Sri Lanka has summoned the Canadian High Commissioner here and registered a strong protest over Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “Tamil Genocide” comment on the 14th anniversary of the end of the brutal civil war in the island nation.
Sri Lanka
How Nations Fail: Sri Lanka’s Affair with Green Ideology
Today, Sri Lanka is facing its worst crisis since its independence from the United Kingdom in 1948. Since October 20, 2021, fuel prices have risen by 259 per cent and amid power blackouts and shortages of everything from fuel to cooking oil to food, Sri Lankans have finally had enough. Mass unrest and violent clashes with the police are now common.
The country’s severe economic crisis is the direct responsibility of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Allegations of nepotism were rife after he installed his elder brother Mahinda as Prime Minister. Since March, protesters have taken to the streets demanding the resignation of the Rajapaksa-led government. In May, Mahinda resigned as prime minister. During a tumultuous weekend in July, thousands of anti-government protesters gathered in the capital city of Colombo, where they breached police barricades and occupied the ceremonial presidential palace. Meanwhile, the home of the current—and former six-time—prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, was burned to the ground. Wickremesinghe has since been elected President, and Rajapaksa has fled to the Maldives. The 73-year-old’s departure marks the end of one of the most powerful political dynasties in South Asia.
Sri Lanka Is a Wake-Up Call for Eco-Utopians
Earlier this week, a group of Sri Lankan protestors took a refreshing dip in President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s pool. It was probably a welcome respite from the steamy eighty-degree day in Colombo, as well from the unprecedented economic crisis currently devastating the country. Over the last year, Sri Lanka has experienced an annual inflation rate of more than 50 percent, with food prices rising 80 percent and transport costs a staggering 128 percent. Faced with fierce protests, the Sri Lankan government declared a state of emergency and deployed troops around the country to maintain order.
Sri Lankan president flees to Maldives, protesters storm prime minister’s office
COLOMBO, July 13 (Reuters) – Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country on Wednesday and hundreds of protesters stormed the prime minister’s office demanding his ouster, as a people’s uprising over a devastating economic crisis overwhelmed security forces.
Rajapaksa called the speaker of parliament to say he would resign later in the day andthat his ally Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe should be interim president, infuriating Sri Lankans struggling with months-long shortages of food, fuel and power.
Sri Lanka protests: thousands storm president’s residence in Colombo for running nation into ground
Thousands of protesters in the Sri Lankan city of Colombo have stormed the president’s residence and taken over his administrative offices amid growing calls for him to resign.
In extraordinary scenes, protesters who had gathered on the streets of Colombo to demand President Gotabaya Rajapaksa steps down as the country continues to struggle through its worst economic crisis since independence, charged into the president’s official residence on Saturday morning.
The president was not at home, having fled the night before and taken into military protection. His location was unknown on Saturday amid rumours he was fleeing the country.
Justin Trudeau’s template?
China Starting Next Global Crisis By Gobbling Up Sri Lanka
On May 12, India confirmed that it would provide a desperate Sri Lankan government 65,000 metric tons of urea, pursuant to an existing $1 billion credit line. The sale, which overrides New Delhi’s ban on the exports of the commodity, relieves severe pressure on the government of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Sri Lanka since the end of March has been wracked by violent protests. “Shoot-on-sight” orders have for the most part restored order, but the unrest has led to the replacement of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, once the country’s dominate political figure. His brother, the president, is unlikely to survive the tumult. The ongoing economic and financial crisis is Sri Lanka’s worst since independence from Britain in 1948.
Could It Happen Here? 200 Dead, as Sri Lanka Literally Runs Out of Gas
Sri Lanka went woke and now it’s gone broke with enough gasoline to last “for a single day.”
“The Ministry of Finance” of the Democratic Socialist Republic “is finding it difficult to raise $5 million required to import gas,” new President Ranil Wickremesinghe told his hungry and broke nation on Monday.
Trial begins of 25 men over 2019 Islamist Easter bombings in Sri Lanka that killed nearly 300
The trial has begun of the 25 men accused of masterminding the 2019 Easter bombings in Sri Lanka, which killed almost 300 people when churches and luxury hotels were targeted by Islamic terrorist suicide bombers.
The lengthy process to reach trial after more than two years has been heavily criticised by families of those killed and the Christian church in Sri Lanka, who have accused the government of failing to take proper action against those responsible.
The suspects are facing over 23,000 charges in total, including conspiracy to murder, aiding and abetting the attacks, and collecting arms and ammunition.
Sri Lanka Arrests Top Muslim Leader Over 2019 Easter Attacks
COLOMBO, SRI LANKA – Sri Lankan police on Saturday arrested a prominent Muslim lawmaker and his brother over suspected connections to the Easter Sunday suicide bombings in 2019 that killed 269 people.
Rishad Bathiudeen is a former Cabinet minister who currently leads an opposition party in Sri Lanka’s Parliament. He and his brother, Reyaj Bathiudeen, were arrested in the capital for allegedly “aiding and abetting the suicide bombers who committed the Easter Sunday carnage,” said police spokesman Ajith Rohana. He said the brothers had not yet been officially charged but were arrested based on direct evidence, as well as what he called circumstantial and “scientific” evidence.
Sri Lanka to ban burka and other face coverings
Sri Lanka has taken a significant step towards banning the burka and other face coverings in public, on grounds of national security.
Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekara told the BBC that he had signed a cabinet order which now needs parliamentary approval.
Officials say they expect the ban to be implemented very soon.
The move comes nearly two years after a wave of co-ordinated attacks on hotels and churches on Easter Sunday.