Protesters demanding Sri Lankan President’s resignation block all entrances of presidential secretariat; 21 arrested

A gaggle of protesters in Sri Lanka demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapksa for the mismanagement of the financial system blocked all entrances of the presidential secretariat right here, forcing the police on Monday to arrest 21 folks, together with a Buddhist monk and 4 girls.

The island nation, dwelling to round 22 million folks, is at present dealing with its worst financial disaster in additional than 70 years. Sri Lanka’s financial system is experiencing excessive gas shortages, hovering meals costs and an absence of medicines.

The demonstration on the GotaGoGama, a protest website on the Galle Face, entered the 73rd day on Monday.

The protesters final night time blocked the 2 entry factors to the presidential secretariat along with the doorway which they’ve been constantly blocking since April 9.

Police arrested 21 folks, together with a Buddhist monk and 4 girls.

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Police mentioned the most recent motion by the protesters to dam the 2 gates which offer entry to the finance ministry and the federal government treasury was uncalled for. The police wished to clear the 2 gates as an IMF staff is because of go to the finance ministry.

The International Monetary Fund staff is visiting Colombo to proceed discussions on a potential bailout programme to help the island nation’s financial restoration.

The GotaGoGama protest demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa began on April 9.

Protesters blame the federal government for the mismanagement of the financial system, which has despatched costs of products skyrocketing and the nation’s reserves plummeting to ranges reaching a file low.

The protest in Colombo unfold to different elements of the nation with wider public help.

Sri Lanka defaulted on its debt for the primary time in its historical past because the nation struggles with its worst monetary disaster in additional than 70 years.

Sri Lanka is searching for to restructure money owed of greater than USD 50 billion it owes to overseas collectors, to make it extra manageable to repay.

A persistent scarcity of overseas forex and hovering inflation have led to a extreme scarcity of medicines, gas and different necessities.

Sri Lanka is awaiting official affirmation from India on a brand new credit score line that may permit the cash-strapped nation to have provides of petrol and diesel for the following 4 months, Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara mentioned on Friday.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe mentioned {that a} new Credit Line offered by India will help the cash-strapped island nation’s gas buy for one more 4 months from July whilst an LPG cargo of three,500 metric tonnes reached Sri Lanka.