With the Sri Lankan economic downturn fast snowballing into a social and political crisis, professional groups are now joining people on the streets.
Among the Sri Lankan diaspora, a number of people launched a protest in front of the residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's son in Los Angeles, USA. The demonstrators urged him to ask his father to leave his presidential position. This protest follows others held by Sri Lankan nationals in Australia, New Zealand and Canada—all asking the powerful President to quit.
Back home in Sri Lanka, diverse groups are coming out to show their displeasure against the government. Experts say that the shortage of food, fuel and medicines as well as rising prices is a disaster the country has not experienced since its independence from Britain in 1948.
Police use water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters near Prime Minister's house in,Hambantota.#GoHomeRajapakshas #SriLankaEconomicCrisis #AnonymousSaveSriLanka pic.twitter.com/tmV8jelgX1
— bandhini fernando (@BandhiniF) April 4, 2022
On Wednesday morning, medical professionals including doctors and nurses protested outside the National Dental Hospital of Sri Lanka to show their displeasure against the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government. The medical fraternity waved Sri Lankan flags and held placards criticising the government.
Also read: Sri Lanka shuts down power station as fuel runs out due to forex crisis
Sri Lankan newspaper Daily FT quoted senior consultant Dr Gamini Navaratne as saying: “Our country is facing a precarious situation as far as our economy is concerned. We have no gas; no petrol and people can’t attend to their work on time". She blamed "mismanagement of the economy, corruption and theft" for the precarious situation facing the country.
Similarly, professionals from the travel and tourism industry also demonstrated against the crisis outside the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) office in Colombo. They demanded protecting people’s jobs, ensuring uninterrupted supply of LPG, fuel, power and access to social media and protecting the Tourism Act.
The island nation is heavily dependent on tourism for its foreign exchange earnings. The tourism sector slumped in the face of Covid-19 spread adding to the current crisis where the country cannot import food and oil due to lack of foreign exchange.
Meanwhile, the church too came out for the anti-government protests in Colombo. Christian organisations led by priests and nuns took out a march against President Rajapaksa on Tuesday, reported media website Newscutter Lanka.
Also Read:
Sri Lanka crisis: Should India take the Afghan humanitarian model to support the people?
With food crisis ballooning, Rajapaksa family in Sri Lanka faces its moment of truth
