Asia
Election of unpopular Sri Lankan PM invites more turmoil
Sri Lankan lawmakers on Wednesday elected the unpopular prime minister as their new president, a choice that risked reigniting turmoil in the South Asian nation reeling from economic collapse and months of round-the-clock protests.
The crisis has already forced out one leader, and a few hundred protesters quickly gathered after the vote to express their outrage that Ranil Wickremesinghe — a six-time prime minister whom they see as part of the problematic political establishment — would stay in power.
While the choice invited more protests, lawmakers apparently considered Wickremesinghe a safe pair of hands, a politician with deep experience who could lead Sri Lanka out of the crisis. He has spent 45 years in Parliament and led recent talks seeking a bailout for the bankrupt island nation.
Sri Lankans have taken to the street for months to demand their top leaders step down as the country spiraled into economic chaos that left its 22 million people struggling with shortages of essentials, including medicine, fuel and food. After demonstrators stormed the presidential palace and several other government buildings last week, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled and then resigned.
Much of the protesters' ire is focused on Rajapaksa and his family’s political dynasty, which ruled Sri Lanka for most of the past two decades. But many also blame Wickremesinghe for protecting Rajapaksa. During demonstrations last week, crowds set his personal residence on fire and occupied his office.
Wednesday's vote means Wickremesinghe — who was also Rajapaksa’s finance minister and became acting president after the leader fled — will finish the presidential term ending in 2024. He can now also appoint a new prime minister.
“I need not tell you what state our country is in," Wickremesinghe, 73, told fellow lawmakers after his victory was announced. "People are not expecting the old politics from us. They expect us to work together.”
He pleaded for the country to move on: “Now that the election is over, we have to end this division.”
Read: Wickremesinghe elected president in crisis-hit Sri Lanka
But protesters flocked to the presidential residence instead, chanting, “Ranil, go home.”
“We are very sad, very disappointed with the 225 parliament members who we elected to speak for us, which they have not done,” said Visaka Jayawware, a performance artist in the crowd. “We will keep fighting for the people of Sri Lanka. We have to ask for a general election.”
Wickremesinghe has wide experience in diplomatic and international affairs and oversaw the bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund.
But many voters view him with suspicion since he was appointed prime minister by Rajapaksa in May, in hopes he would restore stability.
The protesters accuse Rajapaksa and his powerful family of siphoning money from government coffers and of hastening the country’s collapse by mismanaging the economy. The family has denied the corruption allegations, but the former president acknowledged that some of his policies contributed to Sri Lanka’s meltdown.
“The struggle will continue until our demands are met. Wickremesinghe "doesn’t have a mandate to rule the country,” said Nemel Jayaweera, a human resources professional. “We will oppose him.”
Still, the ruling party's majority in Parliament swept Wickremesinghe to victory with 134 votes. Populist Dullas Alahapperuma, a longtime ally of Rajapaksa and also a minister in his government, secured 82 votes. A Marxist candidate netted three votes.
The vote, shown on national television, was a decorous, solemn affair. While the balloting was secret, as the results were announced, lawmakers thumped their tables in support of their candidates.
After the vote, some supporters celebrated Wickremesinghe’s win in the streets. He will be sworn in Thursday.
Only a few lawmakers had publicly said they would vote for Wickremesinghe given the widespread hostility against him. But dozens loyal to Rajapaksa had been expected to back him because he had assured them he would severely punish protesters who burned politicians’ homes in the unrest.
On Monday, in his role as acting president, Wickremesinghe declared a state of emergency that gave him broad authority to act in the interest of public security and order. Authorities can carry out searches and detain people, and Wickremesinghe can also change or suspend any law.
The political turmoil in Sri Lanka has only worsened the economic disaster. But Wickremesinghe said Monday that negotiations with the IMF were drawing close to a conclusion, and talks on help from other countries had also progressed. He also said the government has taken steps to resolve shortages of fuel and cooking gas.
