Protesters in Sri Lanka break a curfew after social media shutdown

Protesters in Sri Lanka break a curfew after social media shutdown

Protesters in Sri Lanka break a curfew after social media shutdown
Advertisement

After authorities enforced a social media blackout to control popular dissent, armed soldiers in Sri Lanka halted a Sunday opposition march that broke a weekend curfew to protest the island nation’s deteriorating economic problems.

The South Asian country is experiencing catastrophic food, gasoline, and other vital shortages, as well as record inflation and debilitating power outages, in its most painful slump since gaining independence from Britain in 1948.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared a state of emergency on Friday, a day after a throng tried to attack his residence in Colombo, and a statewide curfew is in force until Monday morning.

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), Sri Lanka’s biggest opposition alliance, has condemned a social media shutdown aimed at quelling rising public protests and has called for the government to quit.

Troops armed with automatic assault weapons sought to halt a march to the capital’s Independence Square by opposition MPs and hundreds of their supporters.

Advertisement

A few hundred metres from the home of opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, the road was barricaded, and the crowd engaged in a tense standoff with security forces for nearly two hours before dispersing peacefully.

“President Rajapaksa has to realise that the tide has already shifted against his authoritarian leadership,” SJB legislator Harsha de Silva told AFP during the event.

Eran Wickramaratne, a fellow SJB politician, criticised the state of emergency proclamation and the presence of military on city streets.

“We can’t let a military takeover happen,” he added. “They should understand that we are still a democracy.”

According to internet service providers, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp were among the services that were shut down on the instructions of defence officials on Sunday.

Following the order’s implementation, the chief of Sri Lanka’s internet regulator resigned, according to private media reports.

Advertisement

Apart from the opposition demonstration and huge lines of vehicles queuing for petrol at service stations, the streets of the city remained mostly deserted on Sunday.

Before the restriction went into force, mass demonstrations were scheduled on social media, and organisers have subsequently postponed the rallies until after the curfew is removed on Monday.

Small numbers disobeyed the curfew on Saturday night to stage peaceful rallies in several Colombo neighbourhoods, which ended without incident.

 

– ‘Completely worthless’ –

Government cracks have surfaced, with the president’s nephew Namal Rajapaksa urging the government to reconsider the partial internet ban.

Advertisement

“I would never condone social media banning,” added Namal, who is also the country’s sports minister.

“The existence of VPNs, such as the one I’m using right now, renders such prohibitions utterly ineffective.”

On Twitter and Facebook, the anti-government hashtags “#GoHomeRajapaksas” and “#GotaGoHome” have been trending for days.

A social media activist was detained on Friday for allegedly disseminating content that might spark civil disorder. He has since been released on bond.

Hundreds of lawyers have offered to represent anti-government protesters who have been arrested by authorities. The prominent Sri Lankan Bar Association has also asked the government to lift the state of emergency.

Western diplomats in Colombo voiced alarm over the use of emergency legislation to suppress democratic criticism and said they were keeping a careful eye on events.

Advertisement

Over the weekend, solidarity marches were held throughout the world, notably in Melbourne, Australia, which has a strong Sri Lankan diaspora.

Sri Lanka is struggling to service its mounting $51 billion international debt due to a catastrophic lack of foreign cash, with the epidemic jeopardising essential earnings from tourism and remittances.

The crisis has also rendered the import-dependent economy unable to pay for even basic necessities.

In recent days, diesel shortages have prompted fury across Sri Lanka, resulting in protests at empty pumps and electrical providers imposing 13-hour blackouts to preserve fuel.

Many economists believe that government incompetence, years of accumulated debt, and ill-advised tax cuts have exacerbated the situation.

Sri Lanka is discussing a bailout with the International Monetary Fund.

Advertisement
Courtesy: AFP
Advertisement
Advertisement
Read More News On

Catch all the International News, Breaking News Event and Latest News Updates on The BOL News


Download The BOL News App to get the Daily News Update & Follow us on Google News.


End of Article
Advertisement
In The Spotlight Popular from Pakistan Entertainment
Advertisement

Next Story