By Associated Press
May 15, 2022
New Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe (center) visits a Buddhist temple after his swearing-in ceremony in Colombo on Thursday, May 12, 2022. AFP PHOTO
COLOMBO: Sri Lankan protesters attacked earlier this week by pro-government supporters de-manded on Friday that new Prime Minister Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe arrest his prede-cessor for allegedly instigating the attack against them as they were calling for his resignation.
A group of protesters camped outside the official residence of the premier, who was appointed on Thursday night by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in a bid to hold onto power and quell the South Asian island nation's political and economic crisis.
For months, Sri Lankans have been forced to wait in long lines to purchase scarce imported essen-tials such as medicines, fuel, cooking gas and food because of a severe foreign currency shortage.
The president's elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, resigned as prime minister on Monday after the attack on peaceful protesters triggered a wave of violence across the country. Nine people were killed and more than 200 were wounded.
The group of about 10 protesters camped at the prime minister's residence said they don't trust Wickremesinghe, a former five-time premier, because he is close to the Rajapaksas.
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"If he is truly on the side of the people," he should have Mahinda Rajapaksa arrested, said Wimal Jayasuriya, a 43-year-old teacher. If he doesn't arrest him, "then he has to get ready to go."
Jayasuriya and the others said they were among the protesters who were attacked on Monday with metal and wooden poles by Rajapaksa supporters who were leaving the prime minister's residence after meeting with him.
Thousands of protesters have joined weeks of protests outside the president's office and the prime minister's residence demanding their resignations over the worsening crisis.
Mahinda and his family have taken refuge at a fortified naval base in Trincomalee, on the coun-try's northeastern coast. A court on Thursday issued travel bans against him, his former Cabinet minister-son and 15 others, including other former ministers, pending an investigation into the at-tack on the protesters.
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Wickremesinghe's appointment has been opposed by some politicians and religious leaders, who say he is part of a corrupt system they want overhauled.
As prime minister from 2015 to 2019, Wickremesinghe was accused of protecting the Rajapaksa family from allegations of corruption and other crimes after Mahinda lost a presidential election in 2015.
The main opposition party, which split from Wickremesinghe's leadership in 2020, also opposes his appointment as premier.
Wickremesinghe says he can prove he has the support of a majority of Parliament and will be able to solve the country's economic issues.
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Sri Lanka is near bankruptcy and has suspended repayment of its foreign loans pending negotia-tions on a rescue package with the International Monetary Fund.
It needs to repay $7 billion in foreign debt this year out of the $25 billion due by 2026. Its total foreign debt is $51 billion. The finance ministry says the country currently has only $25 million in usable foreign reserves.
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