Struggle to end no sooner! Sri Lanka extends emergency for another month

Colombo, Jul 28: The Parliament of Sri Lanka on Wednesday (Jul 27) voted to approve the proclamation of the state of emergency imposed earlier in July, allowing it to extend it. In the voting that was held, 120 Sri Lankan parliamentarians voted for imposing emergency regulations and 63 voted against it.

 

 

 

 

The ongoing state of emergency was declared by then-acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe with effect from Jul 18 under the Public Security Ordinance in the interests of public security, the protection of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community. According to the legal provisions, if the approval of parliament is not obtained within 14 days of the said proclamation, it shall expire.

 

 

 

 

 

Wickremesinghe was elected to be the president of the South Asian country in a parliamentary vote on Jul 20 and was sworn in a day after. He was elected as the new Sri Lankan President after 73-year-old Gotabaya Rajapaksa had gone into hiding after crowds of protesters stormed his residence on Jul 9. Sri Lanka has been suffering a diesel shortage since Feb, which led to hours of daily power cuts. Presently, Sri Lanka is struggling with acute food and electricity shortages, forcing the country to seek help from its neighbors.

 

 

The recession is attributed to foreign exchange shortages caused by a clampdown on tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic. The country is unable to buy sufficient fuel and gas, while people are deprived of basic amenities as well. On Jul 27, reports suggested that Gotabaya Rajapaksa has extended his stay in Singapore for another 14 days.