Colombo : Making his stance clear for the first time amid massive public pressure to step down, Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that he would respect any decision taken at the party leaders' meeting scheduled on Saturday evening. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that Rajapaska has informed him that he would stand by any decision taken by the party leaders, who are scheduled to meet on Saturday evening.
Amid the collapse of the country's economy, since March 31 people have taken to the streets demanding the resignation of Rajapaksa. The continuous public protests were controlled violently, but it forced then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and all his family members in politics to step down.
With no plans to import fuel, the country has been closed for two weeks since June 27, even as people planned July 9 as the day to remove Rajapaksa. Thousands marched to Colombo on Saturday from all over the country, demanding the President and Prime Minister's resignation.
After taking over the President's official residence and office in Colombo, the protesters have also taken control of Temple Trees, the official residence of the Prime Minister.
Despite the police and the military using teargas, rubber bullets and water cannons, besides firing in the air, people in large numbers forced into the heavily-guarded President's house on Saturday.
Amidst the protests, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremmesinghe has summoned an emergency meeting with political party leaders to discuss the situation.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, the premier also has requested the Speaker to summon Parliament in an effort to find a solution to the crisis.
Meanwhile, 16 MPs of President Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party in a letter requested him to resign immediately and make way for a leader who could command the majority in Parliament to lead the country.
They stated that Rajapaksa should give an opportunity to a mature leader without corruption allegations to take over the country.
Religious leaders have also urged the President and Prime Minister to resign immediately and allow the swift passage of power.
Lawyers have emphasised that President Rajapaksa himself has to decide what course of action he should take amidst the mounting public protests against him.
Representing the country's legal fraternity and sitting judges, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) said it calls upon the "President to consider whether he could continue to fulfil his obligations and the powers and duties as the President of Sri Lanka any longer”.
They also urged the Prime Minster, Speaker, Cabinet and MPs to immediately ensure that political stability of the nation was secured forthwith and there should be no delay in ensuring such a transition.
In the wake of the island nation's worst economic crisis since it gained independence in 1948, people have been protesting against President Rajapaksa and his government, asking him to step down.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, his brother former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and several other family members who were in the cabinet and Parliament have already resigned.
With no fuel, the country's transportation has been stopped completely for two weeks and the Indian ocean island is virtually under lockdown.
The island nation of 22 million people has witnessed its foreign exchange reserves shrink due to economic mismanagement and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a result it has struggled to pay for imports of essential goods, including fuel, food and medicine.
In May, it defaulted on its debts for the first time in its history after a 30-day grace period to come up with $78 million of unpaid debt interest payments expired. -- IANS