Hours before Wednesday's vote, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva told financial magazine Nikkei Asia that the organization hoped to complete the rescue talks “as quickly as possible.”
As prime minister, Wickremesinghe delivered weekly addresses in Parliament cautioning that the path out of the crisis would be difficult, while also pledging to overhaul a government that increasingly has concentrated power under the presidency.
Presidents in Sri Lanka are normally elected by the public. The responsibility falls to Parliament only if the presidency becomes vacant before the term officially ends.
That has happened only once before in Sri Lanka, in 1993, when then-Prime Minister Dingiri Banda Wijetunga was chosen by Parliament uncontested after former President Ranasinghe Premadasa, father of the current opposition leader, was assassinated.
India's top court frees leading Muslim journo
India's Supreme Court Wednesday granted bail to a leading Muslim journalist who was arrested last month on charges of hurting religious sentiments through one of his tweets.
A two-judge bench of the top court gave the interim relief to Mohammed Zubair, the co-founder of Alt News, saying his "continued detention is not justified". "Ensure Zubair is released from custody by 6pm," it said.
The court also ordered that multiple FIRs filed against him in Delhi and the northern state of Uttar Pradesh be clubbed together and the cases be transferred to Delhi. "The bail applies to any future FIRs against him."
Read:India refutes role in Sri Lanka's presidential poll
Zubair's recent tweets highlighting the comments of BJP spokespersons allegedly insulting the Prophet Muhammad prompted many Muslim countries to lodge protest and led to countrywide demonstrations.
The Muslim journalist was arrested in the last week of June. Subsequently, multiple FIRs were lodged against him in Uttar Pradesh and the national capital. He had earlier got bail in some of these cases.
Alt News is a popular fact-checking website that has been quite critical of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party government. Alt News was founded in the year 2017.
India refutes role in Sri Lanka's presidential poll
India on Wednesday strongly refuted claims of its interference in Sri Lanka's internal affairs as the island nation's lawmakers elected Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new president.
In a statement on Twitter, the Indian High Commission in capital Colombo termed the speculative media reports in the country as "a figment of someone's imagination".
"We have seen baseless and purely speculative media reports about efforts at political level from India to influence political leaders in Sri Lanka regarding elections in the Sri Lankan Parliament to the post of the President of Sri Lanka.
"We categorically deny these media reports as completely false. They are clearly a figment of someone’s imagination," the High Commission said.
"It is reiterated that India supports the realisation of aspirations of the people of Sri Lanka in accordance with democratic means and values, established institutions as well as constitutional provisions and doesn’t interfere in internal affairs and democratic processes of another country."
Read: Wickremesinghe elected president in crisis-hit Sri Lanka
Exactly a week back, India denied helping then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa flee the island nation for the Maldives, hours before he was to step down amid violent protests over the country's worst economic crisis since independence.
Gotabaya's unceremonious departure in the face of the violent protests was touted as a game-changing step, marking the end of the powerful Rajapaksa clan that dominated Sri Lankan politics for a good two decades.
Wickremesinghe elected president in crisis-hit Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan lawmakers chose six-time Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as president Wednesday to succeed the ousted leader who fled the country in a vote that risks reigniting political turmoil in the troubled South Asian island nation.
Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed Wickremesinghe as prime minister in May, hoping to bring stability to a country engulfed in its worst economic crisis in memory. Wickremesinghe became acting president after Rajapaksa fled the country last week and resigned by email.
Wickremesinghe, 73, is a seasoned politician with wide experience in diplomatic and international affairs. He has been leading crucial talks on an economic bailout package with the International Monetary Fund and was backed by members of the fragmented ruling coalition. But he is unpopular among voters who view him as a holdover from Rajapaksa’s government.
The vote of 134 lawmakers put Wickremesinghe ahead of former government minister Dullas Alahapperuma, who received 82 votes. The Marxist candidate had three.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s Parliament is voting by secret ballot Wednesday for a new president to lead the country out of the deep political, economic and humanitarian crisis that toppled the previous leader and has left simmering tensions in the island nation.
