Sri Lanka lifts protest curfew after backlash

• Huge crowds have gathered in Colombo for the latest protest caused by the country’s economic turmoil.
• Demonstrators camped outside Rajapaksa’s office to demand his resignation over crisis mismanagement.
• UN asks authorities and demonstrators to ensure Saturday’s protests are peaceful.

Crisis-hit Sri Lanka lifted a curfew on Saturday, before a large group of people who want President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down.

Huge crowds have gathered in Colombo for the latest protest caused by the country’s economic turmoil.

Opposition parties, rights campaigners, and the bar association threatened to sue the police chief over the stay-home order.

Officials say that thousands of protesters against the government ignored the curfew and forced railway officials to run trains to Colombo.

“The curfew was not a deterrent, in fact, it encouraged more people to get on the streets in defiance,” a top defence official told AFP.

“Passengers had commandeered trains to reach Colombo.”

Sri Lanka ran out of foreign currency to acquire food and fuel, causing shortages, outages, and soaring inflation.

Protesters, backed by opposition parties, chartered private buses to reach the capital.

Demonstrators camped outside Rajapaksa’s beachside office to demand his resignation over crisis mismanagement.

Thousands of Lankan soldiers with assault guns were bused into Colombo on Friday to strengthen the police defending Rajapaksa’s mansion, which demonstrators plan to raid on Saturday.

Nearly 20,000 troops and police are protecting the president.

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Three judges refused Friday to ban Saturday’s protests.

The UN asked authorities and demonstrators to ensure Saturday’s peacefulness.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said, “We urge Sri Lankan authorities to be calm when they are policing gatherings and to do everything they can to stop violence.”

In all, nine people were killed and hundreds injured as Rajapaksa loyalists attacked peaceful protestors in May.

Sri Lanka defaulted on its $51 billion debt and is in IMF rescue talks.

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