Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has been forced to resign after five people were killed in a day of violence, including a member of parliament from the ruling party, with reports of people attacking ruling party-linked property across the island .
Shots were fired from the official residence of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on Monday, when thousands of protesters broke through the main gate and set fire to a parked truck, AFP reported.
Earlier in the day, ruling party lawmaker Amarakerti Atukorala shot dead two people – killing a 27-year-old man – after being surrounded by a mob in Nitambu, about 40km (25 miles) from Colombo, police said.
Surveillance footage shows the MP and his bodyguard fleeing to a nearby building. They were later found dead.
Al Jazeera could not independently verify the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
Nearly 150 people were injured Monday after government supporters armed with sticks and sticks attacked peaceful protesters.
Angry mobs stormed the homes and properties of Rajapaksa loyalists across the country despite the state of emergency and curfew.
The house of Saman Lal Fernando, mayor of the Colombo suburb of Moratuwa, was set on fire hours after he took eight buses carrying municipal workers to express solidarity with Rajapaksa.
Supporters of Sri Lanka’s ruling party attack anti-government protester in Colombo [Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters]
The houses of Ministers Johnston Fernando, Kanchana Visesekara and Prasana Ranatunga and MPs Sanat Nisanta, Ramesh Patirana and Nimal Lanza were also set on fire by angry people.
A tourist hotel owned by a close associate of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s children was also set on fire, along with a Lamborghini car parked inside. No one was injured among the foreign guests, police said.
Mobsters stormed the controversial Rajapaksa Museum in the family’s ancestral village in the deep south of the island and razed it to the ground, police said. Two wax statues of Rajapaksa’s parents were flattened.
Meanwhile, Defense Ministry Secretary-General retired Major General Kamal Gunaratne called for calm.
A number of religious leaders also met with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday night, urging him to take immediate steps to stabilize the country. They called for the appointment of a neutral prime minister.
Power outages and acute shortages of food, fuel
Sri Lanka has suffered months of power outages and severe food, fuel and drug shortages in its worst economic crisis since declaring independence, sparking weeks of extremely peaceful anti-government demonstrations.
On Monday, dozens of Rajapaksa supporters attacked unarmed protesters camping in front of the president’s office on the 9th-sided Galle Face promenade in downtown Colombo, AFP reporters reported.
Rajapaksa turned to about 3,000 supporters in his house and vowed to “protect the interests of the nation.”
Supporters then initially tore down protesters ‘tents in front of Prime Minister Temple Trees’ residence and set fire to anti-government banners and posters.
They then headed to a nearby promenade and began demolishing other tents set up by the “I Have to Go Home” campaign, which calls for the president to step down.
Police fired tear gas and water cannons and announced an immediate curfew in Colombo, which was later expanded to include the entire South Asian island nation of 22 million people.
Tense situation at the protest site MynaGoGama against Temple Trees. Peaceful protest attacked by a group – Reporter # lka #SriLanka #SLnews # News1st #ProtestLK #MynaGoGama #TempleTrees #Police pic.twitter.com/PmzgdHs76v
– Newsfirst.lk Sri Lanka (@NewsfirstSL) May 9, 2022
Authorities said the army’s riot squad had been called in to bolster police. Soldiers have been deployed during the crisis to protect fuel supplies and other essentials, but so far not to prevent clashes.
“We strongly condemn the acts of violence perpetrated by those who incite and participate, regardless of political affiliation. “Violence will not solve the current problems,” Rajapaksa tweeted.
In a report from Colombo, Minel Fernandez of Al Jazeera said thousands of Rajapaksa supporters had been brought in by bus from across the country to gather at his official residence.
“Mahinda Rajapaksa turned to this group, saying he would do what was best for the public interest. But this group was a very militant group, they were spoiling for battle, “she said.
“The violence unleashed by Rajapaksa’s supporters has really started this day of violence.”
Footage of government supporters attacking GotaGoGama protesters pic.twitter.com/nAxkbQi1nX
– NewsWire) (@NewsWireLK) May 9, 2022
The attack on protesters came a day after Rajapaksa was irritated during his first public statement since national protests erupted. On Sunday, the prime minister visited one of the most sacred Buddhist temples, which houses a tree that is said to be 2,300 years old – in Anuradhapura.
Dozens of people carried handwritten posters and chanted slogans demanding that the “thieves” be banned from the holy city, 200 km (125 miles) north of Colombo.
of Minister of State Shanta Bandara. burning house. He recently pledged his support for the government to accept a ministry amid the political crisis. # SriLanka pic.twitter.com/Dv6dZqX6Ep
– Kavinthan (@Kavinthans) May 9, 2022
“Week of Protests”
Meanwhile, unions on Monday began “Protest Week” demanding a change in the government and its president to step down, union activist Saman Ratnapria said, adding that more than 1,000 unions representing healthcare, ports, education and other key service sectors have joined the movement.
At the end of the week, they will begin a huge march to parliament, demanding the removal of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and a new government.
Nalaka Godakheva, a government spokesman, said on Monday that all cabinet members had also resigned following Rajapaksa’s resignation.
“Now the president will invite other political parties to form a unity government,” he told Reuters.
Supporters of Sri Lanka’s ruling party fight as police use tear gas in Colombo [Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters]
The Indian Ocean island nation is on the verge of bankruptcy and has suspended payments on its foreign loans. Last month, it failed to repay its $ 51 billion foreign debt.
Shortages of hard currency also hampered imports of raw materials for production and exacerbated inflation, which rose to 18.7% in March.
As oil prices rise during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sri Lanka’s fuel reserves are depleted. Authorities have announced large-scale power outages across the country.
Protesters have been taking to the streets since March, claiming that Rajapaksa and his family – who have dominated almost every aspect of life in Sri Lanka for most of the past 20 years – are responsible for the crisis.
On Friday, Rajapaksa declared a state of emergency, sparking fears from diplomats and human rights groups.
Additional reports by Ratindra Curuita of Colombo
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