Police run to cover protesters to fire tear gas during a protest outside the private residence of the President of Sri Lanka on the outskirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
At least 45 people were arrested and curfew was briefly imposed in most parts of Colombo city after hundreds of protesters gathered outside the residence of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The shortage of foreign exchange in Sri Lanka has led to a shortage of essential goods such as fuel. LPG, and power cuts that last up to 13 hours a day.
On Thursday, protesters raised slogans against what they see as gross mismanagement of the Rajapaksa regime, which has exacerbated Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange crisis. They also demanded the resignation of President Rajapaksa.
According to police, several people, including five policemen, were injured in the protest, while vehicles were torched as public anger over the current economic crisis automatically turned violent.
A senior police officer said, “45 people have been arrested so far. Five policemen have been injured, while a police bus, a jeep and two motorcycles have been torched. The protesters also damaged a police water cannon truck. Is.”
Curfew in parts of Colombo
Curfew was imposed in most parts of Colombo district and the suburban police division of Kelaniya at midnight on Thursday, but was lifted at 5 am on Friday. Protesters blocked the main Colombo-Kandi road in Kelaniya area.
Sri Lanka is currently facing the worst economic crisis in history. People have been troubled for weeks due to long lines for fuel, cooking gas, essential items in short supply and hours of power cuts.
Rajapaksa defended his government’s actions, saying the foreign exchange crisis was not his and the economic slowdown was largely driven by the pandemic where the island’s tourism revenue and inward remittances were dwindling.
Read more: Sri Lanka Crisis: Protest turns violent outside Rashtrapati Bhavan; Diesel out in the country