Sri Lankan opposition meets to seek new government amid political turmoil
Global News
Protesters stormed the homes of Sri Lanka's president and prime minister over the country's economic crisis, setting fire to one and jumping into the pool.
Sri Lanka‘s opposition political parties are meeting Sunday to agree on a new government a day after the country’s president and prime minister offered to resign in the most dramatic day of months-long political turmoil.
Earlier in the week, protesters stormed both leaders’ homes and set fire to one of the buildings in a rage over the economic crisis in the country, with some protesters photographed jumping into the private pool at the presidential residence.
Protesters remained in President Gotabaya Rajapaksa‘s home, his seaside office and the prime minister’s residence, saying they will stay until they officially resign. The president’s whereabouts are still unknown.
A statement from his office said he ordered officials to start immediate distribution of a cooking gas consignment to the public, suggesting that he was still at work.
Soldiers were deployed around the city and Chief of Defense Staff Shavendra Silva called for public support to maintain law and order. But troops simply watched from afar as crowds of people splashed in the garden pool, lounged on beds and used their cellphone cameras to capture the moment in Rajapaksa’s sprawling residence.
On Sunday, occupants of the prime minister’s official residence cooked in an outdoor kitchen, played carrom — a popular tabletop game — and slept on big sofas.
Ranjith Madduma Bandara, a top official in main opposition party United People’s Force, said that separate discussions were held with other parties and lawmakers who broke away from Rajapaksa’s ruling coalition and more meetings are planned.
He did not say when an agreement might be reached, even though it was expected to be finalized on Sunday.