In central Sri Lanka, police opened fire on a crowd of people protesting new fuel price hikes, killing one person and injuring 13 others.
The fatal shot by security officers on Tuesday was the first in weeks of protests against the country’s worst economic crisis in decades. After fights with protesters, fifteen police officers were also taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
In Rambukkana, 90 kilometres (55 miles) northeast of Colombo, police admitted that they fired at the protesters. The demonstrators were blocking railway tracks and roadways, according to police spokeswoman Nihal Talduwa, and had rejected police requests to disperse.
“To control the situation police fired at the protesters, which injured several protesters,” Thalduwa told the Reuters news agency.
“Several injured policemen have also been hospitalised,” he said, adding live ammunition and tear gas had been used to repel a crowd throwing stones and other objects. “Police are still in the area and attempting to restore calm.”
14 persons were brought to the government hospital in Kegalle with suspected gunshot wounds, according to Dr. Mihiri Priyangani. One person died. Three more people had surgery and were being followed.
She stated the police officers in the hospital suffered minor injuries, possibly as a result of being hit by stones.
US Ambassador Julie Chung and UN Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer-Hamdy urged all parties to exercise moderation and urged authorities to protect citizens’ right to peaceful protest.
Chung demanded that the shooting be investigated independently.
Sri Lanka is on the verge of collapse, with roughly $7 billion of its entire $25 billion in foreign debt due this year. Due to a serious dearth of foreign exchange, the country is unable to purchase imported commodities.
People have faced months of shortages of basic necessities such as food, cooking gas, fuel, and medicine, queuing for hours to purchase the extremely limited supplies available.
In recent months, fuel prices have risen numerous times, resulting in significant rises in transportation costs and other requirements. At 12 a.m. on Monday, there was another round of hikes.
Thousands of demonstrators occupied the president’s office entrance for the 11th day on Tuesday, blaming him for the economic catastrophe.
President Rajapaksa nominated a new cabinet on Monday in response to mounting calls for his whole government to quit, acknowledging popular outrage over the ruling family’s mismanagement.
“I genuinely regret that people are suffering as a result of the economic crisis,” he remarked.
Gotabaya’s brother, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, has also been criticised for the country’s dismal economic state.
Sri Lanka is requesting $3-4 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help it overcome its balance-of-payments crisis and replenish depleting assets.
Several Rajapaksa members have defied the administration and sat on the opposition benches in parliament on Tuesday.
The president of Sri Lanka’s National Peace Council, Jehan Perera, told International News Agency that the president should resign to resolve the tension.
“The president has failed to demonstrate the required leadership and wisdom to run the country,” he said.
“If he doesn’t [resign], the protests will continue – because these protests aren’t just about political ideas, but about the suffering that people are facing.”
Sri Lanka’s economic collapse began when the coronavirus outbreak decimated key tourism and remittance revenues.
After announcing that it will halt payment on its entire external debt, Rajapaksa’s administration has invited citizens abroad to donate foreign currency to help pay for vitally needed necessities.
Colombo has dispatched a delegation to Washington to begin negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
