Sri Lanka's political vacuum is deepening with opposition leaders yet to agree on replacements for the roundly rejected president and prime minister, whose residences are occupied by protesters angry over the country's economic collapse.
Protesters look around and pose for photographs at the president's official residence a day after it was stormed in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, July 10, 2022. Sri Lanka’s president and prime minister agreed to resign Saturday after the country’s most chaotic day in months of political turmoil, with protesters storming both officials’ homes and setting fire to one of the buildings in a rage over the nation's severe economic crisis.
The protesters, who come from all walks of life, vowed to stay put until the resignations of the leaders are official. The president hasn’t been seen or heard publicly since Saturday and his location is unknown. But his office said Sunday that he ordered the immediate distribution of a cooking gas consignment to the public, suggesting that he was still at work.
“We can’t be in an anarchical condition. We have to somehow reach a consensus today,” Gammanpila said. Rajapaksa appointed Wickremesinghe as prime minister in May in an effort to solve the shortages and start economic recovery. But delays in alleviating the shortages of basic supplies has turned public anger against him with protesters accusing him of protecting the president.
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