Prime Minister and Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has been the face of the government’s handling of the economic crisis, is facing a hefty challenge after late support swelled for his main rival.
Dullas Alahapperuma, a former government minister and spokesman, was nominated by a breakaway faction of the ruling coalition, and ethnic minority parties also said they’ll support him. Marxist party leader Anura Dissanayake was running.
The winner will serve the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s term that ends in 2024. Rajapaksa fled the country and resigned by email last week after protesters furious over the country’s economic collapse stormed his official residence and took over key state buildings.
When sessions started in the morning, Secretary-General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake instructed lawmakers on the voting process and warned them that taking photos of their ballot or publicizing their vote is a breach of the constitution.
Read: Sri Lanka's political turmoil sows worries for recovery
Presidents in Sri Lanka are normally elected by the public. The responsibility falls on Parliament only if the office of president becomes vacant before a term officially ends.
That has happened only once before in Sri Lanka when then-Prime Minister Dingiri Banda Wijetunga was chosen by Parliament uncontested in 1993 after former President Ranasinghe Premadasa, father of the current opposition leader, was assassinated.
The economic crisis has left Sri Lanka’s 22 million people struggling with shortages of essentials including medicine, fuel and food while the government negotiates a bailout with the International Monetary Fund. And the resulting political crisis has left worries about whether a new government will be enough to fix the economy and placate a public furious at its politicians’ failures.
Wickremesinghe, 73, has wide experience in diplomatic and international affairs and has been leading the crucial IMF talks. Serving in a double role as the finance minister, he has delivered weekly addresses in Parliament cautioning that the path out of the crisis would be difficult, while also pledging to overhaul a government that increasingly has concentrated power under the presidency.
Wickremesinghe is deeply unpopular among the general public, which sees him as a holdover from the Rajapaksa government that led the country into economic catastrophe.
Only a few lawmakers have publicly said they would vote for Wickremesinghe given the hostility against him. Dozens of lawmakers loyal to Rajapaksa whose homes were burned down by protesters in May are said to be backing Wickremesinghe on the assurance that he will severely punish the perpetrators and maintain law and order.
He had looked to be leading contender during a deadlock in discussions for an alliance between Alahapperuma and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa over who should be the presidential candidate. But support grew quickly for Alahapperuma after Premadasa withdrew and threw his support to him.
Some expected Wickremesinghe supporters within the ruling coalition switched to him, and parties that had not decided their vote said they backed Alahapperuma. A main ethnic Tamil party with 10 lawmakers also decided it will vote for Alahapperuma.
If Wickremesinghe loses, he most likely will also lose his job as prime minister because the new president has the discretion to appoint a new prime minister. Premadasa is likely to be appointed prime minister if Alahapperuma wins the presidency.
Wickremesinghe is a six-time prime minister making his third attempt at the highest office after losing presidential elections in 1999 and 2005.
Opponents of his candidacy fear he represents an extension of the Rajapaksa rule and a potential comeback for a beleaguered political dynasty.
Read: Sri Lanka acting president declares emergency amid protests
Students and political activists held small protests Tuesday demanding Wickremesinghe step down before they force him to. Some intimidating posts circulating on social media warned lawmakers against returning to their constituencies if they vote for Wickremesinghe.
Alahapperuma, 63, is viewed as a populist, with good public relations and communications skills. Even though he is a former government spokesman and has served in various posts including minister of information and mass media, minister of sports and minister of power under previous governments he previously was not considered for top leadership posts.
Marxist party leader Anura Dissanayake, 53, was also expected to contest Wednesday’s vote. He also ran for president in 2019.
All 225 members of Parliament including the speaker were eligible to vote. The votes were to be counted and results announced immediately.
The candidate receiving more than half of the votes will win. If no candidate gets more than 50%, the second preferences of the candidate getting the fewest votes will be included in the respective tallies for the other two candidates.
