President of Sri Lanka Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared a state of emergency effective from midnight on May 6, the second time in just over a month amid growing nationwide anti-government protests against Economic Crisis.
The Presidential Secretariat announced that the state of emergency has been lifted effective from midnight on Friday, Hiru News reported.
This move is made with the improvement of law and order situation in the island nation.
The state of emergency has allowed police and security forces to search and arrest people arbitrarily.
The president’s decision to declare a state of emergency comes amid weeks of protests demanding his resignation and the government blaming the powerful Rajapaksa clan for mishandling the island nation’s economy, which has been hit. by the pandemic.
Here are the top developments:
Protesters still defy
Protesters in Sri Lanka are digging deep against a president they blame for crashing the economy.
Hundreds of student protesters continued to call for the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, they were subjected to tear gas by police and water cannons. They had to endure this, and a downpour that followed, adding loudspeakers to amplify their songs and speeches expressing anger towards the government.
University students march on fortified areas of the government of Colombo, Sri Lanka, where police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse them (photo NYT)
Sri Lanka’s central bank confirmed that the country, which had borrowed tens of billions of dollars over many years to meet the needs of a bloated system, has officially defaulted.
Anger has grown across the country as families endure long lines for fuel, prolonged power cuts and shortages of food and medicine.
Nine people were killed and more than 200 injured in clashes between pro- and anti-government protesters.
India, Japan provide relief goods worth millions of dollars when serious food shortages are threatened
India and Japan will provide millions of dollars worth of food relief to Sri Lanka, which is grappling with its worst economic crisis, leading to nationwide protests over its governance. government weakness.
An Indian ship full of emergency relief goods such as rice, medicine and milk powder for Sri Lankans affected by the crisis is expected to arrive in Colombo on Sunday, the High Commission of India said. .
Tamil Nadu prime minister MK Stalin flag the ship loaded with relief supplies, the first of which was sent to Sri Lanka, from Chennai on Wednesday.
Japan also announced $1.5 million through the World Food Program (WFP) for staple food rations and school meal programs.
An armed soldier stands guard next to domestic cooking gas cylinders before distribution, amid the country’s economic crisis, in Colombo
Using the donation, WFP will buy rice for free daily school meals and also distribute meals including essential items to vulnerable households.
This week, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that Sri Lanka will face a severe food shortage.
He advocates using unused state land for farming as a mitigation measure.
In line with India’s Neighborhood First policy, this year alone, New Delhi extended over $3.5 billion in assistance to the people of Sri Lanka to help them overcome their current difficulties. .
Negotiations between Sri Lanka, IMF will end on 24 May
The ongoing discussion between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Sri Lanka to help mitigate the economic situation will end on May 24.
IMF spokesman Gerry Rice, while speaking at a virtual IMF press conference, said technical discussions between Sri Lanka and the IMF on a potential lending program would end on May 24.
He said the agency was closely monitoring events taking place in the crisis-hit island nation.
The IMF spokesman emphasized that the IMF remains committed to helping Sri Lanka and that it will help resolve the current economic crisis.
(With agent input)
