COLOMBO: Staging a protest against the Sri Lankan government for not making way for an interim government, the country’s powerful Buddhist clergy has threatened to issue a diktat against the government led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The island nation has been hit by protests since April 9 after the government’s coffers dried up and the nation failed to make vital imports. Since then, the prices of essential items have shot up with fuel, medicines and electricity in short supply.
The Buddhist clergy has joined civil society and trade bodies to demand that power be handed over to an interim government. The clergy has now decided to come out to press for the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. As many as 1,000 monks will stage a protest march demanding the government to act according to their letter addressed to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dated April 4.
Gotabaya extends invitation
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has extended an invitation to form an all-party government comprising all political parties represented in parliament to address the unprecedented economic crisis. He made the offer during a discussion with party leaders and representatives who are now operating independently in parliament, president’s media division said in a statement. However, it was not clear if incumbent PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, the eldest brother of the President, will resign to form the all-party government.
Workers go on nationwide strike
Millions of workers staged a crippling strike last week, adding to pressure on President Gotabaya and his ruling family to quit. Last week's nationwide strike was the first time the entire country had been brought to a standstill since the demonstrations began, with both state and private sector employees taking part. Public transport was stopped, teachers were absent from schools while shops and offices closed, police and regional officials said.
Across the nation, vegetable markets were closed, while tea plantations, a main export earner, were also shut, residents and local media said. Tens of thousands of workers in the country’s free trade zones came out of their factories and staged protests. Most banks were closed while a few provided reduced hours of service.
India offers additional aid
India has offered Lanka an additional $500 million to help it to import fuel while it is in an advanced stage of discussion with IMF for a bailout package. The fresh $500 million additional support by India to Colombo is over and above $ 1.5 billion of credit line offered by India earlier.
India responded with an additional $500 million for the time being as against Colombo’s request for $ 1 billion, but China cited difficulties in supporting the country.