Sri Lanka Parliament to choose president to lead past crisis
Sri Lanka’s Parliament is voting by secret ballot Wednesday for a new president to lead the country out of the deep political, economic and humanitarian crisis that toppled the previous leader and has left simmering tensions in the island nation.
Prime Minister and Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has been the face of the government’s handling of the economic crisis, is facing a hefty challenge after late support swelled for his main rival.
Dullas Alahapperuma, a former government minister and spokesman, was nominated by a breakaway faction of the ruling coalition, and ethnic minority parties also said they’ll support him. Marxist party leader Anura Dissanayake was running.
The winner will serve the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s term that ends in 2024. Rajapaksa fled the country and resigned by email last week after protesters furious over the country’s economic collapse stormed his official residence and took over key state buildings.
When sessions started in the morning, Secretary-General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake instructed lawmakers on the voting process and warned them that taking photos of their ballot or publicizing their vote is a breach of the constitution.
Presidents in Sri Lanka are normally elected by the public. The responsibility falls on Parliament only if the office of president becomes vacant before a term officially ends.
That has happened only once before in Sri Lanka when then-Prime Minister Dingiri Banda Wijetunga was chosen by Parliament uncontested in 1993 after former President Ranasinghe Premadasa, father of the current opposition leader, was assassinated.
The economic crisis has left Sri Lanka’s 22 million people struggling with shortages of essentials including medicine, fuel and food while the government negotiates a bailout with the International Monetary Fund. And the resulting political crisis has left worries about whether a new government will be enough to fix the economy and placate a public furious at its politicians’ failures.
Wickremesinghe, 73, has wide experience in diplomatic and international affairs and has been leading the crucial IMF talks. Serving in a double role as the finance minister, he has delivered weekly addresses in Parliament cautioning that the path out of the crisis would be difficult, while also pledging to overhaul a government that increasingly has concentrated power under the presidency.
Read: Sri Lankan prime minister, 2 rivals in presidential race
Wickremesinghe is deeply unpopular among the general public, which sees him as a holdover from the Rajapaksa government that led the country into economic catastrophe.
Only a few lawmakers have publicly said they would vote for Wickremesinghe given the hostility against him. Dozens of lawmakers loyal to Rajapaksa whose homes were burned down by protesters in May are said to be backing Wickremesinghe on the assurance that he will severely punish the perpetrators and maintain law and order.
He had looked to be leading contender during a deadlock in discussions for an alliance between Alahapperuma and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa over who should be the presidential candidate. But support grew quickly for Alahapperuma after Premadasa withdrew and threw his support to him.
Some expected Wickremesinghe supporters within the ruling coalition switched to him, and parties that had not decided their vote said they backed Alahapperuma. A main ethnic Tamil party with 10 lawmakers also decided it will vote for Alahapperuma.
If Wickremesinghe loses, he most likely will also lose his job as prime minister because the new president has the discretion to appoint a new prime minister. Premadasa is likely to be appointed prime minister if Alahapperuma wins the presidency.
Wickremesinghe is a six-time prime minister making his third attempt at the highest office after losing presidential elections in 1999 and 2005.
Opponents of his candidacy fear he represents an extension of the Rajapaksa rule and a potential comeback for a beleaguered political dynasty.
Students and political activists held small protests Tuesday demanding Wickremesinghe step down before they force him to. Some intimidating posts circulating on social media warned lawmakers against returning to their constituencies if they vote for Wickremesinghe.
Read: Rescuers search for 13 after boat sinks in Indonesian waters
Alahapperuma, 63, is viewed as a populist, with good public relations and communications skills. Even though he is a former government spokesman and has served in various posts including minister of information and mass media, minister of sports and minister of power under previous governments he previously was not considered for top leadership posts.
Marxist party leader Anura Dissanayake, 53, was also expected to contest Wednesday’s vote. He also ran for president in 2019.
All 225 members of Parliament including the speaker were eligible to vote. The votes were to be counted and results announced immediately.
