Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the fugitive president of Sri Lanka, was met with opposition on Wednesday in the Maldives, with dozens of his countrymen pleading with the government to deny him safe refuge.
Rajapaksa, who left his country early on Wednesday after demonstrators overran his Colombo mansion over the weekend in response to the escalating economic crisis in the South Asian country, was criticized by Sri Lankan expats waving flags and placards.
A black and white banner held by Sri Lankans working in the island’s tiny capital said, “Dear Maldivian friends, please urge your government not to safeguard criminals.” Unverified videos of locals cursing at Rajapaksa as he exited the Velana International airport after landing on a military plane were shown by the local media.
On Wednesday, Sri Lankans demonstrated at a man-made beach area in Male. According to witnesses, Special Operations police took down signs and dispersed the crowd. According to local reports, Rajapaksa was staying at a posh resort and planned to travel to Singapore or the United Arab Emirates. One of the two places will be his exile, according to a Sri Lankan security source in Colombo. “There are Sri Lankan communities in both nations, making security an issue.”
Rajapaksa is accused of committing war crimes in many court cases, and the main opposition Progressive Party of the Maldives opposes providing him free entry.
After the president fled the country on Wednesday, demonstrators in Sri Lanka ignored tear gas, water cannons, and a state of emergency to invade the prime minister’s office, demanding both men resign in the face of an economic crisis.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe declared on television that he has told the military and police to take “whatever action is required to restore order.” However, video showed armed security guards waiting nearby in the area surrounding his office as protesters, some waving flags, mingled about and took pictures.
Another group of protesters once broke into the state television studios as the nation’s protracted political and economic turmoil seemed to be reaching a head.
Police used tear gas and water cannons to try to disperse the gathering, but they were unsuccessful. A curfew was also declared, and the crowd continued to swarm the building. Wickremesinghe, 73, would automatically become acting president if Rajapaksa steps down, but has himself announced his willingness to resign if consensus is reached on forming a unity government.
The demonstrators’ activities mirrored the Saturday takeover of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s residence and office, during which time Wickremesinghe’s private residence was also set on fire. Following the president’s departure earlier on Wednesday, joyful Sri Lankans once more filled the president’s official mansion, with young couples strolling around holding hands in a spirit of low-key celebration.
