New Delhi: As Sri Lanka faces an unprecedented economic crisis, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared a state of emergency in the island nation. After the emergency, a 36-hour curfew was imposed on Saturday (April 2) across the island nation till Monday morning amid increasing anger among the public over the worst economic crisis.
The island nation of 22 million people is running low on foreign currency which has led to fuel shortages, scarcity of essentials, power cuts lasting 13 hours and the inflation rate crossing 17%.
Here are the 10 key points in this big story:
1. The Sri Lankan government imposed a 36-hour curfew today ahead of a planned anti-government rally. The curfew came into effect from 6 pm Saturday and will last till 6 am Monday (April 4), the information department said, as per PTI.
2. A massive public protest has been planned on Sunday against the government’s poor handling of the ongoing economic crisis.
3. Issuing a special gazette notification late on Friday night, President Rajapaksa declared a public emergency in Sri Lanka with immediate effect from April 1, giving the police sweeping powers to arrest anyone for unlawful assembly. Rajapaksa said in the gazette, “Whereas I am of the opinion that by reason of a public emergency in Sri Lanka it is expedient to do so in the interests of public security, the protection of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community.”
4. Sri Lanka’s Freedom Party has asked President Rajapaksa to form an all-party government to tide over the crisis and said that it may leave the alliance if its request was ignored, PTI reported.
5. India sent a consignment of 40,000 metric tonnes of diesel to Sri Lanka today, the fourth such assistance from New Delhi. “More fuel supplies delivered by #India to #SriLanka! A consignment of 40,000 MT of diesel under #Indian assistance through Line of Credit of $500 mn was handed over by (the) High Commissioner to Hon’ble Energy Minister Gamini Lokuge in #Colombo today,” the Indian High Commission tweeted.
6. As per ANI, the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka denied reports of deploying Indian soldiers to Sri Lanka. The Commission said it “strongly denies blatantly false and completely baseless reports that India is dispatching its soldiers to Sri Lanka. The High Commission also condemns such irresponsible reporting and expects the concerned to desist from spreading rumours.”
7. A social media activist’s father alleged that his son has been “abducted” by the Sri Lankan police after a state of emergency was imposed following protests. Anurudda Bandara’s father said his son was taken away by someone from the north Colombo police station of Modera on Friday night. The police said he was wanted to be questioned over his social media activities.
8. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka has demanded the withdrawal of the special gazette declaring state of emergency in the Indian Ocean island nation.
9. Claiming the agitation is a “genuine people`s uprising”, the Opposition parties declared they will support Sunday’s protest but disowned giving leadership.
10. The public agitation turned violent on Thursday night after the protesters blocked the way to the President`s residence and police attacked them. The protesters held placards calling ‘Gota go home’, and blamed the President for the hardships. More than 50 protesters were arrested, and over 30 policemen and protesters were wounded in the clash. A bus and several other vehicles belonging to the police were also torched.
(With agency inputs)
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