Protesters meander through gleaming marble hallways, snuggle in a sumptuously furnished sitting room, and take a dip in a private pool set amongst lush greenery. The presidential palace in Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka, fell into the hands of protestors on Saturday who have been demanding the resident’s departure for months.
In recent months, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has stoically clung to the ceremonial home, office and political and economic power his family has amassed over decades. But he will step down next Wednesday, it was announced on Saturday after a chaotic day in Colombo. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was appointed in May as an attempt to reconcile after the protest-forced departure of Rajapaksa’s older brother Mahinda, had already declared his “ready” to resign earlier in the day.
The announcements culminated in the anti-government protests that began in Sri Lanka in mid-March. A protest village arose in Colombo, where protesters stayed overnight on the chic boulevard Galle Face.
Empty shelves and high prices
The economic crisis in the South Asian country was the immediate cause: due to the war in Ukraine and the aftermath of the corona pandemic, it is struggling with international debts. Food prices have risen sharply, imported goods such as medicines are scarce and fuel is scarce.
Young mother Nadeeshani Subodha (31), who lives in the northern city of Anuradhapura, sent NRC images of empty shelves and market stalls. “Every day things are more expensive. I don’t know what else I can buy,” the teacher wrote on Friday. “Everyone suffers under these circumstances. The protesters are going to make a big gesture. Those who cannot travel to Colombo because of money or petrol, will demonstrate in the nearest city.”
As of Friday evening, more than 10,000 people managed to make their way to the steps of the official residence in Colombo – despite transport difficulties and a declared curfew. “That shows our determination,” according to student Aindri Morahela (24), who often took part in protests with friends.
On the phone on Sunday evening she tells that the demonstration of Saturday had been announced two weeks earlier. After an outbreak of violence in May, the protest movement seemed to have evaporated, but the increasing malaise at the time had further fueled the discontent. She has just returned from another visit to the presidential palace: “All that luxury in one building, I think people really realize the inequality now.”
ARUN SANKAR
When Morahela arrived on Saturday morning at the presidential office complex, less than a mile from the palace, she could already see that her fellow protesters had moved closer than ever to that center of power. “It felt like the perfect moment to stop letting us go. It gave me goosebumps all day long – I was elated and scared at the same time.”
The government building did not fall without a fight on Saturday morning. Security forces fired warning shots and used tear gas to keep the crowd away from crush barriers. In the end, judging by videos shared on social media, the crowd turned out to be unstoppable: the protesters engulfed the wide staircase. Later, riots broke out in Colombo in several places, and the house of Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was set on fire.
Family dynasty gone
Rajapaksa was no longer in the building during the storm. The building is usually used for receptions, but Rajapaksa moved into it in April because it could be better secured. He hasn’t been heard from all weekend – as he has been mostly silent about public criticism in recent months.
This imperturbability was perceived as arrogance and disinterest in the hardships of the Sri Lan-kans – an attitude befitting how the Rajapaksa family had previously been perceived by opponents. The family dynasty has ruled the island politically for decades. Former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was president from 2005 to 2015. With his brother Gotabaya as Defense chief, he very brutally ended the civil war against the Tamil Tigers. Gotabaya Rajapaksa was elected in 2019, forgiving prominent positions to his two brothers – the youngest, Basil, was finance minister until he resigned amid the crisis.
Read also The Rajapaksas: Sri Lankan Family Dynasty on the Rise
As Sri Lanka’s economy continued to slump, protesters wanted to end the nepotism and profit-seeking of the Rajapaksa. In the end they were only satisfied with a general departure. Spokespersons for the protest organizations said on Sunday that they will continue to occupy the presidential palace until ‘Gota’ Rajapaksa is really gone.
It became clear from a message to the Speaker of Parliament on Saturday evening that this would happen on 13 July. If Prime Minister Wick-re-me-sing-he also delivers on his promise, an interim president is likely to be appointed. According to the Sri Lankan constitution, a transitional government of all political parties can then be in power for 30 days. “The decision to step down on July 13 was taken to ensure a peaceful transfer of power,” the parliament speaker said.