james 
Lanka Declares Emergency After President Flees, Huge Protests: 10 Points
KOLOMBO: Sri Lanka stated that the emergency today when a large protest struck Kolombo after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa flew to the Maldives after months of protest against the economic crisis.
Tears were fired when thousands of people deployed the Office of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesing and pushed the Lanka Parliament Gate.
Unlimited curfew has been worn throughout the West Province, including Colombo, to withstand increased protests. The Prime Minister ordered security forces to catch rioters, his office said.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had promised at the weekend to resign on Wednesday and clean the path for the “peaceful transition of power” after escaping from his official residence in Colombo right before the protesters broke through.
As president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa enjoyed the immunity from the arrest, and he reportedly wanted to go abroad before resigning to avoid the possibility of being detained. He, his wife and two bodyguards were four passengers on a military aircraft that took off from the Lanka Utama International Airport, the AFP news agency quoted the source.
The police fired shots in the air and used tear gas, and water cannons to prevent the crowd from controlling the prime minister’s office. Wickremesinghe has said he will resign as soon as the government is ready to take over. Sri Lanka’s political parties have increased efforts to form the government of all parties and elect a new president on July 20.
