Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's whereabouts still unknown
The Hindu
The Speaker would become the acting President in the absence of both the President and the Prime Minister
The anti-government protesters in Sri Lanka on July 10 continued to occupy the residences of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, a day after they stormed into the premises and set on fire one of the buildings protesting over the nation's severe economic crisis even as the island nation is still in the dark about the embattled President's whereabouts.
Mr. Rajapaksa's only communication outside since the protesters stormed into the city has been with the Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, who announced late Saturday night that the President would resign on Wednesday.
President Rajapaksa informed the Speaker about this decision to quit after Mr. Abeywardena wrote to him seeking his resignation following the all-party meeting of leaders held Saturday evening.
The Speaker would become the acting President in the absence of both the President and the Prime Minister. Later, an election among MPs must happen to elect a new President. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe has also offered to resign.
Also read: Who is Gotabaya Rajapaksa?
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe whose private house suffered an extensive arson attack last night remains in position despite calls to quit.
In a statement Saturday night, Mr. Wickremesinghe, who has expressed his willingness to resign, said “this country is gripped with fuel and food shortages. There will be an important visit scheduled by the WFP next week while crucial talks have to be continued with the IMF. So if the current government is to quit it must be replaced by the next.”