NewDelhi: Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa on Friday imposed a financial emergency by invoking a 36 hour weekend curfew to curb the rising unrest caused due to crippled economy and fuel shortage.
The crisis-hit country is reeling under severe power cuts due to fuel and foreign currency shortages to import. Meanwhile, lawyers from the country are urging President to revoke the emergency and curfew imposed after an economic crisis.
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The island country with a population of 22 million is facing its worst economic crisis and shortage of fuel as the govt failed to secure enough foreign exchange to import fuel into the nation. Things have become so bad that police have to be stationed at petrol pumps to avoid loots and any untoward incidents.
However, the nationals are apprehensive that govt would misuse this emergency order by cracking down on the protestors to quell protests. Even the U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung has said, that people have the right to protest peacefully in a democratic setup. He also reiterated that in the coming days the situation will improve and it will bring much-needed relief and economic stability to the country.
The concerned official told the media that they are taking stock of the situation as people are struggling with an acute shortage of petroleum products and cooking gas, but we are helpless as we are left with no dollars and foreign exchange.
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Lankan analysts feel that the ongoing crisis is nothing but the result of economic mismanagement by successive governments while the COVID-19 pandemic just added fuel to the fire in a crippled economy dependent on remittances and tourism income. Meanwhile, India has extended its hands in the form of food aid and monetary support.
