Colombo: Sri Lanka’s eighth President Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled his country with his wife Ioma on July 13, 2022, following months of civilian protests, submitted his resignation by email from Singapore today. The 73-year-old had reached Singapore via the Maldives and from there he appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the acting President.
Mohamed Nasheed, Speaker of the Maldivian Parliament (Majlis) and a former President, announced Gotabaya’s resignation on Twitter: “President GR has resigned. I hope Sri Lanka can now move forward. I believe the President would not have resigned if he were still in Sri Lanka, and fearful of losing his life. I commend the thoughtful actions of the Govt of Maldives. My best wishes to the people of Sri Lanka.”
Sri Lankan Parliament’s Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena received the resignation letter of President Rajapaksa through the Singapore Embassy in Sri Lanka. Singapore had allowed Gotabaya’s entry on a “private visit” and there was no request for asylum from him. Abeywardena is likely to officially announce Gotabaya’s resignation on July 15, 2022, after due diligence.
Gotabaya’s resignation follows the ouster of his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa from the Prime Minister’s position on May 9, 2022, after massive protests in face of an unprecedented economic crisis that grips Sri Lanka.
Following Gotabaya’s resignation, celebrations erupted across Sri Lanka. Sri Lankans blame the Rajapaksa dynasty for the country’s economic collapse. Music was played from a stage in Colombo.
However, the fall of the Rajapaksa brothers does not end Sri Lanka’s woes as even Gotabay’s successor Wickremesinghe too is highly unpopular with the citizens. On July 9, 2022, when he was still the PM, the protesters set his private home on fire, hours after chasing the then President Gotabaya from his residence. Now, Wickremesinghe and former Army chief Sarath Fonseka are being touted among top contenders for the President’s post in the island nation.
While Sri Lanka continues to face acute shortages of food, fuel, medicine and other critical supplies, protestors say they are working to keep things calm and would be vacating government buildings that they had occupied, including the Presidential mansion soon.
Top photo: Colombo
– global bihari bureau
