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Violence hits Sri Lanka after acting president named

Church joins politicians of all persuasions in appealing for calm after troops clash with protesters
Protesters take to the streets of Colombo after a state of emergency was declared and a curfew imposed

Protesters take to the streets of Colombo after a state of emergency was declared and a curfew imposed. (Photo: UCA News)

Published: July 14, 2022 06:03 AM GMT
Updated: July 14, 2022 02:24 PM GMT

Violence erupted in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, overnight after Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed acting president and immediately announced a state of emergency and a curfew, which protesters ignored while spilling on to the streets and surrounding government offices.

Wickremesinghe had announced his resignation, along with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in response to last weekend’s protests when hundreds of thousands marched on the Presidential Palace following the nation’s economic collapse under a mountain of debt.

However, Rajapaksa fled the country and has not resigned. Instead, he asked the speaker of parliament to appoint Wickremesinghe in his absence, which angered the public who accused the ousted president of making a last-ditch attempt to cling on to power.

One person has reportedly died and another 126 have been admitted to hospital after military forces deployed tear gas on protesters who attempted to breach a security cordon around the palace.

“Unarmed protesters were near parliament and the Sri Lankan army shot and beat the protesters. About 60 people are still trapped,” said Keith Gibson, a musician and protester. “I was beaten on my helmet and arm and they shot at me three times but the bullets didn’t hit me.”

All sides of politics and the Church appealed for calm “to avoid a disaster” with opposition politicians calling on Wickremesinghe to stand down as acting president.

“People should not attempt to come to Colombo at this moment"

But Wickremesinghe insisted his position was only temporary and the speaker of parliament, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, said a new president would be elected in on July 20, as previously announced, after an All-Party Government (APG) is formed.

Wickremesinghe also asked Abeywardena to nominate a prime minister who would be acceptable to the government and opposition parties while warning of a “fascist takeover” and urging the three branches of the military — army, air force and navy — to act.

Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith urged protesters not to jeopardize their gains by behaving in an unruly fashion, adding they also risked inviting foreign forces to interfere in local affairs.

“People should not attempt to come to Colombo at this moment. Instead, extend your support from your houses,” he said. Ranjith did not name the foreign forces.

The Buddhist clergy has also prepared a list of five civil activists as potential candidates for the presidency if politicians fail to reach a consensus on who the next president should be.

In declaring a state of emergency, Wickremesinghe said he wanted “a return to normalcy” but that seemed a difficult task given the country has run out of fuel and hyperinflation has resulted in basic foodstuff being priced beyond the budgets of ordinary people.

"A seizure of government buildings would cripple bureaucratic functions"

Across Colombo, vehicles remained abandoned in queues of two to three kilometers after petrol stations ran out of fuel.

A 10-party alliance, the Union of Independent Parties, warned the economic crisis was now threatening to become a human disaster with protesters attempting to take control of parliament.

They said a seizure of government buildings would cripple bureaucratic functions and make it impossible for politicians to form an APG and elect a new president on July 20.

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