In Sri Lanka, angry mobs have burned down several homes belonging to the ruling Rajapaksas and MPs. The violence capped a day of unrest that saw Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa quit amid mass protests at his government’s handling of the economic crisis. But, it failed to assuage demonstrators, who attempted to storm his official residence while he was holed up inside.
Elsewhere in Colombo, tensions remained high. Men armed with sticks and rods had established roadblocks on the routes leading to and from the airport while police and security forces were nowhere to be seen. An island-wide curfew has been extended to Wednesday morning as authorities seek to quell the violence.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since gaining independence from Britain in 1948 and people are furious because the cost of living has become unaffordable. The country’s foreign currency reserves have virtually run dry and people can no longer afford essential items including food, medicines, and fuel.
The government has requested emergency financial help. It blames the COVID pandemic, which badly affected Sri Lanka’s tourist trade – one of its biggest foreign currency earners. But, many experts say economic mismanagement is also to blame.
