Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday signed his resignation letter which is back date on July 1, 2022. The resignation letter was handed over to one of the Sri Lankan government official who will in turn submit to the Parliament speaker.
Mean while there were reports that the President Rajapaksa has fled out of the country. Some pics were shared in social media stating that the Presidential staff were carrying the lugguage into the flight. Sri Lanka’s president was considering using a navy patrol craft to flee from the island to Dubai, Maldives or India according to sources.
Basil Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s former finance minister and younger brother of Gotabaya Rajapaksa attempted to flee from Sri Lanka on Tuesday. But his attempt was foiled by the Airport staff by stopping him.
The Sri Lanka Immigration and Emigration Officers Association said its members declined to serve Basil at the VIP terminal of Colombo airport.
K.A.S Kanugala, the chairman of the Sri Lanka Immigration and Emigration Officers Association said –
We decided to withdraw from serving the silk route passenger clearance terminal from mid night yesterday,
the corrupt people were trying to leave the country using the service.
In a seperate statement, the trade union said
Due to the crisis situation in the country, it has been decided to withdraw from activities at the Silk Route/CIP passenger clearance activities until further notice,
The immigration officials objected to serve him at the VIP clearance line and even the passengers of the Emirates flight to Dubai had objected to his leaving.
Basil is being widely held responsible for the country’s worst economic crisis which lead to misery for the people of Sri Lanka.
Also, Read | UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson Resigns
On the other hand, the protests are continuing and the protestors have already 3 main buildings in the capital city Columbo – the President’s House, prime minister’s official residence (Temple Trees) and the presidential secretariat.
Sri Lanka’s political parties on Monday initiated steps to form an all-party government and subsequently elect a new President on July 20 to prevent the bankrupt nation sliding further into anarchy.
Ranil Wickremesinghe is the present Prime Minister for Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka’s main opposition party, Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa announced that
We will appoint a government headed by a president and a prime minister. There is no other alternative. If anyone opposes this or tries to sabotage it in parliament we will see it as a treacherous act,
Sri Lankan Parliament Speaker Abeywardena on Monday stated that the Parliament will elect the new president to succeed Rajapaksa on July 20.
Under the Sri Lankan Constitution, if both the president and prime minister resign, the Speaker of parliament will serve as acting president for a maximum of 30 days. And within that time frame, the Parliament should elect a new president from one of its members who will be eligible to rule for the remaining term. Now its 2 years.
Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, is under the grip of an unprecedented economic turmoil. Millions of Sri Lankans are struggling to buy essentials like food, medicine, fuel and other daily needy items apart from suspension of schools and trains have reduced in frequency.
Sri Lanka’s total foreign debt stands at USD 51 billion. The country has already announced in April that it is suspending nearly USD 7 billion foreign debt repayment due for this year out of about USD 25 billion due through 2026.