Roving Periscope: Now, Gota heads to Arabia, as Lanka sinks into uncertainty
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Without sending his resignation—fearing it would immediately strip him of immunity against arrest—a rattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday was reported to be heading from Singapore, where he hopped via the Maldives after fleeing Colombo on Wednesday, to Saudi Arabia, leaving Sri Lanka to sink further into anarchy amid a gathering storm.
Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, who is also a candidate for the presidency, has called the government’s actions “total anarchy”.
Sri Lankan Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena warned Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign forthwith failing which he will consider “other options” to remove him from the office, according to a report by News First Lanka.
Rajapaksa departed from the Maldives on Saudi Airline flight SV 788 to Singapore, on his way to Saudi Arabia. He has been hopping countries, along with his wife and two staffers, seeking asylum, the media reported on Thursday.
The unfolding developments, reminiscent of great mass revolutions in France (1776), Russia (1917), and China (1949), have left a power vacuum in Sri Lanka as millions of demonstrators continued to push for new leadership, stormed and occupied the President and Prime Minister’s offices and residences since July 9, and threatened to capture Parliament as well.
Before fleeing Sri Lanka, Gotabaya appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as Acting President, making the latter a fresh target of the irate mobs. He imposed a state of emergency, and curfew, directed the security forces and police to restore order, and take action against rebels. He had formed a committee, including the police and military chiefs, to de-escalate the situation, and reiterated that Parliament will choose a new President on July 20.
Wickremesinghe is the ruling party’s first choice. His appointment as the next President, however, is fraught with danger and may further escalate the chaos.
Sri Lanka has turned into the scene of an ominous calm even as many demonstrators vacated the President’s and the PM’s offices and residences. Observers said it showed the lull before a gathering storm hitting the island nation hard next week if they do not install a new president on July 20. Only by doing so can the island country see some order. But that date is still a week away.
On Thursday morning, the area around Parliament appeared deserted. Police manned a barricade on the approach road. Nearby, life seemed to return to normal, with shops open and plenty of cars seen on the roads, the media reported.
Meanwhile, officials have imposed a curfew in the Colombo district from 12 noon on July 14 to 5 am on July 15 after protesters stormed the PM’s office on Wednesday, calling for his resignation. Clearly, even if Wickremesinghe becomes the next President, it won’t be easy for him to do much and soon.
During the disturbances, at least 45 people were hospitalized following a standoff between the police and protesters who had stormed Wickremesinghe’s office. Local media said a 26-year-old protester, who was hospitalized after being tear-gassed, died of breathing difficulties.
Protesters have so far taken over the Presidential palace, PM’s office, PM’s house, and, briefly, the state broadcaster. They said they did not want Wickremesinghe at the helm of the country’s affairs as Rajapaksa handpicked him.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chang on Wednesday urged the country’s politicians to ensure a peaceful transfer of power and called for upholding the rule of law in the crisis-hit island nation.
India’s Minister for External Affairs Dr. S Jaishankar said New Delhi is closely monitoring the situation in the island nation but would not interfere in the country’s affairs.
