Sri Lanka crowd breaks Rajapaksa grip on power

 

These are extraordinary times for Sri Lanka - after a day of fury and violence, the country's two senior leaders have agreed to step down.

The news triggered jubilation at the main protest site in Colombo. Firecrackers were set off in many parts of the city.

I am at the Galle Face protest site - many protesters have started returning home, thousands are still present. Some have been singing and playing musical instruments, celebrating.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62108832

 

Sri Lanka's president says he'll resign amid mass demonstrations over economic crisis.

 

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said he will resign next week, according to Sri Lanka's speaker of Parliament, as protests broke out on Saturday and demonstrators breached the official residences of the president and prime minister. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also said he is willing to resign.

Here's what we know right now:

Resignations: Sri Lanka's Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said Rajapaksa informed him that he will resign on July 13, the speaker's office announced Saturday. The announcement came after a request by the speaker asking for the president to resign following a meeting of party leaders. 

Hours earlier, Wickremesinghe reiterated his willingness to step down. He tweeted Saturday that he accepted the recommendation of party leaders to resign. 

https://www.cnn.com/asia/live-news/sri-lanka-protests-07-09-22-intl/index.html

 

 

Here is his tweet:

 

"To ensure the continuation of the Government including the safety of all citizens I accept the best recommendation of the Party Leaders today, to make way for an All-Party Government," Wickremesinghe tweeted. 
"To facilitate this I will resign as Prime Minister," he said.

Here's an update:

 

Sri Lankan president flees to Maldives, protesters storm prime minister's office

COLOMBO, July 13 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives on Wednesday, driven out after an economic collapse unleashed a popular uprising that appeared to end his family's near two-decade dominance of the country.

His decision to leave his ally Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in charge as acting president triggered more demonstrations, with protesters storming the premier's office demanding that he go too.

Rajapaksa, his wife and two bodyguards left the main international airport near Colombo aboard an air force plane early on Wednesday, the air force said in a statement.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/sri-lanka-president-gotabaya-rajapaksa-flees-country-ap-2022-07-12/