ISLAMABAD, July 18 (Alliance News): Sri Lanka’s Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe issued orders to impose emergency in the peninsula country hit by political and economic crisis late last night.
According to foreign media, the purpose of the implementation of the state of emergency in the country is to prevent unrest and control the law and order situation before the voting in the parliament for the election of the new president this weekend. Have to keep.
Sri Lanka’s embattled leaders have imposed a state of emergency several times since April as public protests intensified against the government’s failure to deal with a severe economic crisis and persistent shortages of essential goods. was
The ongoing notification regarding the imposition of the state of emergency states that it is appropriate to do so in the interests of public safety, preservation of public order and provision of essential goods and services for community life.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe declared a state of emergency last week after President Gotabaya Rajapakse fled the country to avoid a popular uprising against his government, but the declaration was not formally notified.
Late on Sunday night, Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was sworn in as Acting President on July 15, again declared a state of emergency while the specific legal provisions of the declaration are yet to be announced by the government. Last time the state of emergency was imposed to arrest people, detain people, search private property and deploy the army to control public protests.
Colombo, the country’s commercial capital, remained peaceful on Monday morning as vehicles and pedestrians were seen on the streets.
Reacting to the government’s move, Bhavani Fonseka, senior researcher at the Center for Policy Alternatives, said declaring a state of emergency has become the government’s default response.
Speaking to Reuters, Bhavani Fonseka said that this initiative has proved ineffective in the past.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives and then Singapore last week after hundreds of thousands of anti-government protesters took to the streets of Colombo and occupied his official residence and office a week earlier.
Parliament accepted the resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday and convened to begin the process of electing a new president with voting on Wednesday.
A batch of fuel has also been received to provide some relief to the crisis-hit nation.
Six-time prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, considered an ally of Gotabaya Rajapakse, is one of the frontrunners to take over the permanent presidency, but protesters are also calling for his departure. If the president is elected, there is a fear of more unrest in the country.
Sujith Premadasa, leader of the main opposition Samagi Jana Balavigaya Party, is also a front-runner in the race for the presidency, along with Dallas Alhapiruma, a senior lawmaker from the ruling party who serves as mass media minister and cabinet spokesperson. He is also a presidential candidate.