Colombo: Anti-government protests continue in Sri Lanka. President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has once again declared a state of emergency in the country. A state of emergency has been declared in the country since midnight on Friday. Protests continue in earnest amid the financial crisis. This is the second time in five weeks that a state of emergency has been declared in Sri Lanka. But a spokesman for the president said the emergency was to ensure public order.
This would give the army full power to suppress anti-government protests. Trade unions staged nationwide protests yesterday demanding the resignation of President Gotabhaya. The unions also staged a hartal demanding Rajapaksa’s resignation. Police also applied tear gas against protesters near the Sri Lankan parliament. Thousands of students continue to protest on the road to parliament.
