Sri Lankan PM Wickremesinghe’s luxurious living incurred wrath where ACs were running in his palace while citizens didn’t have power at home.
Sri Lankan protestors said, “While we didn’t have power at home, ACs Were running in Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s palace. See the dramatic pictures as Sri Lankans charge wildly into his house. Footage circulated on Social Media claim that luggage belonging to the President was hurriedly packed into a Navy Ship (SLNS Gajabahu) at the Colombo Port.
Sri Lanka: The last remaining Rajapaksa announces resignation, dramatic pictures inside
Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/xRnVudi03Y#SriLanka #SriLankaCrisis #SriLankaProtests #SriLankaEconomicCrisis #MahindaRajapaksa pic.twitter.com/A4f89gSO2b
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) July 9, 2022
Sri Lanka has been devasted after months of poverty, lack of basic goods such as salt, sugar, rice, milk, no cooking gas, etc., endless blackouts, and steep inflation after running out of foreign currency to import necessities. The government has defaulted on its $51 billion external debt and is seeking an International Monetary Fund bailout.
On Saturday, thousands of people streamed into the capital angrily in protest while the Army stepped in to help the protestors. Police had withdrawn a curfew issued on Friday after opposition parties, rights activists and the bar association threatened to sue the police chief.
Thousands of anti-government protesters ignored the stay-home order and even forced railway authorities to operate trains to take them to Colombo for Saturday’s rally, officials said.
“The curfew was not a deterrent. In fact, it encouraged more people to get on the streets in defiance,” the defense official said. Sri Lanka has nearly finished its already scarce supplies of petrol, and people unable to travel to the capital held protests in other cities across the island.
Hundreds of thousands of people stormed into the prime minister’s private residence and set it ablaze on Saturday night. The crowd rejoiced over the fire which broke out shortly after a security detachment guarding Wickremesinghe attacked several journalists outside the home.
Ranil Wickremesinghe became the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka for a month and today his house was set on fire today by protesters.#SriLanka pic.twitter.com/hSoBeGBCsH
— Ravinder Kapur (@RavinderKapur2) July 10, 2022
The angry starving citizens storm into the president’s palace and pounced on the lavish delicious feast set on the tables and start eating the delicacies, wine, and drink! Clearly, two sets of living, the great gap that stirred public fury.
Inside President's House. #SriLanka #SriLankaProtests pic.twitter.com/e49jeDIldv
— Jamila Husain (@Jamz5251) July 9, 2022
You may have been a pop majoritarian nationalist. You may have dominated national politics for decades. You may have won a civil war. You may have secured a colossal electoral mandate. But none of these would matter if your economy collapses.
It's the economy, stupid. #SriLanka
— Stanly Johny (@johnstanly) July 9, 2022
A lot of people from India are blaming the downfall on religious hatred and intolerance as part of the downfall of the Sri Lankan nation and drawing out that a parallel could happen in India if the same persists.
If you appoint this type to head Presidential task force for legal reform, you finally end up running for your own life! #SriLanka pic.twitter.com/5j17pJrhrx
— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) July 9, 2022
Basically, there was no growth and development in Sri Lanka, which focused mainly on tourism which was crippled after COVID-19. Centralization of power and wealth crushed the common citizens and also snuffed out the entrepreneurship of minorities in the increasing religiously communal hatred that was surging.
In a nutshell:
1. No new industries were created by the Sri Lankan regime
2. Communalism and violence increased while minorities were ill-treated.
3. The love for China with increased trade drew little margin for others to grow.
4. Corruption and centralization of money power.