful protesters the space and security to do so.”

“Chaos and violence will not restore the economy or bring the political stability that Sri Lankans need now,” Chung said in a tweet.

Sri Lanka is nearly bankrupt and has suspended repayments of $7 billion in foreign debt due this year. It must repay more than $5 billion annually through 2026. Its foreign reserves have been nearly wiped out and it cannot import food, fuel, cooking gas and medicines.

A lack of fuel to run power plants has resulted in prolonged daily power cuts. People have to queue for hours to buy fuel and gas. The country has largely survived on credit lines provided by neighboring India to buy fuel and other necessities.

As a result of the economic crisis, inflation has risen and the prices of basic necessities have soared, dealing a severe blow to poor and vulnerable groups.

Due to the fuel and power shortages, schools have been closed for weeks and the government has asked government employees other than those in essential services to work from home.

The country is negotiating a bailout package with the International Monetary Fund, but Wickremesinghe said this week the negotiations are difficult because Sri Lanka is effectively bankrupt. He previously said the country’s economy had “collapsed”.

The economic crisis has led to a political upheaval, with widespread anti-government protests. Protesters have blocked major roads to demand fuel, and people in some areas have fought over limited supplies.

In Colombo, protesters occupied the entrance to the president’s office for nearly three months to demand his resignation. They accuse him and his powerful family, including several siblings who until recently held cabinet positions, of hastening the crisis through corruption and mismanagement.

Months of protests have nearly dismantled the Rajapaksa political dynasty, which has ruled Sri Lanka for most of the past two decades.

One of Rajapaksa’s brothers resigned as prime minister last month, and two other brothers and a cousin have previously resigned from their cabinet posts.

President Rajapaksa has admitted that he has not taken steps to avert the economic collapse early enough, but has refused to resign from office. Under the constitution, it is nearly impossible to impeach presidents unless they resign themselves.

(AP)