Following President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s announcement that he will appoint a new Prime Minister and Cabinet this week, the main Opposition party is divided over the new leader. SJB’s Sajith Premadasa is unwilling to be the prime minister in the interim government under Rajapaksa. The party’s leading figure Harin Fernando told reporters that he had decided to remain independent of the party as it was “not a time to put conditions and shirk our responsibility”.
Meanwhile, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who resigned as PM on Monday, and his family are being protected at the Trincomalee naval base after they were evacuated from the official residence, Defence Secretary Gen (retd.) Kamal Guneratne said. “He will not live there forever. After the situation returns to normal, he will be relocated to a residence or location of his choice,” he added.
Following shoot-at-sight orders to the armed forces, Sri Lankan police said they, too, were given orders to shoot to prevent loot and damage to public property and if lives are in danger. Troops and military vehicles have been deployed in the streets of Colombo amid widespread protests against the government over the economic failure of the country.
courtesy NDTV
