COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s President Rajapaksa has taken a flight to Singapore, a top source has told. News agency AP has reported that the President is flying Saudi Airlines and will then fly to Jeddah from Singapore. According to Media sources Sri Lanka’s President Rajapaksa has taken a flight to Singapore, reported that the President is flying Saudi Airlines and will then fly to Jeddah from Singapore.
Sri Lankan Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena Thursday morning informed Mr. Rajapaksa that he should submit his letter of resignation as the President as soon as possible or else he will consider other options to remove him from the office, according to a media report. The nation is waiting for Mr. Rajapaksa to resign as promised. Maldives officials said on Wednesday that the country was only a transit point for him.
Mr. Rajapaksa that he should submit his letter of resignation as the President as soon as possible or else he will consider other options to remove him from the office, according to a media report. The nation is waiting for Mr. Rajapaksa to resign as promised. Maldives officials said on Wednesday that the country was only a transit point for him.
Meanwhile, the overnight curfew imposed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday night was temporarily lifted Thursday morning, before the government once again imposed a curfew in Colombo from 12 noon on July 14 to 5am on July 15. Amid a crushing economic crisis and violent protests, Mr. Rajapaksa and his wife flew on a military jet to the city of Male, the capital of the Maldives on Wednesday. This came days after a huge crowd of protesters stormed his residence in a likely prelude to his resignation. He then appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as Acting President.Late in the day, a gazette notification was issued by the President appointing Mr. Wickremesinghe to “exercise, perform and discharge the powers, duties and functions of the Office of President” with effect from Wednesday, during his absence from Sri Lanka.
Distancing itself from the Rajapaksa family that has been pushed out of power by angry protestors in Sri Lanka, the government made it clear that it has not offered outgoing President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, his brother and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, and others who may wish to flee Sri Lanka, any support. New Delhi is watching the situation in Colombo closely, even as efforts get underway for the Sri Lanka Parliament to elect the next President next week.
The Indian High Commission said it “categorically denies baseless and speculative media reports that India facilitated the recent reported travel” of Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Mr. Basil Rajapaksa. Sri Lanka’s anti-government demonstrators on Thursday decided to vacate some of the iconic administrative buildings, including the President’s House and the Prime Minister’s Office, they have been occupying since April 9.“We are peacefully withdrawing from all buildings except the old parliament (president’s office) and Galle Face (the continuous protest site). We will continue to remain in these places, we will continue to protest until we reach our goals,” a spokesperson for the group told reporters.
Mr. Rajapaksa and his wife flew on a military jet to the city of Male, the capital of the Maldives on Wednesday. This came days after a huge crowd of protesters stormed his residence in a likely prelude to his resignation. He then appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as Acting President.
Late in the day, a gazette notification was issued by the President appointing Mr. Wickremesinghe to “exercise, perform and discharge the powers, duties and functions of the Office of President” with effect from Wednesday, during his absence from Sri Lanka.
Distancing itself from the Rajapaksa family that has been pushed out of power by angry protestors in Sri Lanka, the government made it clear that it has not offered outgoing President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, his brother and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, and others who may wish to flee Sri Lanka, any support. New Delhi is watching the situation in Colombo closely, even as efforts get underway for the Sri Lanka Parliament to elect the next President next week.
The Indian High Commission said it “categorically denies baseless and speculative media reports that India facilitated the recent reported travel” of Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Mr. Basil Rajapaksa. Anti-government protesters to hand back iconic govt buildings to authorities
Sri Lanka’s anti-government demonstrators on Thursday decided to vacate some of the iconic administrative buildings, including the President’s House and the Prime Minister’s Office, they have been occupying since April 9. “We are peacefully withdrawing from all buildings except the old parliament (president’s office) and Galle Face (the continuous protest site). We will continue to remain in these places, we will continue to protest until we reach our goals,” a spokesperson for the group told reporters.
(With Media Report).
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