Fresh protests are being reported from near Colombo as Sri Lanka battles an economic crisis. Protesters have resorted to throwing stones at the residence of the mayor of Moratuwa, which falls under the main administrative province of the island nation, demanding electricity.
This comes a day after a protest outside the residence of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa turned violent, leaving at least one person critically wounded. Security forces fired into the crowd and used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the demonstrators, who were demanding the President's resignation.
The residents have slammed the government's handling of the country's economic crisis. Protesters set fire to an army bus parked across the lane leading to Rajapaksa's home in Colombo's Mirihana residential quarter, as well as a police vehicle. Rajapaksa was not at home during the protest, news agency AFP reported.
The Lankan government has, meanwhile, termed the protest an "act of terrorism" and blamed "extremist elements" linked to opposition parties.
Sri Lanka's capital Colombo was placed under indefinite curfew in the wake of the violence.
The South Asian nation of 22 million people is in the grips of its worst downturn since independence, sparked by an acute lack of foreign currency to pay for even the most essential imports.
Here are the Highlights on Sri Lanka Economic Crisis:
A tense situation is being reported from near the residence of Saman Lal Fernando, the Mayor of Moratuwa in Sri Lanka. Angry protesters are throwing stones at Fernando's residence, demanding electricity. Moratuwa town comes under the main administrative province of Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan government has termed the violent demonstration near President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's residence over the current economic crises as "an act of terrorism" and blamed "extremist elements" linked to opposition parties for the incident. A violent protest erupted outside the residence of Rajapaksa on Thursday as hundreds of demonstrators gathered there and demanded his resignation for what they called his failure in addressing the worst economic crisis in the island nation. (PTI)
Anger is boiling over in Sri Lanka at the country's worst economic crisis since independence in 1948, much of it directed at the island nation's all-powerful Rajapaksa family.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday asked for the centre's permission to reach out to Tamils in Sri Lanka amid the massive economic crisis the island nation is facing.
Governments in Sri Lanka have been elected through democratic means, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa's son and minister in the government, Namal Rajapaksa, told NDTV. "Sri Lanka has no history of changing governments with violence," Namal rajapaksa said. Thousands of people assemble near Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's residence last night to protest over the worsening economic crisis in the island nation. The office of the Sri Lankan President blamed an unidentified 'extremist' group for creating a violent situation during the protests.
Police in Sri Lanka's capital lifted a curfew on Friday after protests in which dozens of people were arrested and several policemen were hurt near the home of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over his handling of an economic crisis.
Hundreds of protesters gathered near Rajapaksa's residence in a Colombo suburb late on Thursday before police dispersed them with tear gas and water cannons, a Reuters witness said.
"We have arrested 54 people over the unrest last night. Several vehicles belonging to the army and police were burnt by the protesters, including two buses, one police jeep and several motorcycles," a police spokesman, Senior Superintendent Nihal Thalduwa, told Reuters.
An overnight curfew imposed in several parts of Colombo, after protests outside Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's residence over the worsening economic crisis turned violent, was lifted today morning, local media reported.
Sri Lanka is witnessing its worst downturn since independence, sparked by an acute lack of foreign currency to pay for even the most essential imports.
Rajapaksa's office said Friday that the protesters wanted to create an "Arab Spring" -- a reference to anti-government protests in response to corruption and economic stagnation that gripped the Middle East over a decade ago.
"The Thursday night protest was led by extremist forces calling for an Arab Spring to create instability in our country," the president's office said in a brief statement.
An overnight curfew imposed in several parts of Colombo, after protests outside Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's residence over the worsening economic crisis turned violent, was lifted today morning at around 5 am.
People in Sri Lankan capital Colombo, suffering for weeks under a terrible economic crisis, erupted in protest late this evening. More than 2000 people holding a protest in the Lankan capital and clashed with the police.
An overnight curfew imposed in several parts of Colombo, after protests outside Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's residence over the worsening economic crisis turned violent, was lifted today morning, local media reported.
"The curfew was lifted at 5 am today," a Sri Lankan daily reported citing a senior police official.
45 people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in yesterday's protests outside the President's residence.
Security forces were deployed across the Sri Lankan capital on Friday after protesters tried to storm the president's home in anger at the nation's worst economic crisis since independence.
The South Asian nation of 22 million people is facing widespread shortages of essential goods and sharp price rises, weighed down by enormous debt.
Police in Colombo said they arrested 45 people after Thursday night's unrest, in which one man was critically injured.
A curfew put in place overnight was lifted early Friday morning, but police and military presence was beefed up around the city, where the burnt-out wreckage of a bus was still blocking the road to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's house.
People in Sri Lankan capital Colombo, suffering for weeks under a terrible economic crisis, erupted in protest late Thursday evening. More than 5,000 people held a protest march in the Lankan capital near the President's house demanding that he step down, and clashed with the police. The paramilitary police unit, a Special Task Force, had to be called in to quell the protests.
An overnight curfew imposed in several parts of Colombo, after protests outside Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's residence over worsening economic crisis in the country turned violent, has been lifted, local media reported on Friday.
"The curfew was lifted at 5 am today," Daily Mirror reported citing Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa.
The curfew was imposed within the Colombo North, South, Colombo Central, Nugegoda, Mount Lavinia and Kelaniya Police Divisions last night.
People in Sri Lankan capital Colombo, suffering for weeks under a terrible economic crisis, erupted in protest late this evening. More than 2000 people held a protest march in Sri Lanka's Colombo and clashed with the police. The paramilitary police unit, a Special Task Force, had to be called in to quell the protests.
45 people have been arrested and 5 police officers have been injured following the protest in Mirihana, Nugegoda last night.
People in Sri Lankan capital Colombo, suffering for weeks under a terrible economic crisis, erupted in protest late Thursday evening. More than 5,000 people held a protest march in the Lankan capital near the President's house demanding that he step down, and clashed with the police. The paramilitary police unit, a Special Task Force, had to be called in to quell the protests.
"45 people arrested (44 men and 1 woman ) and 5 police officers injured including an ASP and being treated at hospitals following the protest in Mirihana, Nugegoda last night. One police bus, 1 police jeep, 2 motorbikes burnt and one water cannon truck damaged," a police spokesperson said.
Sri Lanka is turning off street lights to save electricity, a minister said on Thursday. The state electricity monopoly also enforced a 13-hour power cut as they did not have diesel for generators.
Diesel was no longer on sale across Sri Lanka on Thursday, crippling transport as the crisis-hit country's 22 million people endure record-long power blackouts. Petrol was on sale but in short supply, forcing motorists to abandon their cars in long queues.
More than 2000 people held a protest march in the Lankan capital and clashed with the police outside the home of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Police fired tear gas and water cannon at protesters trying to storm the residence of the President. Protesters are demanding the resignation of President Rajapaksa.
