Posted on 05/12/2022 3:32:34 AM PDT by EBH
Troops and armoured vehicles have been deployed across the city of Colombo and security officials given orders to shoot on sight anyone deemed to be participating in violence as anti-government protests continued to rock Sri Lanka.
The crisis turned volatile earlier this week after pro-government supporters began attacking a camp of peaceful demonstrators who had been protesting against the government and the devastating economic crisis that has engulfed the island of 22 million people.
As footage emerged on Wednesday of armoured military vehicles in Colombo and military checkpoints being set up across the country , fears grew that the path was being laid for a military takeover.
A nationwide curfew has done nothing to stop protesters gathering to demand the resignation of the president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who stands accused of economic mismanagement and corruption that has left it in its worst financial crisis since independence.
Security officials confirmed they had been ordered to use “live ammunition” on those found to be involved in violence or vandalism, alleging that outbreaks of violence were a “coordinated” campaign.
Eight people have been killed and more than 200 injured in the violence that has ensued across the country since Monday’s attacks by pro-government supporters. Mahinda Rajapaksa, the brother of the president, who resigned as prime minister on Monday following mounting public pressure, had to be evacuated at dawn on Tuesday from his official residence in Colombo after protesters tried to storm the building. He is currently sheltering at a naval base in the north-eastern city of Trincomalee.
The resignation of Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday means the government has been dissolved and there is no cabinet.
The central bank chief warned on Wednesday that Sri Lanka’s economy will “collapse” unless a new government is urgently appointed and said he would resign if an interim prime...
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
Sucks not to have 2A.
Stupids keep voting for the corrupt and folks wonder why things don’t get better.
“Troops and armoured vehicles have been deployed across the city of Colombo and security officials given orders to shoot on sight anyone deemed to be participating in violence as anti-government protests continued to rock Sri Lanka.”
BLM and Antifa would be gone overnight if we did the same, since, unlike Sri Lanka, those two groups don’t even have anything legitimate to protest over.
Lesson: Never have a PM who is the brother of the president.
Doing evening they can think of to stop the protests except the only thing that could work. Apologize and immediately reverse their insane policies, get an immediate food relief effort started.
All they know to do is use force.
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