Sri Lanka Economic Crisis: Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has declared a state of emergency in the country. The spokesman said the president has used his executive powers to enforce emergency regulations to ensure essential services and maintenance of public order.
The situation in the neighboring country of Sri Lanka does not seem to be improving. Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday declared a state of emergency for the second time in five weeks.
Extensive powers have been given to the security forces as a nationwide strike demanding their resignation has brought the country to a standstill. Earlier on Friday, police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse students who were trying to storm Parliament demanding Rajapaksa’s resignation.
Emergencies give broad powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects for long periods without judicial supervision. It also allows deployment of troops to maintain law and order in addition to the police.
A presidential spokesman said the laws would come into force from midnight on Friday. According to the President’s Media Division, Rajapaksa’s decision is to protect the public and maintain essential services to ensure the smooth functioning of the country.
Rajapaksa declared a state of emergency on April 1, a day after thousands of protesters attempted to storm a private home in the capital. That emergency was allowed to end on April 14. But since then the protests have intensified.
Sri Lanka is facing the biggest economic crisis since its independence and people are facing severe power cuts as well as shortage of essential commodities.
