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Escalating protests: Sri Lanka's Defense Ministry issues orders to shoot

2022-05-10T21:58:59.026Z


Sri Lankan authorities have ordered security forces to shoot at people who damage property or endanger life. Earlier, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had called for an end to the violence.


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The army had stopped protesting government critics from storming the residence of resigned Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa

Photo:

IMAGO/Pradeep Dambarage / IMAGO/NurPhoto

After the serious riots in Sri Lanka, the authorities gave the order to shoot to quell further unrest.

The Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that security forces had been instructed to shoot at anyone who looted public property or endangered human life.

A curfew had already been imposed the day before, but people in many places resisted it.

Earlier on Tuesday, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa called for an end to the violence on Twitter.

He wrote that every effort would be made to restore political stability through consensus so that the economic crisis could also be overcome.

The protests, which had been going on for weeks in Sri Lanka, which was shaken by a severe economic crisis, escalated violently on Monday.

Violence erupted in the streets, clashes between pro- and anti-government protesters left more than 250 injured and seven dead, and dozens of houses belonging to politicians from the President's party were set on fire.

Curfew has been extended

The curfew has been extended through Thursday, the President's Office said Tuesday night.

There are only exceptions for people in indispensable professions, such as in the health sector, in telecommunications, in the media or in export, it said.

Government troops and police patrol the streets.

In response to the riots, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his entire cabinet resigned on Monday.

On the other hand, the ex-prime minister's brother, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, remains in office.

He has far-reaching powers.

So far, no successor to Mahinda Rajapaksa has been announced.

MPs to choose a new prime minister.

When this is determined, the President shall select new ministers.

They should then set up an interim government.

The prime minister fled to a naval base on Tuesday, where protesters demanded that he be arrested.

They accused him of organizing attacks on anti-government protesters.

Sri Lanka is experiencing the worst economic crisis in decades.

In the state with around 22 million inhabitants there is a shortage of fuel, food and medicine.

The highly indebted country lacks the money for imports.

Sri Lanka's government is not repaying its high debts for the time being and wants to restructure them.

The country is in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and hopes for further financial help from China and India.

ngo/dpa/afp

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2022-05-10

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