Colombo: Amid the deepening economic crisis in Sri Lanka, a massive protest was staged outside Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s residence which turned violent.
Curfew was imposed in several parts of Colombo as at least 31 people, including police and Special Task Force (STF) officers, were injured.
The curfew has been lifted.
“The curfew was lifted at 5 am today (Friday),” Daily Mirror reported citing Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa.
The curfew was imposed within the Colombo North, South, Colombo Central, Nugegoda, Mount Lavinia and Kelaniya Police Divisions last night.
A total of 45 persons including a woman who engaged in Thursday’s protest near the President’s residence in Mirihana have been arrested.
Here’s The Lankan Crisis in 10 Points:
- Sri Lanka’s economy has been in a free fall since the COVID-19 pandemic due to the crash of the tourism sector.
- Sri Lanka’s currency has been also devalued by almost SLR 90 against the US dollar since March 8.
- Buses in Colombo sit idle while some hospitals have suspended routine surgeries.
- Exams were postponed this month because schools ran out of paper.
- Island nations facing a foreign exchange shortage which has led to a fuel, power and gas shortage and have sought the assistance of friendly countries for economic assistance.
- India provided more than $500 million in foreign currency swaps to strengthen Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves, taking the total up to $900 million.
- India also extended the repayment time frame for the $500 million debt of Sri Lanka under the Asian Clearance Arbitration.
- More recently on March 17, Sri Lanka signed a $1 billion credit line deal with India for the procurement of food, medicines and other essential items during Sri Lankan Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksha’s two-day visit to India.
- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday recommended a number of measures, including tax hikes, for macroeconomic stability in Sri Lanka and also to mitigate adverse impacts on the vulnerable and the poor.
- Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Basil Rajapakse is scheduled to travel to Washington in April in order to seek IMF assistance to deal with the country’s economic crisis.