Sri Lanka president Gotabaya Rajapaksa could resign by midday, a top source from within the ruling party told Reuters Wednesday morning, hours after confirmation he had fled to Maldives on a military aircraft. Rajapaksa, 73, had promised to resign and assured a “peaceful transition of power” following widespread protests over the country’s worst economic crisis in living memory.
Protesters have warned of a ‘decisive fight’ if president Gotabaya Rajapaksa and prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who said he would also step down – so long as an alternate government is in place, do not do so by the afternoon.
However, ruling party members want Wickremesinghe as their presidential nominee, although no decision has been taken yet, a source told Reuters.
The crisis-hit island nation – where a severe forex shortage has led to scarcity of food, fuel and other essentials – has been consumed by widespread and often violent protests since early this year, leading up to tens of thousands of angry citizens storming the president’s colonial-era residence in Colombo.
Rajapaksa was evacuated while armed soldiers fired in the air to hold off the protesters and was, with other members of his once all-powerful family, including brothers Mahinda Rajapaksa (former prime minister) and Basil Rajapaksa (former finance minister), trying to leave the country.
Both Gotabaya and Basil were prevented this week from flying out via a commercial flight after immigration officials refused to stamp their passports, prompting talk of aid from the military.
Eventually, he, his wife and two bodyguards left onboard an Air Force plane.
As news of his flight spread, thousands gathered at the main protest site in Colombo chanting ‘Gota thief, Gota thief’, referring to him by a nickname.
Government sources and aides said Mahinda and Basil are still in Sri Lanka.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa has immunity from arrest as long as he president but that will likely disappear once he resigns, which is possibly why he was so keen to leave before announcing his resignation.
India, meanwhile, has rejected reports it may have facilitated Rajapaksa fleeing Sri Lanka, calling such claims ‘baseless’.
The Indian High Commission in Colombo said India would continue to support the people of Sri Lanka ‘as they seek to realise their aspirations for prosperity and progress through democratic means and values , established democratic institutions and constitutional framework’.
A suitcase full of documents was reportedly left behind at his residence, as was 17.85 million Sri Lankan rupees (about $50,000) in cash. Both are now in the custody of a Colombo court.
A new Sri Lanka president is expected to be named on July 20.