Sri Lanka: Opposition slams President Rajapaksa's decision to impose emergency amid crisis

Amidst the unprecedented economic depression and the subsequent political turmoil in Sri Lanka, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's move to impose emergency regulations has been censured by the opposition on Friday. Sajith Premadasa, the leader of the Opposition in Sri Lanka, stated that President Rajapaksa will not be able to hold the nation down 'with nothing but fear and violence'. He further asserted, “The state of emergency runs counter to seeking any solution to the crisis,” Colombo Gazette reported.  

Premadasa's remarks came after Sri Lankan President announced a state of emergency on May 6 at midnight. President Rajapaksa declared a state of emergency, citing "public security and the protection of public order and for the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community," ANI reported. It is pertinent to note that the first state of emergency was announced on April 1. 

The state of emergency has been implemented days after the island country's biggest opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), presented resolutions of no-confidence against President Rajapaksa and the administration for mishandling Sri Lanka's greatest economic crisis to the Parliamentary Speaker. Furthermore, widespread public outrage has sparked long-term protests, calling for the government's resignation. 

Economic crisis in Sri Lanka

In addition to this, the Sri Lankan administration is now battling to fulfill the basic requirements of its 22 million residents in the midst of an unparalleled economic crisis brought on by financial mismanagement and ill-timed tax cuts. It is worth noting that the nation is even encountering a foreign exchange deficit, which is causing food, fuel, power, and gas shortages. Since April 9, tens of thousands of citizens have come to the streets to protest against the government's inability to pay for crucial imports; prices of basic goods have soared, and fuel, medication, and power are in short supply. 

Apart from this, earlier on May 6, trade unions staged a severe island-wide demonstration, calling for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his administration to quit. "Over 2,000 trade unions are joining us. Still, we will provide urgent and emergency services,” Ravi Kumudesh of the Joint Trade Union Action group said. He went on to say that the goal of Friday's one-day action is to tell the president that he and the administration should both resign. “If our pleas are not heeded, we will go into continuous strike action from May 11 until the government resigned," citing him, PTI reported.  

Despite mounting pressure, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his elder brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, have refused to resign. According to the Daily Mirror report, the nation's Finance Ministry, as well as Central Bank officials, are demanding tax increases as part of a key fiscal reform package, while conducting talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding a rescue package. In concerns to this, as per media reports, authorities are considering raising taxes to at least the level they were before the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government implemented tax cuts in 2019. 

(Image: AP/ Twitter@sajithpremadasa)