PEOPLE POWER

Sri Lanka President to Resign Wednesday as Protestors Storm Palace, Burn PM’s House Down

In an emotion-filled day, the President and Prime Minister have folded to protestors.

Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will resign on Wednesday after fleeing the country Friday amid disparaging economic crisis and rising unrest, the Parliament speaker told Sri Lanka’s NewsWire Saturday. “I have been asked to inform the nation that in order to ensure a peaceful transition of power President will resign on 13th July,” Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said in a video statement. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesing also said he’s willing to resign to make way for an all-party government as thousands of protesters stormed the presidential palace in Colombo. The crowd forced their way into President Rajapaksa’s official home and took photos lounging about. Enraged protestors also made their way to Wickremesignhe’s home hours after he offered to resign, setting it ablaze, the Daily Mail reported. It’s unclear as of Saturday afternoon if he was inside. Wickremesinghe has held talks with several political party leaders to decide what steps to take following the unrest, but the path forward still remains unclear.