Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa offered Wednesday to meet with protesters occupying the entrance to the president's office, saying he would listen to their ideas for resolving the economic, social and political crisis facing the country.
The protesters camped out for a fifth day demanding the resignation of the prime minister's brother, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, holding him responsible for the country’s worst economic situation in decades. They also are calling for his powerful family to leave power, accusing them of corruption and misrule.
Sri Lankans in recent months have endured fuel and food shortages and daily power outages. Most of those items are paid for in hard currency, but Sri Lanka is on the brink of bankruptcy, saddled with dwindling foreign reserves and US$25 billion in foreign debt due for repayment over the next five years. Nearly $7 billion is due this year.
In addition to seeking help from the IMF, the government has turned to India and China for help in dealing with shortages. Mahinda Rajapaksa in a speech Monday sought to reassure people that the government is working to resolve the country’s financial problems.