Sri Lanka: One Person Killed As Police Open Fire At Protesters

At least one person has been killed and then 10 others wounded after police opened fire at a group of people protesting new fuel price increases in central Sri Lanka. The incident on Tuesday was the first deadly shooting by security forces during weeks of demonstrations about the country’s worst economic crisis in decades. Police

confirmed that they shot at protesters in Rambukkana, 90 kilometres (55 miles) the northeast of Colombo, the capital. Police spokesman Nihal Talduwa also said the demonstrators were blocking railway tracks and roads and had ignored police warnings to disperse. To control the situation police fired at the protesters, which injured

several protesters, Thalduwa told the media. Several injured policemen have also been hospitalised, he said, adding live ammunition and tear gas had been used to repel a crowd throwing stones and other objects. Police are still in the area and attempting to also restore calm.

A man sleeps as Sri Lankan national flags are seen near Gota-Go village where people gathered to protest against Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in front of the presidential secretariat.

Dr Mihiri Priyangani of the Government hospital in the Kegalle also said that 11 people were also brought there with suspected gunshot wounds and one had died. Two others were undergoing surgery, she said. Sri Lanka is on the brink of bankruptcy, with nearly $7billion of its total $25bn in foreign debt due for repayment this year. A

severe shortage of foreign exchange means the country lacks the money to buy imported goods. People have endured months of shortages of essentials such as food, cooking gas, fuel and medicine, lining up for hours to buy the very limited stocks available. Fuel prices have risen several times in recent months, also resulting in sharp

increases in transport costs and then prices of other essentials. There was another round of increases at the midnight Monday. Thousands of protesters continued to occupy the entrance to the president’s office for an 11th day Tuesday, blaming him for the economic crisis.

Sri Lankans in Colombo hold up their mobile phone torches during a vigil after the police shot at protesters in Rambukkana

Anger at leadership

In a bid to address growing calls for his government to resign, President Rajapaksa on Monday appointed a new cabinet and then acknowledged public anger about the governing family’s mismanagement. People are suffering because of the economic crisis and I deeply regret it, he said. Gotabaya’s brother Mahinda is the prime minister

of Sri Lanka, and has also been targeted for criticism over the country’s dire economic situation. Sri Lanka is seeking $3-4bn from the IMF to overcome its balance-of-payments crisis and boost depleted reserves. Dozens of the Rajapaksa’s legislators have also turned against the administration and on Tuesday took seats on opposition

benches in the parliament. Jehan Perera of the National Peace Council of the Sri Lanka told the media that the president should step down in order to defuse the crisis. The president has not been able to show demonstrate leadership and then wisdom necessary to also govern the country, he said. If he doesn’t [resign], then these

protesters are going to continue because these protests are not just out of some political ideology, but hardships that people are going through.” Sri Lanka’s economic meltdown also began after the coronavirus pandemic torpedoed vital revenue from tourism and remittances. Rajapaksa’s administration has urged citizens abroad to

all donate foreign exchange to help pay for desperately needed essentials after announcing it was suspending payment on its entire external debt. Colombo has sent a delegation to Washington to open bailout talks with the IMF.