The candidate receiving more than half of the votes will win. If no candidate gets more than 50%, the second preferences of the candidate getting the fewest votes will be included in the respective tallies for the other two candidates.
Sri Lankan prime minister, 2 rivals in presidential race
Sri Lanka’s prime minister and acting president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, will face two rivals in a parliamentary vote Wednesday on who will succeed the ousted leader who fled the country last week amid huge protests triggered by its economic collapse.
Wickremesinghe, a six-time prime minister, is a seasoned politician with wide experience in diplomatic and international affairs and has been leading crucial talks on an economic bailout package with the International Monetary Fund.
He is backed by members of the fragmented ruling coalition, but is unpopular among voters who view him as a holdover from the previous government that led the country into economic catastrophe. The 73-year-old Wickremesinghe was appointed prime minister by deposed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in May to help restore Sri Lanka’s international credibility.
The leading challenger, former government minister Dullas Alahapperuma, was nominated Tuesday by a breakaway faction of the ruling coalition after opposition leader Sajith Premadasa withdrew and said he would support him.
“For the greater good of my country that I love and the people I cherish I hereby withdraw my candidacy for the position of president,” Premadasa said in a Twitter post.
Read: Sri Lanka's political turmoil sows worries for recovery
Marxist party leader Anura Dissanayake, 53, was also expected to contest Wednesday’s parliamentary vote. He also ran for president in 2019.
Rajapaksa fled the country after protesters outraged by the crisis stormed his official residence and occupied other key public buildings. He later submitted his resignation via an email to the speaker of Parliament.
Opponents of Wickremesinghe’s candidacy fear he represents an extension of the Rajapaksa rule and a potential comeback for the beleaguered political family.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition against Wickremesinghe’s status as a lawmaker, clearing the path for him to run for president.
He succeeded Rajapaksa’s younger brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, as prime minister after he stepped down in response to massive public pressure.
Wickremesinghe also took on the role of finance minister, becoming the public face of the country’s economic woes. He has delivered weekly addresses in Parliament, raised taxes and pledged to overhaul a government that increasingly has concentrated power under the presidency. Ultimately, observers say, he has lacked the political heft and public support to get the job done.
Alahapperuma, 63, is viewed as a populist, with good public relations and communications skills. Even though he is a former government spokesman and has served in various posts including minister of information and mass media, minister of sports and minister of power under previous governments he previously was not considered for top leadership posts.
A son of school administrators, he studied political science at the University of Iowa but did not earn a degree. He is married to a popular singer, Pradeepa Dharmadasa.
Students and political activists said they planned protests Tuesday. Some intimidating posts circulating on social media warned lawmakers against returning to their constituencies if they vote for Wickremesinghe.
Read: Sri Lanka's Parliament readies to accept names for president
After the protesters briefly took over public buildings last week in startlingly dramatic scenes, Parliament was heavily guarded Tuesday by hundreds of soldiers, its entry points barricaded. Staff at Parliament and reporters were thoroughly searched before they were allowed to enter while navy boats patrolled the lake surrounding the building.
Sri Lanka’s economy has collapsed, its foreign exchange reserves depleted, and it has suspended repayment of foreign loans. Its population is struggling with shortages of essentials including medicine, fuel and food while the government negotiates a bailout package with the IMF. It is preparing a loan restructuring plan as a prelude to talks.
Rajapaksa’s exit last week marked at least a temporary dismantling of the Rajapaksa dynasty that had ruled Sri Lanka for most of the past two decades. Before the recent upheavals, six family members held high positions including president, prime minister and finance minister. All have lost their seats after public protests started in late March.
Rescuers search for 13 after boat sinks in Indonesian waters
Rescuers were searching on Tuesday for 13 passengers from a boat that sank in bad weather and high waves while traveling between Indonesian islands.
The boat, carrying 77 passengers and crew, sank Monday night in waters around Tokaka Island in North Maluku province in east-central Indonesia.
