Sri Lanka court bans former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, allies from leaving country
The magistrate in Colombo has also requested that police examine Monday's mob attacks on peaceful protestors, which resulted in retaliatory violence that claimed nine lives and left massive devastation.
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FollowA Sri Lankan court on Thursday banned former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, his political son Namal, and 15 allies from leaving the country due to acts of violence against anti-government protesters. The magistrate in Colombo has also requested that police examine Monday's mob attacks on peaceful protestors, which resulted in retaliatory violence that claimed nine lives and left massive devastation.
Following the violence, Rajapaksa resigned and sought safety in a naval facility on Sri Lanka's eastern coast. The governing party lawmakers have gone into hiding in the face of popular outrage, and the Speaker has asked the Inspector General of Police to secure the safety of MPs.
Following Monday's violence, an island-wide curfew was enforced until Thursday morning, with the curfew later confirmed to resume at 2 p.m. on the same day.
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More than 100 structures were set on fire, including the homes of Mahinda Rajapaksa, his younger brother and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, his elder brother and former minister Chamal Rajapaksa, and other governing party officials, MPs, and local figures.
Meanwhile, to end the protracted political situation, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared on Wednesday that a new government would be formed this week, with a new Prime Minister who can command a majority in Parliament.
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In his address to the country, President Rajapaksa also pledged to implement constitutional amendments in accordance with the 19th Amendment, which was proposed by the previous government and intends to grant the Parliament additional authority while limiting executive (presidential) powers.
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