Political tensions remained high in Sri Lanka on Thursday as it emerged that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who used a military jet to flee to Maldives on Wednesday, had failed to submit his promised resignation letter to the speaker of parliament, news agency MIA informs.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announced that he had still not received a letter of resignation from Rajapaksa on Thursday, despite having received assurances it would reach him by Wednesday night. Overnight clashes between security forces and anti-government protesters outside Sri Lanka’s parliament in Colombo left some 42 people injured, according to police.
One soldier reportedly had his rifle and 60 rounds of ammunition seized by a mob of protesters, and crowds remained in the area until well after midnight despite a curfew being in place. The curfew was lifted at dawn on Thursday and no other major incidents or fresh protests were reported.
However, protesters continued to occupy the official residence and office of both the president and the prime minister. The prime minister’s private residence was burnt down in protests on Saturday. Following the departure of Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has been appointed acting president.
However, protesters see him as a close ally of Rajapaksa and are demanding he step down. Wickremesinghe has offered to step down from his post as prime minister and to appoint a replacement nominated by parliament. The speaker of parliament is due to meet with political leaders on Thursday to consider the proposal.
Meanwhile, a parliamentary vote to select a new president has been scheduled for July 20, pending Rajapaksa’s formal resignation. Sri Lanka continues to face a severe fuel shortage with long queues for petrol and diesel in evidence across the country. Sri Lanka has sought a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but the IMF is demanding political stability as a prerequisite to any release of funds.