Sixty-four survivors have been found, said Fathur Rahman, head of the local search and rescue agency. They were able to swim to the coast to survive.
Rubber boats, speedboats and a local longboat were being used in the search for the others.
Read:19 women drowned as boat capsizes in Pakistan's Indus River: media
The KM Cahaya Arafah had left the seaport on Ternate Island on Monday morning and was heading to West Gane subdistrict in South Halmahera district.
Ferry and boat tragedies are common in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, where ferries are often used as transport and safety regulations can lapse.
In 2018, an overcrowded ferry with about 200 people on board sank in a deep volcanic crater lake in North Sumatra province, killing 167 people.
In one of the country’s worst recorded disasters, an overcrowded passenger ship sank in February 1999 with 332 people aboard. There were only 20 survivors.
19 women drowned as boat capsizes in Pakistan's Indus River: media
At least 19 women were killed on Monday when a boat capsized in the Indus River near Machka area of Sadiqabad city in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province, local media reported.
According to media, around 60 to 70 passengers were on board. They were part of a marriage procession that was heading towards Machka from a nearby area.
Read: Soldier killed in terror attack in NW Pakistan
At least 35 people were rescued by the locals, police told media.
The search operation for the people who are still missing is underway.
Sri Lanka's Parliament readies to accept names for president
Sri Lanka's Parliament was preparing Tuesday to accept nominations to elect a successor to its ousted president, amid political turmoil that threatens to worsen instability as the country endures its most severe economic crisis in recent memory.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country last week after protesters outraged by the crisis stormed his official residence and occupied other key public buildings. He later submitted his resignation via an email to the speaker of the parliament.
Three lawmakers— the leader of the main opposition Sajith Premadasa, former government minister Dallas Alahapperuma and Marxist party leader Anura Dissanayake have said they will contest Wednesday's parliamentary vote.
Also read: Sri Lanka's political turmoil sows worries for recovery
Acting President and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has not said he will run, but statements from Rajapaksa's party, which still holds a majority in Parliament, expressed backing for him. This has angered many who see his possible election as an extension of the Rajapaksa rule and a potential comeback for the beleaguered political family.
Separately on Tuesday the Supreme Court was set to decide whether Wickremesinghe's appointment as acting president last week by the speaker of the parliament was legal. If it is pronounced illegal, Wickremesinghe may become ineligible to run for president.
Students and political activists said they planned protests Tuesday. Some intimidating posts circulating on social media warned lawmakers against returning to their constituencies if they vote for Wickremesinghe.
Parliament was heavily guarded by hundreds of soldiers, its entry points barricaded. Staff at parliament and reporters were thoroughly searched before they were allowed to enter.
Sri Lanka's economy has collapsed, its foreign exchange reserves depleted, and it has suspended repayment of foreign loans. Its population is struggling with shortages of essentials like medicine, fuel and food.
Also read: Is the pro-Chinese Left behind the Sri Lanka agitation?
The government is in talks with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout package and is preparing a loan restructuring plan as a prelude to that.
Rajapaksa's exit last week marked at least a temporary dismantling of the Rajapaksa dynasty that had ruled Sri Lanka for most part of the past two decades.
Before the recent upheavals, six family members held high positions including president, prime minister and finance minister. All have lost their positions after public protests started in late March.
Sri Lanka's political turmoil sows worries for recovery
A day after Sri Lanka’s president fled, Mohamed Ishad waited outside an immigration office near the capital, clutching a file of documents that he hopes will get his passport renewed so he can leave, too.
With the nation in the throes of its worst economic crisis, Ishad has no job, relies on relatives for financial help and sells vegetables to feed his wife and three children. He wants to go to Japan and find work there so he can send money back home.
Ishad is devastated to leave his family behind, but feels there is no choice — and no opportunity — in his country. “Living in Sri Lanka right now is not good — if you want a good life, you need to leave,” he said. Not only has the economy collapsed, but “there’s hardly a government functioning right now.”
