Sri Lanka: Court imposes travel ban on Former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa & 16 others

Amid the ongoing political unrest in the country, Sri Lanka's Fort Magistrate’s Court on Thursday issued a travel ban on former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, MP Namal Rajapaksa, MP Johnston Fernando and 14 others. As per the Sri Lankan media, they have been restricted to travel abroad due to ongoing investigations into the attacks on the peaceful protest sites of GotaGoGama and MynaGoGama on Monday, May 9.

According to reports, the restrictions have also been imposed on MPs Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Sanjeewa Edirimanne, Kanchana Jayaratne, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, CB Ratnayake, Sampath Athukorala, Renuka Perera, Sanath Nishantha, Senior DIG Deshabandu Thennakoon among others. Meanwhile, the Attorney General had requested a travel ban for the 17 people, claiming that they needed to be in the country for the investigations into the attacks since it appeared that they colluded and plotted them. 

Mob destroyed several tents & other structures set up at Galle Face

Earlier on May 9, supporters of former Prime Minister Rajapaksa attacked peaceful anti-government protestors seeking his removal from office as a result of the country's worst economic crisis. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan prisons have also initiated an investigation into claims that some inmates from Watareka prison were employed to attack protestors in Colombo. The mob demolished also numerous tents and other structures set up at Galle Face, as well as assaulted some activists demanding President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation.

Sri Lankan crisis

It is pertinent to mention here that the Sri Lankan government has been struggling to meet basic requirements for its population of 22 million citizens amid an unprecedented economic crisis caused by mishandling of finances and ill-timed tax cuts. The island nation is also currently facing a foreign exchange deficit, which has resulted in food, fuel, power, and gas shortages, and has sought economic assistance from friendly countries. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned on Monday, May 9, as protesters continued to press for his removal. It came hours after his supporters attacked anti-government protestors, causing authorities to impose a statewide curfew and deploy military forces in Colombo.

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