Also read: Sri Lanka acting president declares emergency amid protests
Bankruptcy has forced the island nation's government to a near standstill. Its once-beloved and now reviled former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to Singapore before resigning last week. The acting president and prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, is seen as his proxy and opposed by angry crowds.
Parliament is expected to elect a new leader Wednesday, paving the way for a fresh government, but it is unclear if that's enough to fix a shattered economy and placate a furious nation of 22 million that has grown disillusioned with politicians of all stripes.
The political ruckus has deepened worries that solutions to the crisis, including a crucial assistance from the International Monetary Fund, may be delayed.
“Right now, the eye is off the ball,” said Dayan Jayatilleka, a former diplomat and political analyst. “It’s like in the middle of a serious surgery, everybody from the top surgeon to the anesthesiologist, ran out of the operation room to start a revolution — but they need to come back and finish the surgery before the patient is dead.”
Also read: Wickremesinghe becomes interim Sri Lankan president
The IMF is monitoring the situation closely, but any bailout package will be contingent on Sri Lanka’s debt-restructuring strategy and political stability. “People are probably thinking, who do we talk to? Don’t you guys care about the economy? Will the real president please stand up?” Jayatilleka said.
For months, the country has been on edge, triggered by a foreign exchange crisis that has crippled imports of essentials like fuel, food and medicine. Doctors are warning people to not get sick while families are struggling to eat three meals a day in a country that was once an inspiration across South Asia for its expanding middle class and high per capita income.
Now, the government owes $51 billion in debt and is unable to make payments on its loans. Its currency has collapsed by 80%, making imports more expensive and worsening inflation. Sri Lanka has only $25 million in usable foreign reserves and needs $6 billion to stay afloat over the next few months.
“Gotabaya resigning is one problem solved -- there are so many more. They will continue if we don’t make the right choice in choosing our leaders,” said Bhasura Wickremesinghe, a 24-year-old maritime engineering student.
Among the candidates that Parliament will choose as president are Sajith Premadasa, the leader of the main opposition party; Dullas Alahapperuma, a former minister under Rajapaksa who is likely to be backed by a section of the ruling coalition; and Anura Dissanayake, a Marxist leader whose public support has grown during the crisis.
Another rumored candidate — and the most contentious — would be Wickremesinghe, who could likely count on support of the governing party if he decided to seek nomination. Protesters have rallied for weeks to kick him out of office, accusing him of protecting the Rajapaksa dynasty. If he is nominated and chosen, it will be a “powder keg," said Jayatilleka.
The six-time prime minister, who is also the current finance minister, was appointed by Rajapaksa in May to begin difficult negotiations with lenders and financial institutions. He has also promised to overhaul the political system to clip presidential powers. But his unpopularity grew as lines for fuel got longer, food prices surged and power cuts continued.
He recently called the protesters “fascists” and imposed a state of emergency after his office was seized and his private residence torched.
Wickremesinghe is the only lawmaker from his party to hold a seat in Parliament after it suffered a humiliating defeat in 2020, limiting his public support and political heft. Many don’t see him as a legitimate leader despite his seasoned political career and expertise, said Bhavani Fonseka, a senior researcher at Colombo-based Center for Policy Alternatives.
“This political uncertainty is a killer of the economy -- that has to be resolved fast and in a way that satisfies the people of the country,” said W.A. Wijewardena, a former deputy governor of the Sri Lankan central bank. An immediate roadmap is needed, focused on boosting exports, increasing revenue through new taxes and slashing expenditure, but none of this can be achieved if there is no stable government in place, he added.
Many people are aching for a tangible change in their lives right now, Fonseka said, and don't care about the complex negotiations. “For them, it's the basics of fuel and food — are they getting it or not?”
She said that whoever forms the government "cannot rule the way it was before, they will need to engage better with the public and protesters to show they are different.”
“But if it is someone who does not have the confidence or trust of the people, then the tumultuous protests will continue, and there won't be any stability or solutions in near sight.”